As scheduled, Susan and I met today for the first time with Dr. Leonard Saltz, the medical oncologist who will be directing my care at MSK. He confirmed that there are extensive metastases in my liver. It also appears that there is lymph node involvement. Dr. Saltz told us that my cancer is not curable. We accept his opinion.
Dr. Saltz recommends treatment, however. If successful, such treatment would extend my life by some indeterminable length of time, with periods in which I would be stronger than I am today and would be able to engage in an active life. Because my condition seems to be declining rapidly, he recommends that I begin chemotherapy tomorrow. He does not think that blood transfusions are called for at this time.
Dr. Saltz’s plan includes my beginning with six to seven months of chemotherapy. He is starting with chemo, rather than surgery on the colon, because during the recovery time from surgery, I would not be strong enough to receive the chemo I need for the liver. Accordingly, I will begin chemo as an outpatient tomorrow. The plan is for me to receive a “cocktail” of Irinotecan, Leucovorin, and Fluorouracil (known by the acronym “FOLFIRI”) over a period of two days, have twelve days off, and then repeat the treatment.
