Good News!

Hi, All - I went down to St. Louis Wednesday for my 6-weekly check up.
I got the results of my latest CT scan then and got some good news: The
largest tumor is my lung has shrunk 24% since first starting on the drug
Sutent in April, 2007!

Needless to say, I'm very excited and grateful to hear this. It makes
putting up with the side effects so much easier when you get news like
that.

The tumor is still considered to be pingpong ball sized, but now it more
like a crushed pingpong ball rather than a nice round one. (This is my
St. Louis oncologist's description, not mine.)

The several smaller tumors scattered around my body remain, but there is
no growth in them and no new tumors and that is still the main point of
this clinical trail.

A summary of findings was presented earlier this summer. The results of
the study have been positive and they are investigating whether to
expand it. If it is expanded there is some hope that my oncologist in
Lincoln may be certified for it or, if not him, then maybe a cancer
program in Omaha. (Although I would miss seeing Sara's aunt and her
cousins on my trips to St. Louis.)

The most unpleasant side effect for me remains the Hand-Foot Syndrome . There is
some research going on in that area, but none of it is with my particular drug. However, more and more of the new cancer drugs are causing this particular reaction so there is hope that there will be more research on it (THE SOONER THE BETTER).

Thanks again for all your prayers and support.

John