The Road Ahead (1)

We have a few more details (but not many) about my treatment program.

I will be beginning with radiation therapy, starting March 5. Because melanoma is very resistant to radiation, they will be using high doses targeted on a small area for a total of 5 sessions. The goal is to shrink the tumour, thereby reducing my pain, and gaining some time for the following treatments. They can only do this once because the target area is near the spine, which will be getting its maximum lifetime dose.

Once the radiation therapy is finished, I will be taking chemotherapy while we wait for a place to open up for immunotherapy. It appears that the chemo will be by the mouth, rather than by IV, so it should be less trouble to take. I don't know anything else about it yet, but I'll probably see my oncologist in the week of March 9.

The final step is immunotherapy. We don't yet know where. There are no beds available at the Montreal Jewish hospital right now.

Stay tuned!