|
Welcome to our daughter's Web Page. It has been provided to keep people updated about Ashley. Ashley has always been very involved in sports. On January 21, 2003 she had an appointment to check out a pain in her back that was just not going away. We had assumed that she had pulled a muscle, gotten hit, or somehow been injured playing basketball. She had an xray that day, the doctor must have seen something on the xray so she ordered a cat scan for the next morning. After the cat scan we were told right away that something was wrong. We were then sent to Sioux Falls. Ashley was admitted on Jan. 22, 2003 and the tests began. While she was in Sioux Falls it was confirmed that she had Cancer. Tests done were blood and urine tests, needle biopsy of her tumor, located in pelvic area, cat scan of entire body and brain, breathing tests, bone marrow, echo cardiagram, bone scan, and a porta cath was also put in. At this point we were sent on to Minneapolis to the Children's Hospital. Once we got to the Children's Hospital they did a regular biopsy and bone marrow. Biopsy came back with the results of being diagnosed with Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma (ASPS).
Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma (ASPS) is a very rare, slow growing tumor from an unknown origin that arises mainly in children and young adults. ASPS is highly angiogenic: it involves intensive growth of new blood vessels, that connect the tumor to the blood system and enable dissemination of tumor cells into the blood stream. Those tumor cells can then easily migrate into other parts of the body typically lungs and brain.
ASPS is a sarcoma and that indicates that this cancer initially arises in tissues that connect, support, or surround other structures and organs of the body. The term “soft tissue” indicates that this sarcoma does not originate in bone, but in soft connective tissues. ASPS arises in muscles and deep soft tissue of the thigh or leg (low extremities), but many times will appear in the upper extremities: hands, the neck and head. While ASPS is soft tissue sarcoma, it may spread and grow inside bones.
The term “Alveolar” in the name Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma (ASPS) comes from the microscopic pattern (histopathology) that one sees upon analysis of slides of ASPS under the microscope: the cells of the tumor seem to be arranged in the same pattern that cells of the small air sacks (alveoli) are organized in the lung. However, this is just a structural similarity. ASPS was first described and characterized in 1952 by a pathologist named Christopherson.
ASPS is a rare cancer. While sarcomas are making about 1% of all the cancers and 15% of all childhood cancers, ASPS is only less than1% of all the sarcoma cases. According to the American Cancer Society, about 9530 new cases of soft tissue sarcoma will be diagnosed in the USA in 2006 and that predicts about 95 new cases of ASPS.
ASPS may exist in the patient’s body for a long time before being diagnosed. It can grow large and push aside surrounding tissues long before causing discomfort. Therefore ASPS symptoms may either be a painless swelling or a soreness caused by compressed nerves or muscles affecting the range of motion in the affected area.
Journal
Monday, October 19, 2009 12:55 AM CDT
"To Where You Are"
Who can say for certain
Maybe you're still here
I feel you all around me
Your memory, so clear
Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You're still an inspiration
Can it be (?)
That you are mine
Forever love
And you are watching over me from up above
Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away not far
To where you are
Are you gently sleeping
Here inside my dream
And isn't faith believing
All power can't be seen
As my heart holds you
Just one beat away
I cherish all you gave me everyday
'Cause you are my
Forever love
Watching me from up above
And I believe
That angels breathe
And that love will live on and never leave
Fly me up
To where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile
To know you're there
A breath away not far
To where you are
I know you're there
A breath away not far
To where you are
Read Journal History
Links:
|
|
