Hello all--

It's been a very busy December this year, but I've been needing to give you my good update on my recent scans. I had a CT scan and an MRI and both of them were clear, with no sign of cancer. After my MRI, I also had an exam with Dr. Paty to check the site of my previous tumor/polyp removal. The incision looked like it was healing well, but there was a slightly raised red bump in the area that he noticed. He said it didn't look like cancer, but out of an abundance of caution he wanted to biopsy it. So he took a small piece of it right then and sent it to be biopsied. After a few more days of waiting, I got a clean biopsy report too--only healthy cells. I also had another CEA blood test which was normal.

I'm very relieved and thankful for these good reports! Both Dr. Paty and Dr. Yaeger want to continue to follow me closely for now, which means I will have another colonoscopy in April with Dr. Nishimura, and then another MRI and exam with Dr. Paty in August. I will also have another Signatera test in there, as well. 

I asked whether the negative Signatera test could mean that I didn't need to have the other scans and they said they don't yet have enough data on the Signatera tests in early stage disease to be able to tell if it is consistently more sensitive than the scans yet. They don't have a lot of data in general on cases like mine where the cancer was caught this early but was still at risk for spread. This is surprising to me, but I've been told this several times. I guess they usually catch it early enough to remove it without further concern or find that it has spread enough to require other treatment. 

I'm still doing blood work with my doctor in NJ to continue to track the raised inflammatory markers that have shown up in my blood work. We're trying to get to the root of the cause and address it, in order to bring those markers down into normal levels. Cancer can be fueled by inflammation in the body, so it's important to address it--and for other health reasons, as well. I'm working on a combination of dietary changes, supplementation and exercise adjustments to hopefully see good results in the blood work and my energy levels. I've been quite careful for years about healthy food and environmental toxins, and yet my genetics seem to be stacked against me, so it's requiring more investigation. 

Thank you all for your prayers and love for me. I greatly appreciate them! Wishing you all a very blessed Christmas and a happy new year! 

love, Linnea