I know some of you have been waiting for these and my apologies for not publishing them earlier. I have my reasons from the emotional to the physical.

The image on the left is my PET scan, which was taken on the 13th April. It’s not the greatest image in the world as it’s a photo from a computer screen. I’m hoping to get better images sent through from my GP, but until then this will have to do.

Most of the black, but not all, is where the cancer is currently living. Don’t worry I don’t have head or brain cancer. Apparently the head can show up like this.

I’m going to put up a post explaining mantle cell lymphoma as there does seem to be a bit of confusion out there. I just don’t want to go into it here. Now I just want to explain the results. Some of which are positive and some not so good.

History first though.

When I was first diagnosed the cancer was in the majority of my lymph nodes, the throat and right elbow lymph nodes being particularly enlarged. It was through out the stomach and bowel wall, which is where most of it is. There were also trace elements in the bone marrow, which means I also have some cancerous stem cells.

It wasn’t in any organs, other than the stomach and the bowel, and hadn’t crossed over to the blood. There were no tumours.

It is possible to get tumours if it goes into certain organs, but not as common as other cancers. This is because mantle cell lymphoma is a non-hodgkins lymphoma, which is a blood cancer. So it takes a different course to cancers which are tumour driven. Like I said I’ll explain this in a different post.

So how do the results compare from diagnosis to now?

It hasn’t spread anywhere new! Great news. It still hasn’t spread to any other organs or into my blood. I’m exceptionally grateful for that. One of the treatments I’m doing has slowed it down, which is really important.

Not so good is that it has grown slightly in the lymph node by the right tonsil. I can actually feel it a little there and it’s disappointing.

On the flip side though it has reduced in all the other lymph nodes, which is fantastic. I should say not gone completely but at least it is reducing. Again treatments are working in this area but I can’t become complacent because it could resurge if not kept in check.

This is the thing with this type of cancer, you have to constantly be on it. It’s aggressive and it’s stubborn and it will take any opportunity to grow.

This leads me onto the most disappointing news of all and the part of the results that had me down for a few days.

Where it is in the stomach and bowel lining it has grown. Hard to say how much but it has definitely grown a little. I found this demoralising at first as that is where the bulk of it is and I was hoping to stop it in its tracks. Not to be though.

No one’s sure if it’s still in the bone marrow or not as that is hard to pick up on a PET scan. To get a definitive result would require another bone biopsy. That’s not been offered yet but the assumption is that it still in the bone.

What next?

I’ll keep up the dietary changes and the treatment plans that I’ve started as they’ve definitely helped the process. Exercise and meditation is also important. I’m seeing a therapist so that helps a lot with all the mind stuff. Retraining the mind is an amazing journey.

The hospital has offered soft chemo to get the stomach and bowel under control. That is not off the table and I am considering it. I’m keeping all my options open at this point. It’s not hard chemo as I was offered originally and they’re not looking at doing a stem cell transplant anymore at this stage.

Whatever I do, I know I must get the cancer in my stomach and bowel under control. It steals a lot of nutrients which prevents me putting weight back on.

However, I’m not going to go into all the ins and outs of all of this right now. I have a lot to think about in a short amount of time. But once I do make decisions it will be full steam ahead with whatever I choose to do.

There you have it. Results day. Some good, some not so good. I always knew this would be a long journey. I’m still alive though, getting back on my feet and pushing forwards.

Take care out there. Be thankful for everyday you’re alive, and smile at someone today.

Love as always,

Jon