Update on Hugo's cancer

[hugomom1]

Spoke with the Oncologist tonight for the biopsy results. She said it's a Grade 2 Soft Tissue sarcoma. They still don't have a definitive answer as far as what type of sarcoma but she said they reported seeing some ugly cells that made them diagnose it as Stage 2. She is going to have Pathology go back over all of his tests on Monday and see if they can come up with, at least, a likely type diagnosis.

She gave us the treatment options, and based on what I've read about sarcomas, radiation seems the best way to go. She mentioned a new treatment called 'metronome chemotherapy' but I vetoed that one because Hugo would have to be on oral chemo for 6 mths! He's 8, I don't want him to spend that much of his golden years on chemo. My husband was happy to hear me say that because it's wicked expensive. We have the option to do nothing but sarcomas often come back, and my Dad's cancer was in a spot where they could remove very little and after seeing the way it took over, doing nothing is not an option.

Here's the radiation dilemma. The choices are high dose radiation, few days/2 wks; or low dose radiation, 5 days week/1 mth. I don't really want Hugo on the high dose but I don't like the idea of him being under anesthesia 20 days a month either. Meeting with Oncologist and Radiation Clinician Tuesday to get their recommendations...will let you know!

BTW, Dr Uhri remembers Cami!

 

[Cami]

Glad to hear that you have a couple of options available. That certainly makes your decision less intense. I hope that all goes well with the meeting on Tuesday.

 

[hugomom1]

Hugo starts radiation 1/19

After speaking with Hugo's Oncologist, Dr Uhri, and the Radiation Oncologist at OSU, we decided to go with traditional (low-dose) Radiation Therapy. Both drs recommended this direction as the best treatment option for Hugo's type of Cancer. I've been googling it a lot and soft tissue sarcomas seem to respond very well to Radiation and the likelihood that he will live 2-3 years cancer-free is very promising. And the entire staff LOVE Hugo! Dr. Uhri said Hugo is under the impression the entire hospital staff is there just give him attention and hugs.

It's a low dose radiation but he has to have treatments 5 days a week for 4 weeks. He'll have anesthesia for every one, which I really don't like, but it's only for 10 minutes. :( So far, the only thing Pathology can tell us is that it's an 'Undifferentiated Soft Tissue Sarcoma'. Huh?

If any of you have gone through Radiation therapy with your Boxer babies, I'd love to hear from you. The dr told us what to expect but I'd like to hear from you who've been through it.

 

[Cami]

'Undifferentiated Soft Tissue Sarcoma'. Huh?

Undifferentiated cancer: A cancer in which the cells are very immature and "primitive" and do not look like cells in the tissue from where they arose. As a rule, an undifferentiated cancer is more malignant than a cancer of that type which is well differentiated. Undifferentiated cells are said to be anaplastic. (less differentiated).

I have never had to deal with radiation with Cami's cancer however one of my clients (Golden Retriever) has undergone radiation down at OSU. She had a mct, grade 3 and surgery didn't obtain clean margins. Back in the summer she was given 1-3 months if I remember correctly. I talked with the owner at length and got her to get "Cagney" to OSU.

She did great with the treatments but had to wear a cute little t-shirt to keep her from licking the treated area for a few weeks. After radiation she started on chemo and is in her 3rd month and doing TERRIFIC......except that she is turning PINK! It is (or can be) a side effect of the Pallidia. I have taken care of her for weeks at a time since her cancer diagnosis and treatment. Unless someone told me I would never have known she was battling cancer.

Hugo is in good hands. The time will fly by I am sure of it! As far as I understand it the type of anesthesia used for radiation is (or can be) a reversible type. They give one drug to put them out and another to reverse its affects. I know that Cagney never even acted groggy after treatments.