Cancer growing despite treatment

  • 11 replies
  • 17 subscribers
  • 2076 views

I have a very rare form of cancer called bpdcn and really have just started on my treatment journey. I have had 1.6 rounds. I was unable to complete the first round due to liver toxicity but second round it was managed by medication. 

The first round despite having 3 outta 5 doses, it had a massive effect. However after that the ones on my head grew back larger. Second round seems to have had little effect on them. In fact its now got larger and the ones in my lymph nodes have spread from 1 to 4 nodes.

I have another week before I see my consultant. I think I know what the difference was and have requests of medication to add which should make my main treatment more effective again but just dealing with the fear and anxiety in the meantime. 

I'm terrified. I'm a single mum with young kids and I just don't know how to cope with these emotions. And my condition is so rare my docs have never seen a case of it before they're absolutely no reassurance 

  • Is she at the Churchill? Oxford is great, fair bit of experience with bpdcn now. The staff there are amazing. What chemo regime is she on? Immunotherapy can be quite "easy", and some of the chemos are absolutely brutal. I think as i commented on the other post mindset, eating especially protein and moving are really important. Taking all the pre emptive meds too. Not waiting til you feel nauseous or in pain to take the medication. Once they've started then stay on top of them. 

    There's constantly developments and breakthroughs happening. I've just worked with Leukemia care on their bpdcn information booklets and web page, it's worth looking at those, they're more up to date than the terrifying stats you read about bpdcn.