...update

found photobooth photo - hand tinted

The Grind: Last night was a late one, with multiple events… one at the Standard Club, which is a beautiful venue, but NOT fun for the installing of photobooths! It’s hard to get the equipment in, and of course, they’re very particular about things… Nevertheless, both events were a hit, flawless, and now done! In a few hours, off for yet more photobooth event madness!

Day to Day: Sadie, my Step-Grandmother, is currently in the end stages of pancreatic cancer. This was quite sudden… with that said, everyone is very upset about the situation. At this point, it doesn’t look like there’s much to be done? For me, I often think so much about cancer, and my own fate / death, that I feel a little better prepared for this situation. But no matter how much you prepare, it’s hard to accept this fate for anyone. It’s especially difficult when it causes distress for those who you love… Right now, there’s little I can say or do, except to acknowledge the circumstances and do my best to support my family from a far.

Bad Berka, PRRT, Etc:
Here’s a follow-up of Dr. Baum’s response to my questions (via email). Dr. Baum's response are in red italics:

What percentage (%) of patients discover the primary (if unknown) with 68-GA PET? As noted, my primary tumor has never been found.

In about 60% of cases previously unknown primaries are detected by Ga-68 PET/CT (see publication attached) as we are able to detect much smaller lesions as compared to CT/MRI, ultrasound or OctreoScan

What percentage (%) of patients, similar to my case, discover extra hepatic metastasis with the 68-Ga scan, including Micro-Metastasis? From what you see of my uptake on the Oscan, what are the chances that the 68-GA PET scan would yield new useful information?

Chances are high as uptake on your OctreoScan was weak.

Will the results from a 68-Ga scan provide a better roadmap for the surgeon to follow than what is currently available from the MRI, Oscan, CT, Etc. Do you know of examples in which the 68-Ga scans have been used effectively to guide liver surgery?

Definitely. -In over 4,000 Ga-68 PET/CT studies we have performed up to now, change of therapeutic/surgical management occurred in over 50 percent of the cases due to better information obtained from the Ga-68 DOTA-TOC PET/CT study.

As you know, I am currently undergoing just the scan during my visit on February 8th. After the scan, I will immediately send the files (digitally) to my surgeon back in the US.

You will get a CD with the PET/CT study and I will prepare a report/assessment of the study (this is my duty, not the surgeons duty to do it!)

From Germany, we will find a way to have Dr. Botha, my surgeon, review the scans as soon as we get them. If it is determined by both you and my US surgeon, Dr. Botha, that surgery is not possible because of the extent of the disease; I would like to consider PRRT treatment in Bad Berka. If required, would it be possible to schedule a treatment while I am in Germany?
This is possible.

Dr. Baum also provided this paper, for review: CLICK TO READ.

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