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Health update

Published on 25 Comments on Health update

Today brings weird news. It's bad news, but peculiar bad news.

As you'll recall, the main marker of multiple myeloma is M-protein. The lower the better, and late last year it dipped below detectable levels. A second test, serum immunofixation, went from detecting cancer to maybe detecting something to flatly reporting no hint of cancer. That was in April. In May it returned to maybe.

Today, I got back the test results from a week ago. For the first time in six months the immunofixation test reported definite cancer and my M-protein level spiked to 0.31.

I am, as usual, unable to get a straight answer about just how unusual this is. But obviously it's not common. The immunofixation result has gone from zero to definite cancer in eight weeks and the M-protein test has gone from zero all the way up to 0.31 in four weeks with nothing in between. That makes no sense, especially since my multiple myeloma has always been fairly well behaved.

But it is what it is. My CAR-T doctor called me today with the news and asked if I was willing to be part of a clinical trial. There aren't a lot of other options left. So sometime soon I'll probably be back at City of Hope to hear about what's available. We'll just have to figure out how to squeeze this into the schedule for my other cancer.

25 thoughts on “Health update”

  2. lower-case

    stupid question, but you haven't recently started any p-cancer drugs that might affect the accuracy of these tests?

    i'm sure your doctor is aware of anything like that but can't hurt to ask; sometimes tangential questions open up a useful discussion

    but more likely it just annoys the doctor 😉

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  6. chello

    I’m sorry Kevin. This must feel so hard and sad. Is the clinical trial CARVYKTI? Or maybe that’s been approved. I wish you success and long life. I’m sure you know - having an assertive advocate with you throughout therapy and recovery is golden.

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  12. Dana Decker

    I am very dismayed with this news, and also, astonished at Kevin's steady tone, openness, and fortitude during this years-long illness. I hope these latest results are due to a peculiar anomaly, and that the numbers get better in subsequent tests.

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    3. KawSunflower

      Yes, especially with all of the comments about his fraternizing with his purported OC Republican friends, I think he has been amazingly positive & resilient, & attribute much of that to his keeping active providing opinions & photography, while having the support of Marian & their two handsome cats.

      I am hoping that this, if not a fluke, will nevertheless be treated with all of the best medical care & result in remission - sooner than later.

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  14. Traveller

    D_Ohrk_E1
    July 1, 2024 – 7:46 pm at

    Are you sure it's not a false-positive from the adjacency of your prostate cancer?
    ^^^^^^^^^
    I'm with D on this...make sure any treating physicians know of all conditions...and of course, all medications.

    I am with Winslow2 on this also...I too will shake my fist at the sky!

    Best Wishes, Traveller

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