Ah, You Again

Miles had a clean three-month check up in March, including a clear chest CT.  He has been feeling great, doing his doings: baseball, school, trampolines, buds. 

Two weeks ago, a new lung mass showed up on CT: right side, back middle, and not-so-small.  Bone scan and labs were normal.

So what does this mean?
We met with the medical team, who have reassembled in Miles' regard and reached out to local and world-wide experts in management of recurrent osteosarcoma.  Here's something: there are two established chemotherapy regimens for osteosarcoma--the first was ineffective, and the second got us here.  So Miles might be headed into clinical trials. Meanwhile, we turn our focus to surgery: the new growth must come out.

Dr. Weldon, thoracic surgeon who removed eight little tumors from Miles' lungs last year, sized up the new situation, and we scheduled surgery for Monday, June 20. The expectation was that most of the mass could be removed.  In the process, the right lower lobe might go, and possibly the entire right lung. Additionally, the tumor abutted the central chest cavity, and Dr. Weldon made it clear there may be cells left behind.

Well, surgery was yesterday.  Five-plus hours.  And the day's news is good: the tumor was fully-contained within the tissue of the right lower lobe of Miles' lung.  As such, the lobe was removed, and Dr. Weldon did not identify any other sites of concern.

Miles is recovering from surgery in the ICU at Children's Hospital today, and expects to be back to the surgical floor later today.  He is perky between rests, hungry, and without significant pain.  He is anxious to get rid of the central venous catheter sticking out of his right neck.  His chest tube is draining the right stuff, and the other lines work silently beneath warm blankets.

See question below about this radiograph