Janet Hancock

Here is a brief history of mom’s battle with cancer.  Near the end of 2007, some routine tests came back with slightly abnormal values.  Upon further investigation, it was discovered that one of her kidneys had an intrusive growth near the connection with the ureter heading down to the bladder. Around January of 2008, the kidney was removed and the growth was diagnosed as transitional cell carcinoma.

This type of cancer most commonly shows up in the bladder.  In mom’s case, it had taken hold in the kidney.  This particular situation is quite rare and doesn’t have the benefit of much research.  The cancer was identified as class 3 (of 4), which means it was growing quite aggressively.  The doctors had every reason to believe the cancer was encapsulated and they had removed all of it.

There don’t seem to be any known environmental factors associated with the onset of this kind of cancer.  It is known, though, that transitional cell carcinoma is statistically more prevalent in Scotland.  Mom has strong ancestral connections with Scotland so it looks like she had a genetic vulnerabilty to this cancer.

Mom was clear of any detectable cancer for six months after her surgery.  Then it showed up in her liver and lymph nodes.  At that point she began treatments with chemotherapy and several natural remedies.  Initially, the results exceeded what her oncologists said was possible.  They had said that in her condition, the best that could happen was for the chemo to slow the growth of the cancer.  There was no likelihood of the chemo reducing the size or incidence of the cancer.  However, against all odds, the cancer activity disappeared from the lymph nodes and the spots on her liver shrunk and almost disappeared.  Mom was able to travel to Indonesia in January and February of 2009 for a mission trip.

Some months later, however, the cancer returned with a vengence   Mom resumed chemo treatments, but around May of 2010, they told her the treatments were no longer having any effect and that there was nothing more medically that could be done to help her.

The last scan (around the beginning of July, 2010) showed that her liver is now completely enclosed by the cancer.  All together there were two separate times when the cancer disappeared to the extent it was not visible on the PET scan.  Each time it came back some months later.

It appears the cancer is now affecting her body’s ability to regulate her sodium level and the production of hemoglobin.  Mom has been in and out of the hospital a couple of times but was discharged from the hospital yesterday (Monday, July 27) since her condition is not improving and there are no further treatments that can help.