DOCTOR CALL

Treatment
I talked with Dr Scadalakis today on the phone about Mama’s upcoming cancer surgery. I asked some questions & he answered.

M Would using chemo/radiation therapy prior to surgery to shrink the tumor result in a smaller wound in Mama’s leg & help her in recovery later?
Dr Chemo/radiation prior would have no affect on what we would do. This is a major operation & we will get all of the tumor. It needs to come out now. People respond better to therapy after the mass is removed, generally.
M Is the tumor interlaced with the muscle tissue & will you have to remove much of her leg tissue?
Dr The tumor is very much intertwined with the tissue & yes we will be taking out a lot.
We expect your mother to be with us probably a week or so.
M When do you expect to start scanning for the spread of the cancer to other parts of her body?
Dr We will assess when we finish the surgery. I did not find any swelling in her lymph nodes & that is a main spreading point.
M You do realize that she has a broken left hip?
Dr Yes & she has problems with the right leg. Recovery will be difficult with her dementia.
M Would any chemo/radiation therapy post-operative, be palliative or curative?
DR I am looking at it being curative. Your mother, although elderly, should have every chance of survival. If we find that she is eaten up with cancer & that therapy would not help then your family would need to make some decisions.

I will talk with Piedmont Hospital & the Dr’ office to see if there is anything we need to do as far as providing post operative care at a facility &/or at home. If you have any more questions let me know & I will try to find a satisfactory answer.
Mike