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Update on Edie

Last week Edie had appointments with her regular oncologist and orthopedic oncologist. Now that the radiation treatments are over, it's time to decide what additional steps need to be taken to get through this and eliminate the back pain.

The consultations produced a mixed bag of news.

Since Edie is still asymptomatic, except for the back pain from the compression fracture in the T2 vertebrea, and the only evidence of the disease shows up as a small precentage of plasma cells in the marrow, this suggests a smoldering or indolent form of myeloma, and there is no need to rush into any chemotherapy just yet.

Kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty is out of the question to relieve the back pain, since the bone is fractured, i.e. nothing to keep the cement in place. Fusion of the bones or other operation seems so complicated, dangerous, full of potential complications and without guarantees it would do any good, it just doesn't seem worth pursuing.

Plus since it could take from 4 to 6 weeks to see any benefit from the radiation, it seems the best course of action for now may be to just do nothing. Hopefully the radiation did the trick, and the bone will start to heal relieving some of the pain, but in the mean time, the oncologist authorized an epidural (which she had on Thursday), and authorized the use of bisposphonates i.e. Aredia or Zometa.

The bisphosphonates are used to help the bones heal, and to prevent further deterioration of the bones as a result of the myeloma. There are potential serious complications with these drugs, but the oncologist believes they can be minimalized with good oral hygiene.

Only time will tell.
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