Scan Results

Urgh.

It's always horrid waiting for scan results and the ones yesterday were very important.

They'd tell us if the ipi-nivo drugs were working.

Paul had an MRI, CT and PETscan last Friday and the results were being read to us at 1pm.

Paul woke at 5, (primarily because of the steroids he's on) and checked the Royal Marsden app.

His results were out with an accompanying note from Mary (marvellous Oncologist Professor Mary O'Brien)just saying "Good results"

ChatGPT did a brilliant job of interpreting the results and explaining them to us like idiots.. which we were extremely grateful for.

I was so pleased we were spared the wait ..and to find out all the chaos with the immunotherapy drugs had been worth it! Whoop whoop!

Results as follows comparing current and previous scan values to see if there’s any reduction in activity (measured by SUVmax, which shows how “active” cancer cells are on the PET scan):

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🔍 Areas With Slight Decrease in Activity (Improvement):

1. Right anterior supradiaphragmatic nodes/nodules

• Now: SUVmax 6.6

• Before: SUVmax 7.3

✅ Slight decrease in metabolic activity

2. Right posterior costophrenic angle pleural thickening

• Now: SUVmax 3.6

• Before: SUVmax 4.6

✅ Reduced activity

3. Right hemidiaphragm pleural thickening (near liver dome)

• Now: SUVmax 3.4

• Before: SUVmax 5.5

✅ Notable decrease

4. Soft tissue between right 10th–11th and 11th–12th ribs

• Now: SUVmax 8.2

• Before: SUVmax 8.7

✅ Slight decrease

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⚠️ One Area Slightly More Active:

• Pleural thickening next to the superior vena cava (SVC):

• Now: SUVmax 3.6

• Before: SUVmax 2.7

⚠️ Small increase – but still mild activity and may not be significant

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✅ Summary:

Yes — several areas have shown a small reduction in activity, which suggests that the disease might be responding to treatment. Importantly, nothing has grown or spread, and the one slightly more active area still shows only mild uptake.

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Overall, the cancer looks stable — no new spread and no growth. In fact, a few areas show slight improvement, with lower activity than before 🙏. One small area is a bit more active but still mild. We’re really encouraged by this early sign that things might be responding to the drugs..and he's only had one infusion!

Mary wants to taper Paul's steroids further down to 10mg so he can get at least one of the drugs in in 4 weeks time.

Paul's superpower has always been his charisma and positivity so we really needed this win.

He doesn't stop. He powers on and worries about other people. He's a steadfast father and friend and I honestly can't love him more.

Feeling encouraged.

Still praying.

Very grateful to Mary and her utterly amazing team.

Also my beautiful, wise and brilliant mum who came to our rescue for 2 weeks when we desperately needed help.

Onwards and hopefully upwards.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7)

#mesothelioma #asbestoscancer #royalmarsden #profmaryobrien #nivolumab #ipilumabab #immunotherapy