Prof says Yes to Cancer Drug

Wednesday went well. Steve’s bloods were all good and his calcium level was where it should be and the other tests showed his liver and remaining kidney were performing well.


Prof Pandha asked about Steve’s sleeping and it was so nice to be able to tell him how much Steve’s been up and about!

All of this means that Steve is well enough to start the new cancer drug. Which is called Affinitor? As you may remember this is a drug you can not get on the NHS as it isn't approved for by NICE. Who by the way are still declining people much needed cancer drugs, even under the new government! This drug will make Steve very tired :-( and Prof Pandha also wants Steve to stop the Steroids, which worries me, as I believe that Steve's energy and appetite are due to the steroids and with these stopping and adding in the new drug, which is known to make you tired, then I’m not going to see Steve unless its upstairs in bed.

I did question why we should stop the steroids to the Prof and he said it wasn't good to be on Steroids for too long but I think it is best we don’t change too many things all at once and the McMillan nurses agrees, so we are going to do it gradually.

Also we asked for Steve to have another scan, as its been 3 months since his last one and we want to make sure that we have something to compare with, when he starts the drug to see how effective it is. Steve should have the scan in the next couple of weeks.

When we got back in the car Steve said to me, that he is going to change my name from Dr Hewitty to Prof Hewitty! :-)

So Steve will start Affinitor on Monday and it is one tablet per day and he will take it in the evening and we are both opening that Steve manages to not get the sleepy side effects, as we are both really enjoying this new found ability to be sociable!! He won’t have a break from this, like Sutent, so it is continuous, until it stops working or the side effects become un manageable. Let’s hope both of these are a long way off!