Yesterday I received the best news since my post MRI with perfusion images were evaluated. After finding out that no apparent tumor growth was evident on my MRI from December 28th I stayed for the first time three months without an MRI, changing the frequency at which I check myself out. The results are in and no tumor growth was apparent, same images as my post-surgery MRI from January 2012.
Given my tolerance to chemo and the apparent lack of side effects from a prolonged use of Temodar I am about to begin another 6 cycles of chemo to play it safe, but I hope I am taking it for no reason! As I do my own research and get extra life I get more energized about the prospects of all those afflicted by brain tumors and cancer. Incredibly I started wondering if obesity was just a type of cancer on the fat tissue and the answer might be yes according to Dr. William Li, who presented his angiogenesis theory at a TED conference (http://blog.ted.com/2010/05/17/can_we_eat_to_s/).
The interesting theory he exposes is that cancer might be an abnormal development of blood vessels that grows uncontrollably, hence the successful adoption of Avastin to treat the most aggressive form of brain tumor, glioblastomas. He expresses a theory on eating to starve cancer by essentially preaching a list of different foods that might help combat cancer. While I don't buy that eating well is a recipe for cancer cure I do believe that there is something to be said about trying to eat a menu as diversified as possible. While I lived in the US I have to say that my menu was fairly restricted, the restaurant options around work were limited and I was never the kind of person that took my food to work. In fact I was simply more likely to live by my joke of not eating things that do not walk!
While talking to my wife about flowers she mentioned how different types of soil minerals affect flower colors. I have also read extensively that when choosing food options the simplest way to ensure healthy eating is by having lots of colors on the plate. I would not be surprised if a good variety of minerals in a diet leads to a healthier body, after all we are what we are and got here by being omnivores.
I have shared in my "We Can Think With Glioma" blog that the highest correlation to cancer incidence is latitude - the higher the latitude the higher the cancer incidence. While at first I thought of sun incidence (or lack of) as a potential cause for cancer I am now wondering if the restricted number of food options might be to blame. As humanoids migrated away from the tropics they were confronted with the exposure to seasons and were therefore in need to hunt to survive as picking fruits and vegetables from the ground were no longer an option. This also created the need for farming, a way to produce and accumulate food for the harsh winters, providing fewer but more reliable sources of food. These two factors - lack of sunlight exposure and a more restricted diet - might be factors to be further investigated, but while the infinite number of causes might be to blame the finite number of cancer cures seem to be working better and better, great news to all of us who were abruptly reminded that life in our current form does not go on indefinitely.
In any event to celebrate this great news I am signing up for my first post-tumor triathlon and can't wait to share that experience. While swimming might not seem like the best idea for someone who is still taking anti-seizure medication sitting at home waiting for death to arrive sounds like an even worse option, so to prove that we can live with glioma and hopefully for a very long time I am going to continue to train and tri until I can, I am back and as energized as I have ever been!
