Sandy

Thanks for the kind words of sympathy. I really like your turn of the phrase: "Erbitorture". My MO is exploring with some others a study on whether Erbitux for head and neck cancer patients needs the same type of genetic screening that is now mandatory before colon cancer since Erbitux simply does not work at all for mutated KRAS gene patients. Originally, researchers thought that by testing for EGFR, they could predict which patients would benefit from the targeted drug. That didn't pan out in studies of colon cancer. Instead, they found that KRAS -- which regulates other proteins downstream in the EGFR signaling pathway -- is a much better predictor of outcome. Some doctors now believe that there is a similar mechanism at work for head and neck cancer patients. My MO thinks I may be one of them and I was selected for the Rare Cancer Genetics registry and haven given a DNA sample to them. But for the majority of patients for whom Erbitux does work, let's not scare them. If your genetics are right, it is really a miracle drug. The platinum based poison chemo is really hard also. The Carboplatin infusions every week did a number on me the second time around but at least my face did not fall off so it seemed better.
I think a Dermatologist may be best for J at this point.
Keep the Faith
Charm.