i'm just back from a 2-week work-related trip and catching up with the news here. i wanted to give an update on my sister: she finished the last round of chemo 3 weeks ago, was hit with an infection post-chemo and is now recovering from that. she'll start a second round of radiation around aug 25. they'll put her on herbitox (as opposed to cisplatin) in combination with radiation. initially, mediCal was not going to approve herbitox saying that it was not FDA approved for oral cancers, but her oncologist convinced them to go for it by refering to studies (not sure of the source) that show good results from this combination treatment. i'm going to los angeles again at the end of this month and will be able to post more details. latest news re tumor: chemo didn't do much and the tumor keeps growing (i don't know yet the result of the latest scan). my sister is still fighting though. and all of us are still trying to keep up the positive flow.

i hope you are all well. i did miss your company. sending you all good thoughts for healing and peace.

gita

sister diagnosed 11/03 SCC maxilla keratenizing stg IV T1N1Mx; 4-7 positive lymph nodes; dissection 12/03 left upper pallette removd; radiaton left side 35 sessions 2/04-4/04; recurrence same side 4/04; chemo began 5/04 incl cisplatine, 5fu, taxotere