Mark Sykes Health Status Update 10/30/14

Mark again thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers on his behalf as he continues to fight his cancer.  He has finished radiation for his adrenal gland tumor and will be shifting medications in a few days to try to shrink all remaining tumors since a few have grown a bit in his lung and bowels.  The bowel tumors caused some partial obstruction a week or two ago but that cleared up without requiring any surgery.  The new medication, debrafanib, will be an oral pill similar to the one he took a couple of years ago (that long ago!) which melted most of his tumors away and hopefully will do the same now.
 It will take eight weeks to see a response to the debrafanib, so he will get updated scans around Christmas.  As the tumors break up and enter the body’s clean up system, hopefully his immune system will recognize the pieces as foreign and start fighting the melanoma cells more effectively.  This “vaccine effect,” in concert with the IV medications he has received and may receive again, will hopefully help prevent new tumor cells from growing.

 Ever the warrior, Mark keeps a great attitude and continues to go to work every day. Meg keeps him going with her positive attitude and faith, as well as her special green shakes. Thanks for your support!
Scott Sykes