Lung Tests

Today we heard some good news. My lung function tests, which were done on Friday, had seemed to be indicating that my oxygen exchange within the lungs was still declining, despite my having neither the bleomycin (the drug in the chemotherapy cocktail that is the most toxic to the lungs) nor the GCS-F bone marrow shot for stabalizing my white blood cell count (which is thought to interact with bleomycin to potentially damage the lungs).

HOWEVER, turns out the technician had made a mathematical error, and my lungs had indeed improved a bit since these drugs were withheld. So the hematologist was pleased. But he also wanted to see if the site of the oxygen exchange in my lungs (the alvioli) were being damaged.
Bleomycin can cause the walls of the alvioli to thicken, thus decreasing the amount of oxygen which can pass through into the blood stream. So I went today for a high contrast CT scan of my lungs. This will have the added benefit of again allowing us to check the size of the central mass in my chest, so fingers crossed.


I'll get the results of the tests back on Thursday, which is when my chemotherapy has been rescheduled (since, without the shot, my white blood cell count today was again zero...)