Roughly 30 days after completing my final round of treatment, it was time for a battery of tests to assess the impact of the treatments.
First on the list were the standard blood tests. As anticipated, my results were out of the normal range, reflecting my body’s ongoing recovery. However, my platelet count was 132, indicating a positive trend toward healing, and thankfully, no further transfusions were necessary.
Next came the PET scan, a procedure I’ve come to associate with Brooke, my favorite radiologist at UW Health. The official report revealed, “No other findings of new or worsening lymphoma elsewhere in the head/neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis,” with a Deauville score of 3 out of 5, suggesting a favorable outcome.
Then came my least favorite test, the bone marrow biopsy. Admittedly, I was quite anxious, as this test has been the most uncomfortable part of my cancer journey. Nurse Practitioner (NP) Colwell skillfully performed the biopsy, taking several samples as required by the clinical study. The result was reassuring: “No clonal abnormalities were detected, and the abnormalities seen in previous bone marrow specimens were not found.”
The final and perhaps most significant test was the Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) testing, aiming to detect any lingering cancer cells in my blood or bone marrow. Using the samples collected earlier, the result came back negative, a pivotal moment indicating that I was in full remission.
While Dr. Rajguru had expected these results, I remained cautiously optimistic until I received the reports and had our follow-up office visit. The conclusion was clear: I was in remission, a significant milestone on my journey, though not a definitive cure.