Name That Scar...
Recovery
Adam was in the hospital only four days following surgery and then headed back to the island to recuperate. Pictured here at the right - Adam with a few friends who came to help keep him entertained.
You too can help keep him entertained by logging on to his website with a story. Visit www.adamlamson.com and enter your version of what happened to produce the scar on his side. The incision for surgery left a 12 inch crescent shaped scar on his right side. We'd love to hear your version of what caused the scar. The winning story, chosen by Adam, will be the one he tells from here forward and also receive a candy bag from Dylan's Candy Bar in NYC. Some of the versions so far include Ninja Warriors, Samurai swordsmen, and an injury from saving orphans and puppies.
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Treatment Update
Back In Chemo...
Adam is back at Sloan this week, starting on a new round of chemotherapy. He will receive chemo through the end of next week.
They have also done a simulation for treatment planning on his next step, radiation. Dr. Wolden will be the physician performing Adam's radiation.
Radiation therapy is an extremely powerful tool for these tumors, but
young patients are especially sensitive to long-term side effects. Dr. Wolden approaches each patient as a unique individual, carefully
designing a highly customized radiation therapy plan to maximize the
benefits of treatment while minimizing side effects. She is a leader in
the use of targeted approaches such as intensity-modulated radiation
therapy (IMRT), image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), and
intra-operative radiation therapy (IORT) for pediatric cancers and for
head and neck tumors in adults.
In comparison to other tumors, soft tissue sarcoma requires that a
larger margin of normal tissue be subjected to radiation. This is
because sarcoma can spread along and between muscles in ways that
sometimes cannot be detected. Microscopically, sarcoma cells are
discrete, but they can trickle out deceptively and be left behind after
surgery. The further away from the tumor site, however, the less likely
there are to be sarcoma cells. Radiation oncologists typically deliver
radiation to tissue five centimeters (approximately two inches) beyond
where the tumor was located.
Carl's Lab Report
The tumor in Adam's chest (Carl) began life as a teratoma. Teratomas are thought to be present at birth (congenital). They consist of germ cells, simply extra cells left over from conception. Some cells within the teratoma may mature into teeth and hair. Or they can be malignant,
depending on the maturity and other types of cells that may be
involved. Malignant teratomas are characterized by mestastis
(spread of a tumor to another part of the body) along with local
aggressive growth. In Adam's case, the cells mutated into Rhabdomysarcoma. Or as Adam put it, he had an evil twin - Carl.
The pathology report showed that the chemo had effectively killed Carl, with the rhabdomyosarcoma showing a "prominent treatment effect" (more than 90%). The two lymph nodes removed were benign, tissue taken from the surface of his heart also came back benign.
All in all - it's another great day in the Lamson households. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
PHOTO: Just in case you're freaked out by the photo, Carl in a jar is a simulation and not the real tumor. It's an art piece created by Sue for Adam to keep on his bookshelf.
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