THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
rodwelch@pacbell.net
November 8, 2005
03 00050 61 05110803
Dr. Christopher C. Benz, MD
Professor of Oncology
Medical Oncology Department
University of California San Francisco
Medical Center
Carol Franc Buck Breast Care Center
1600 Divisadero, Second Floor
San Francisco, CA 94115
..
Subject:
Millie's Progress Implementing 2nd Opinion
Consultation on October 18, 2004 Treating Secondary IBC
Second Opinion Received on November 17, 2004
Status - Disease-free Pending Further Testing
On July 27th, Millie's primary care physician recommended mastectomy following
favorable response to treatment with Taxotere and capecitabine, which you had
recommended late last year. Since testing showed no evidence of continuing
disease, due diligence required asking for follow up comment, based on your
opinion stating there is no role for surgery in her case. UCSF reported on
August 23rd that you made referral to Doctors Grissom and Bailey for surgical
expertise.
..
Millie got excellent support from Grissom and Bailey, relying in part on your
prior opinion, and leading to surgery on October 21, that implemented proposals
for an
innovative
solution.
..
Good news - on October 27th, Kaiser advised that testing shows Millie is
disease-free.
Today, we learned that her CA 15-3 cancer marker has suddenly
and dramatically dropped to 34, down from 45 the past three (3)
months; 34 is the lowest level in Millie's four (4) year ordeal. This
seems quite a miracle! Millie appreciates that disease may recur; but, for
now, we are grateful she is off treatment and recovering well. In sum,
recovery was accomplished by implementing
your ideas
on systemic treatment, and
when testing eventually showed no evidence of disease, Kaiser proposed
surgery.
Treating a stage IV patient for
secondary IBC with surgery, when there is no evidence of
disease, suggests Millie may provide lessons learned from
patient history.
..
Congratulations for playing a pivotal role in Millie's recovery. You and UCSF
deserve a well done for quality advice on treatment and referral, demonstrating
personal and organizational integrated management.
If time permits, please comment on biopsy of surgical tissue finding
DCIS, and
in relation to Kaiser's report of disease-free status. Removal of disease
with surgery on October 21, may account for decline of CA 15-3, per above.