[Che-student-staff-list] My health status

[Varma, Arvind]

Dear Colleagues,

I had telescopic video thoracic surgery today to remove the tumor (8 mm) off my left lung - in doing this, they also found 2 other smaller tumors, also removed.  The current plan is to start new chemo treatment next week - at least 4 cycles, each 2 weeks long. The marker progress in blood will determine the actual treatment length.  The removed tumors will be analyzed to find their genetic origin.

I have a tube inserted near left lung to monitor healing progress overnight - I'm on pain killers and Karen & I will remain at the hospital at least overnight.

I thank you for your good wishes and prayers - and will keep you informed of significant changes in my progress.

Arvind


Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 21, 2017, at 10:01 PM, Varma, Arvind <avarma at purdue.edu<mailto:avarma at purdue.edu>> wrote:

Dear Colleagues,

As many are aware, my cancer marker in blood was going up the last 6 weeks, from stable 11 for 7-8 months, to 23 six weeks ago and 30 two weeks ago (up to 35 is considered to be safe value).  Thus, I accelerated visit to my clinic in Scottsdale for scans (done every 3-4 months) - Karen & I reached here on Sunday evening.

I had CT & PET scans plus blood tests yesterday (Monday).  The results from the oncologist meeting late today confirm our suspicion: there is indeed a new small tumor growing off my left lung.  They will do more tests to determine its nature but it appears that I'll go on a new course of chemotherapy starting soon.  The duration depends on my response and decrease of cancer marker but may easily last 6-8 weeks, unknown yet.  Fortunately, owing to marker value determined every 2 weeks (under stable condition, it was measured every 4 weeks, but since it began to rise, we started measuring it every 2 weeks), the tumor was caught early.

With this, I'll delay my visit to UCLA (was scheduled for Dec-Feb) and now it may not occur at all.  I need to stay here under my oncologists' care until the cancer marker decreases and remains stable at a safe value.  I'll continue working from here remotely and have regular meetings with my research students by Skype, Tel calls and email - work has always been good therapy for me.

I thank you for your continued prayers and good wishes.

With best wishes - Happy Thanksgiving!

Arvind

Arvind Varma
R. Games Slayter Distinguished Professor
Charles D. Davidson School of Chemical Engineering
Purdue University

Editor, Cambridge Series in Chemical Engineering

Tel: 765-494-8484<tel:765-494-8484>; Fax: 765-494-0805<tel:765-494-0805>; Email: avarma at purdue.edu<mailto:avarma at purdue.edu>
https://engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/People/ptProfile?id=11068


Sent from my iPhone
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