Scan #2 | 6 months since dx
Watch the video: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5QjjQ9Obtc/
We journeyed into Boston on March 27 for Juliette’s quarterly MRI to check for tumor regrowth. The good news is that the scan showed nothing concerning. Our oncologist shared that her team reviewed the images together and everyone remarked at the quality of the resection; we are so lucky to have had such an incredible neurosurgeon.
Juliette knows the routine too well already. She happily talked about the food she’d eat after the doctors took a picture of her head, since she knows morning drives into Boston mean no food or drink. When it was time to place her IV she cried when they tied the tourniquet but she still followed every instruction without hesitation.
We will always embrace good news, but we know that most recurrences do not occur this early. A recent retrospective study found that 75% of patients with Juliette’s tumor profile experienced tumor regrowth within five years. Tumor regrowth causes survival probability to drop significantly.
There is no effective treatment for recurrent ependymoma, and treatment options have not changed in decades. We will begin fundraising this year in order to fund new research projects focused on treating ependymoma. We will have another update this month.
