I had two tumor marker blood tests (Cancer Antigen 15-3 and Cancer Antigen 27.29) and both were very normal. According to these tests, and my Natural Killer Cell test, cancer isn’t detected in my body. I asked my oncologist what that meant and she wrote, “The cancer antigens are elevated in many patients with metastatic breast cancer, and then we can use those tests as a gauge. If the cancer is responding to treatment, the antigen goes down. However, in your case, the antigens are normal (probably because the amount of cancer in your body is quite small). I will still check the levels periodically but they may not end up being quite as useful in you. They are very different patient to patient in terms of their ability to correlate to the cancer burden.”

We still have the PET/CT scan as a baseline that showed and measured two tumors, one under my right arm, and one in the middle of my chest. When I have another scan in June, we can see if the treatments I’m doing have made a difference.

I’m doing “Intermittent Fasting with Targeted Anti-Cancer Therapies,” prescribed by Lise Alschuler, ND. For two weeks now, I have fasted for 2 days each week, eating only 500 calories consisting of low carb vegetables. Next week I will add the targeted anti-cancer therapies. There are 9 different supplements I will be taking during the two day fast that are meant to stress my cells. The theory is that my normal cells will recover faster than the cancer cells and the cancer cells won’t make it.

These are not supplements to build up my body; no antioxidants. They may make me feel pretty lousy those two days. I’ve done two weeks with only the fasting first – to see how I can tolerate it. I have felt low energy, and it seems to affect me the most emotionally. I feel hopeless and vulnerable, which is how I often feel when I’m hungry.

I have some anxiety about doing this, and at the same time I feel excited to be testing something new that can be helpful to others if it is successful. I’m grateful that I have such a slow growing cancer that I have the freedom to try an untested treatment.