Pam's Page

About Me:

Age 57, 56 when diagnosed with GCT. I'm a mask and prop artist. Occasionally I enjoy doing theatrical and trauma makeup and am a retired hair designer.

How do GCTs affect you?

GCT patient

Location of primary tumor:

right distal femur

Date of diagnosis of primary tumor:

March, 2008

Treatment of primary tumor:

After exrays and 2 MRI's, I was told I had bone cancer and it looked real bad... words like cancer, surgery, amputation filled my world for a short period of time. Thankfully the local clinic that told me all of this, sent me right to a top bone cancer tumor specialist in the Pacific North West, Dr. Ernest "Chappy" Conrad at the University of Washington Medical Center. He teaches and speaks world wide. His instincts told him it was not bone cancer, he suspected it was GCT, immediately put me in the full leg brace because my bone was egg shell thin, I was in surgery within two weeks. My GCT was the size of a large grapefruit and destroyed much of the end of my femur bone. After removing the huge tumor, curretage using high speed bur, liquid nitrogen and hydrogen peroxide wash were done. Three rods were inserted up into the center of the femur bone to about mid thigh and they run down through the cement to the bottom of the knee, the hole where the tumor destroyed the bone is filled with bone cement. The end of my femur bone was rebuilt with my hip bone. Surgery was in March '08, I started out with no weight bearing and full leg brace, in June I was cleared to work up to 50%. By August it went to 100% and no leg brace!!! November I was down to one crutch and weaned off of that. Within a week or so after surgery my PT came to our home, taught me all the rehab exercises I could do at home and worked me through the progression to where I am today. Today... my leg feels good most of the time, depending on how much I'm walking, how I walk and if I don't twist my leg. I'm so grateful to Dr. Conrad, his team, my PT and everyone who supported me through this journey.

Facility treated at for primary tumor:

University of Washington Medical Center

Would you recommend this facility and it's Doctors to another GCT patient?

Absolutely yes, Dr. Conrad is fantastic!

Recurrence? If so, where?

no

Tumor free?

yes

Current GCT Status:

cleared the year mark, no reoccurance and hoping for the best!

Website:

http://www.mask-artist.com