Vandy or Gemzar

I had my CT scan this morning and we met with Dr Hamm this afternoon to determine what to do next. The scan showed no growth in my pancreatic tumor and no growth in my liver spots however there was a new "shadow" of a new spot in my liver that had not been seen on any previous scans. Translation is not exactly sure what it is but it's probably a new spot developing. This test was not too much of a surprise for us. The increase in the tumor marker was our first sign. Today's test isn't great news but I am relieved in one major fashion. I got to a point where I absolutely hated my treatment because of how sick it made me, how long it took me to recover and how low it brought me mentally. I'm done and officially off that treatment.  This makes me happy.  This will hopefully give me some of my life back.  Now we have to make a decision though.  Vanderbilt or Gemzar.  I set the first available appointment with Dr Berlin at Vanderbilt which is Friday October 7th (next available was Oct 27th); it's the soonest I can get in.  Vandy has a clinical trial that I should qualify for which includes an investigational drug that's taken IV once a week for 3 weeks and then off the 4th week.  The trial is definitely intriguing but the biggest concern is going to Nashville once a week.  We've got to get more info on the trial which we'll get at the appointment.  Biggest question is whether or not the drug is having any success and the 2nd question is side effects of the treatment.  One would assume that because it's only one drug and given basically every week, that the side effects should be limited.  We'll have to weigh the promise from the study and the side effects with the prospect of a lot of driving.  The other option is gemcitibine (gemzar) and tarceva.  Gemcitibine is by far the most common treatment for pancreatic cancer; it's the standard.  It's also once a week, can be done here in Louisville and is by far easier on the side effects.  The tarceva is a pill taken daily with its only real side effect being acne.  I'd have to get something to combat that.  I wish the Vandy appt was sooner but it's not.  The trial would require me to be off of treatments for 4 weeks so that kind of fits the schedule.  I will feel bad if we wait for the appt though but decide not to do it.  That's our dilemma.  Plan is to wait for the Vandy appt to make a decision as of now.  Prayers requested are for making a good decision and that the cancer lays as low as possible why we wait out the next couple of weeks.