Randy Griffith Reporter's cancer journey informs writing on disease

Oct. 2—A year ago, The Tribune-Democrat's Breast Cancer Awareness Month special section was published without a single "Randy Griffith" byline.

That was a first.

Since the paper started the annual project in 2008, I've written easily more than 90% of the content and taken a good portion of the photographs.

As you may remember, however, the front page of the newspaper carrying the special section last year did have a "Randy Griffith" byline — atop a column on what was then my eight-month battle with Stage 4 kidney cancer that had also invaded my lungs before it was detected on Jan. 17, 2022.

To recap that column, my first eight months of cancer treatment included two hospitalizations, a stint in a nursing home where I failed rehab, six weeks in hospice care at home after predictions that I wouldn't survive one week, and ongoing biweekly immunotherapy infusions at Conemaugh Cancer Center in Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center's main campus in Johnstown.

In that column, I recounted how my years of researching and writing breast cancer stories helped me understand what was going on in my own cancer journey.

This year, my cancer journey helped me explore new areas in nearly 20 bylined stories that you can read in our annual special report — but don't rush through them.

For example, I knew all too well what my oncologist, Dr. Ibrahim Sbeitan, was talking about when we discussed what he called the two "intents" of breast cancer treatment.

"The first intent is to cure the patient," he said. "If we can't cure the patient, then our job is to make sure they live as long as possible, as well as possible."

I immediately recognized that I fall under the second intent. Sbeitan and two UPMC Hillman Cancer Center experts who have examined me have made it clear I will always have cancer.

The original disease in the kidney is gone — removed last November at UPMC Shadyside by Hillman oncology surgeon Dr. Matthew Holtzman (no known relation to relatives of the late Kathy Holtzman, former Cambria County commissioner — I asked).

Even though my cancer treatment in Johnstown had reduced the kidney tumor by a remarkable 80%, the small tumors in both lungs remain. There are about two dozen — too many to remove surgically or treat with radiation, I'm told.

Computed tomography chest and pelvic scans in February, May and September showed that there is no cancer left around the kidney area or anywhere in the abdomen.

Some of the small tumors in my lungs have gotten smaller, and nothing has grown significantly.

That means my current treatment regimen is still working. I take a Cabometyx pill every night and get an intravenous infusion of Opdivo, an immunotherapy agent.

When I first started taking the Cabometyx, which Sbeitan once said was a "miracle drug" for me, I forgot to ask how long I'd be taking it. So I turned to Dr. Internet and found out that you take it until it stops working.

I was a little afraid to ask the obvious question: Then what? But I soon learned that there are several options, including what is essentially a next-generation Cabometyx.

At Sbeitan's suggestion, I've been seeing kidney cancer specialist Dr. Leonard Appleman every three months, in addition to my monthly appointments with Sbeitan. On my first visit to Appleman's office at the Hillman Cancer Center's primary location at UPMC Shadyside, he identified what he considered the next option and said that there is also a promising treatment in final stages of approval.

When I saw him in September, he said the current treatment is still working and again let me know what the next alternative would be, if needed.

It hasn't been the smoothest road, and there have been some ups and downs that I could compare to driving in the hills of Cambria and Somerset counties.

I feel like it's getting better and I've begun thinking more about my future.

In April, I spent almost $2,000 on new hearing aids to replace the 9-year-old ones that didn't seem to be cutting it. I saw it as an investment in my future, and I plan to get my money's worth.

I owe my very life to advances in cancer care and to some incredible doctors, nurses and technologists that I'd put up against professionals anywhere. They have made themselves a part of my family.

Speaking of family, that's another force that has been at work in my recovery, especially my wife, Becky, who any of the medical professionals I see will tell you is who kept me alive during my worst days and continues to be my heroic advocate and life coach.

Add in our friends, our church family and a host of prayer warriors who follow Becky's Facebook updates, and I have all I need to thrive.

The reality of my cancer situation was in the back of my mind when I was working on the breast cancer project. The conversations with Appleman rushed back when I interviewed Sbeitan's partner, Dr. Sheetal Higbee.

"We are turning more oncology patients into chronic illness, like hypertension," she said. "You know the high blood pressure isn't going away, but we can help you live with it."

I like that. "I have chronic cancer" sounds so much better than "I have terminal cancer," and it goes along with the personal philosophy I have developed.

I tell people I never liked the slogan "one day at a time." I think it sounds defeatist.

My approach is a small revision of that. I try to start every day reminding myself that I have cancer and I will probably always have cancer. I know it may kill me someday.

But not today! Today is my day.

Then I try to make the most out of it.