"A Gradualist"
Yesterday, I spoke with a friend in Texas who, three weeks ago, received Zevalin radioimmunotherapy for his persistent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. (About one year ago, we "met" on the telephone after he had obtained my name and number via an informal lymphoma network.)
In our conversation, he spoke of his attitude toward lymphoma treatment. He said, "I am a gradualist", meaning that he was most willing to go stepwise in therapy. Stepwise, meaning chemotherapy, more chemotherapy, waiting, and finally, radioimmunotherapy for the lymphoma that had never gone away.
In contrast, I am not a gradualist. I wanted to attack my lymphoma as early and as hard as I could. Therefore, I pursued a clinical trial and was lucky to receive Zevalin as "front-line" (or "first-line") treatment.
We all have different personalities and have varying comfort levels. When referring to personal differences, my dad used to say, "This is what makes horse races".
By the way, my Texas friend is ecstatic because he notes that the enlarged nodes in his neck have disappeared for the first time in four years.
Mort