Joan Lunden visted the National Institutes of Health early in January. She interviewed me and The Guy (together, because I am a big chicken) on my 10th follow-up post TIL therapy.
Here's the Today Show segment:
There I am, undergoing apheresis to supply dendritic cells (antigen presenting cells) and "feeders" for the TIL. Gahhhhhhhh!!! Five hours of lying completely still is not exactly fun.
New York Times article (this is how Today learned of the story): 1 Patient, 7 Tumors and 100 Billion Cells Equal 1 Striking Recovery
The WSJ and Philly Inquirer also ran stories.
Cancer Breakthrough Aids One Patient, Raises Hopes for Many
In a first, immune therapy tames mutation in colon and pancreatic cancers
and a follow-up by the Philly Inquirer:
Cracking the cancer code: Can immune therapy treat tumors?
To find out more about the treatment I had, this web page answers some questions about TIL therapy. It includes a link (see item 5) to start the application process too!
A post on Joan Lunden's Face Book page:
Showing posts with label T-cell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label T-cell. Show all posts
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Follow-up #9
My scans were good! The radiology report included the word, "unremarkable" a total of five times. That is a record number of times for me.
When a radiologist deems an organ "unremarkable" it means that no evidence of injury or disease is seen on the scan. It is one of those DoctorSpeak words that mean something completely different to the uninitiated.
Question: Who wants to be "unremarkable"
Answer: Cancer patients
Overshadowing this visit, sadly, was news that my friend and fellow cancer patient, D., had passed away suddenly. We had made plans to meet at NIH this week. Our visits overlapped, just as they had last winter. We were in contact weekly--often daily--for over a year. It didn't make sense. She was supposed to be visiting NIH for harvest surgery and scans...
Incomprehensible.
Consistent with the roller-coaster theme of this visit (the highs were as extreme as the lows) The Guy met with me at my clinic appointment. He confirmed that the New England Journal of Medicine will be publishing my case. He also told me that I am "an historic figure in medicine".
Incomprehensible.
Also this trip, I said good-bye to my dear Lab Guru. He has exhausted every extension that The Guy could arrange. I am confident that he will continue to do great things in his very own lab, just as he did during his time at NIH. I look forward to the opportunity to visit his new digs one day (and hopefully not for the purpose of apheresis).
Finally, a story of hope. Tonight, a friend on 3NW at NIH awaits her TIL with sheer joy (and maybe some fatigue after the conditioning chemo). It will happen soon! I pray she sees success. I believe that she will!
When a radiologist deems an organ "unremarkable" it means that no evidence of injury or disease is seen on the scan. It is one of those DoctorSpeak words that mean something completely different to the uninitiated.
Question: Who wants to be "unremarkable"
Answer: Cancer patients
Overshadowing this visit, sadly, was news that my friend and fellow cancer patient, D., had passed away suddenly. We had made plans to meet at NIH this week. Our visits overlapped, just as they had last winter. We were in contact weekly--often daily--for over a year. It didn't make sense. She was supposed to be visiting NIH for harvest surgery and scans...
Incomprehensible.
Consistent with the roller-coaster theme of this visit (the highs were as extreme as the lows) The Guy met with me at my clinic appointment. He confirmed that the New England Journal of Medicine will be publishing my case. He also told me that I am "an historic figure in medicine".
Incomprehensible.
Also this trip, I said good-bye to my dear Lab Guru. He has exhausted every extension that The Guy could arrange. I am confident that he will continue to do great things in his very own lab, just as he did during his time at NIH. I look forward to the opportunity to visit his new digs one day (and hopefully not for the purpose of apheresis).
Finally, a story of hope. Tonight, a friend on 3NW at NIH awaits her TIL with sheer joy (and maybe some fatigue after the conditioning chemo). It will happen soon! I pray she sees success. I believe that she will!
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