Customized Chemo Cocktails (?)

Hanac
Hanac Member Posts: 55
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Dearest Semi-Colons,

For two years I have turned to you all for knowledge, support, and a sense of encouragement. Thank you so much!!! BUT...I have been too shy to post...Now, however, I want to let you all know about something I just learned about and get your take on it.

First my story: At the age of 49 and one month, I ended up in the emergency room with a complete intestinal blockage. Yep...Stage Three Colon Cancer. No symptoms, no family history, and too young for routine screening. After surgery, I participated in a clinical trial for Avastin. I did 6 months with Five FU, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin, and Avastin, and then Six months of Avastin alone. Every thing was going great. I have a new job (less stress) I am exercizing and losing weight, and I feel fabulous. I went in for my annual CT scan on May 9th and they found 3 small spots on one lung. (Two are 8 mm and one is 3mm) A subsequent PET scan was inconclusive. My CEA is 0.5 (Down from 1.3 two months ago). However, my onc says the Beast has probably returned and wants to do a biopsy. I meet with the surgeon on Wednesday.

Here is the cool part. As usual I turned to the internet and I found this company called Rational Therapeutics. Has anyone heard of them? Their theory is that just as every patient is different, every cancer is different. They say they treat individuals rather than populations. What they do is take your fresh tumor sample and zap it with FDA approved chemo combinations until they find the combination that kills your cancer. It is called Ex-Vivo Analysis-Programmed Cell Death. I would love to know if anyone out there has heard anything about this process. If I am going to do it, I will need to tell the surgeon before he removes the tumor for biopsy.

Thank you, all of you, for being there for me on every step of this journey.

Hana

P.S. I love the naked Happy dance!!!
P.P.S. Even in the depths of Hell, hope lies within the strata.

Comments

  • Limey
    Limey Member Posts: 446 Member
    #2
    I had mine tested when I was down in Mexico. they sent it to University of San Diego and did just that. It came back 2 months later with a listing of all the chemo/ non chemo drugs they tested and a persentage of kill rate. anythibng above 65% was considered good. I showed this to my Onc and he told me that they have never been ablt to test tumors outside the body and get the same results when treating a patient. I beleve it is just not documented well yet. Mayo clinic has a study going with this testing in relationship to breat cancer and they are having good results (I think it is Mayo). don't be suprised if the Oncologist po poos it.
    Limey.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
    Hana,

    I know that there is much research going on about this very thing....and that most 'traditional' oncologists will just keep reciting the 'recipe book' that has worked for years....

    There is much play on the immune system in everyone's body, and this is hard to test outside of the body....BUT at least there is a glimmer...I would tell my onc about it, and see how he/she reacts....never know...

    Hugs, Kathi

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