Immunotherapy and colorectal cancer:Theory and practice

coloCan

Here'a a rather lengthy but informative article on immunotheraphy as it relates to CRC

www.discoverymedicine.com/Bo-Xiang/2013/05/24/colorectal-cancer-immunotherapy/

 

and here's a current attempt to put ideas into practice

www.bavarian-nordic.com/investor/announcements/2013-13.aspx

 

 

smokeyjoe

Thanks for posting this .....

Thanks for posting this ..... interesting.     The only thing is they tried it on patients who had complete surgical resection of. mets ...... wonder what affect it would have on non-surgical candidates .... wonder if it would shrink existing tumors????   

pete43lost_at_sea

smokeyjoe said:

Thanks for posting this .....

Thanks for posting this ..... interesting.     The only thing is they tried it on patients who had complete surgical resection of. mets ...... wonder what affect it would have on non-surgical candidates .... wonder if it would shrink existing tumors????   

smokeyjoe and everyone

thats where all my detectable tumours disappeared, only immunotherapy, it works.

of course it works better with less disease.

absolutely fanastic news about immunotherapies, I hope all those were negative about the potential of these therapies can see that the exact therapies I have used to control my extensive metastatic disease are available for all one day.

Alas it seems many patients have to wait for their doctors guidance. I guess thats the way it is, but for those patients willing to boldly go where noman has gone before, well lets just say there is solid hope based on lots of science.

everyone with colorectal cancer should be demanding these therapies, or at least asking their oncologist the question ?

you can change oncologists, I am up to number 7, i think!

i wonder if how many will read this news, and feel some real hope ? its worked well for me, its worked well for many in the studies.

for me the path least trodden represents the best cance of survival. So now the upset in the colorectal patient community wont be do these therapies work, its more the question when can I have access to these. thats another very complicated and challenging hurdle.

If you have the resources, an option to consider is trying these therapies. I have recommended these therapies potential for at least 10 months here, and am very satisfied that science and evidence are shining a spot light on the path I took.

hugs,

Pete

ps cut me some slack everyone its my 3 year anniversay today of being diagnosed.

jen2012

Thanks..I've been trying to
Thanks..I've been trying to find info to send my husbands onc about this. Looks like these links are a good place to start.

Pete and others...I get the sense this is a good time to do this. My husband had his para aortic nodes removed in the fall and the rectal tumor removed in April. Last week his cea was .5 and the onc said could go ahead and have the ileo reversed and then start chemo after 6 weeks or so. Does it make sense to try for a immunotherapy trial instead of chemo at this point? Is this done in the us only in a trial?

pete43lost_at_sea

jen2012 said:

Thanks..I've been trying to
Thanks..I've been trying to find info to send my husbands onc about this. Looks like these links are a good place to start.

Pete and others...I get the sense this is a good time to do this. My husband had his para aortic nodes removed in the fall and the rectal tumor removed in April. Last week his cea was .5 and the onc said could go ahead and have the ileo reversed and then start chemo after 6 weeks or so. Does it make sense to try for a immunotherapy trial instead of chemo at this point? Is this done in the us only in a trial?

goodluck jen

its the perfect time, goto my blog, search euro contacts.

email hallwang and dr nesslehut about vaccines quotes. they have different offerings, but you can get a free quote. now thats the only free thing you will get. the clinic is being very supportive of colorectals as I live there and drive them crazy , like i annoy everyone here with my ways. but the doctors know about the latest immunotherapies becuase left all the conference abstracts and papers and charts on the doctors desks. and the difference these doctors can implement. you don't need anything new, just use removab, its 5 years old its worked for me, and your hubby has less disease. this is not medical science, as medicine in the states dont really recognise these therapies, so we are really just talking about science that happens to keep you alive and well that your oncologist likely knows nothing about.

hugs,

Pete

ps goodluck, its worth a try, it breaks my heart this medicine is so dam expensive and unavailable for most.

jen2012

pete43lost_at_sea said:

goodluck jen

its the perfect time, goto my blog, search euro contacts.

email hallwang and dr nesslehut about vaccines quotes. they have different offerings, but you can get a free quote. now thats the only free thing you will get. the clinic is being very supportive of colorectals as I live there and drive them crazy , like i annoy everyone here with my ways. but the doctors know about the latest immunotherapies becuase left all the conference abstracts and papers and charts on the doctors desks. and the difference these doctors can implement. you don't need anything new, just use removab, its 5 years old its worked for me, and your hubby has less disease. this is not medical science, as medicine in the states dont really recognise these therapies, so we are really just talking about science that happens to keep you alive and well that your oncologist likely knows nothing about.

hugs,

Pete

ps goodluck, its worth a try, it breaks my heart this medicine is so dam expensive and unavailable for most.

Thanks Pete...we cant do
Thanks Pete...we cant do this. In over our heads already. Was hoping for a US trial.

pete43lost_at_sea

jen2012 said:

Thanks Pete...we cant do
Thanks Pete...we cant do this. In over our heads already. Was hoping for a US trial.

sorry gen

goodluck finding a trial, 

google john bell in canada, he is doing great stuff with oncolytic virus for colorectal, 

lilacbrroller

jen2012 said:

Thanks Pete...we cant do
Thanks Pete...we cant do this. In over our heads already. Was hoping for a US trial.

US trial!

Hi, Jen. there is a US trial = University of Pittsburgh. I applied but was rejected because I have mets in two places (liver and lungs) which didnt' fit the protocol. they wanted Stage IV patients without distant mets, ie liver only. 

they are currently recruiting participants and do want people with MCRC.  Good luck. Wonderful people there!  

 

NCT01671592  

Safety of Labeled Dendritic Cell (DC) Vaccines and Feasibility of Tracking by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Chelsea71

pete43lost_at_sea said:

sorry gen

goodluck finding a trial, 

google john bell in canada, he is doing great stuff with oncolytic virus for colorectal, 

Jen, I don't get it.  Why

Jen, I don't get it.  Why would he need chemo?  He had at least six months of it and surgery.  He has no visible tumor.  They say chemo only works for a while so why use it up when there is nothing there?  Why not scan frequently (2 or 3 mos) and do chemo if something develops?  Yes, I do think it is a good time to attempt something other than systemic chemo.  Save the chemo for later IF he needs it.  John Bell, who Pete mentioned, works at Steve's cancer hospital.  I don't think I could get Steve into one of his trials.  But it's worth a try.  

Actually, I just looked into his oncolytic virus trial. The cancer has to be very advanced and all other treatment options have to have been exhausted. Also, you have to move to Ottawa, Ontario for a period of several months.

Hey Pete, thanks for this info. I will talk to Steves onc about this on his next app. Maybe she will get him on the waiting list early. But I'm guessing one can't be on the waiting list until they meet the qualifications.

jen2012

Chelsea71 said:

Jen, I don't get it.  Why

Jen, I don't get it.  Why would he need chemo?  He had at least six months of it and surgery.  He has no visible tumor.  They say chemo only works for a while so why use it up when there is nothing there?  Why not scan frequently (2 or 3 mos) and do chemo if something develops?  Yes, I do think it is a good time to attempt something other than systemic chemo.  Save the chemo for later IF he needs it.  John Bell, who Pete mentioned, works at Steve's cancer hospital.  I don't think I could get Steve into one of his trials.  But it's worth a try.  

Actually, I just looked into his oncolytic virus trial. The cancer has to be very advanced and all other treatment options have to have been exhausted. Also, you have to move to Ottawa, Ontario for a period of several months.

Hey Pete, thanks for this info. I will talk to Steves onc about this on his next app. Maybe she will get him on the waiting list early. But I'm guessing one can't be on the waiting list until they meet the qualifications.

Not sure yet Chelsea...she

Not sure yet Chelsea...she mentioned maintenance chemo. At that point it will be about 4 mos without chemo and I'm feeling a bit anxious about it. I know ...me anxious big surprise huh? I really miss our fairly carefree days of last year.

jen2012

lilacbrroller said:

US trial!

Hi, Jen. there is a US trial = University of Pittsburgh. I applied but was rejected because I have mets in two places (liver and lungs) which didnt' fit the protocol. they wanted Stage IV patients without distant mets, ie liver only. 

they are currently recruiting participants and do want people with MCRC.  Good luck. Wonderful people there!  

 

NCT01671592  

Safety of Labeled Dendritic Cell (DC) Vaccines and Feasibility of Tracking by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Thanks very much...I'm
Thanks very much...I'm looking into it!

Chelsea71

jen2012 said:

Not sure yet Chelsea...she

Not sure yet Chelsea...she mentioned maintenance chemo. At that point it will be about 4 mos without chemo and I'm feeling a bit anxious about it. I know ...me anxious big surprise huh? I really miss our fairly carefree days of last year.

Steve has been off chemo for

Steve has been off chemo for two weeks and I'm a wreck.  It's disturbing for me to know he has these tumors in his liver and there is no form of treatment happening.  Even last summer, after hipec, he was not on chemo and I was very anxious.  During this time he was showing no evidence of disease.  I seem to be most relaxed when he is on chemo.  How sad is that?  At least he doesn't seem to be worried.  Clearly, I am the worrier in the family.  I guess opposites attract.

 

 

pete43lost_at_sea

lilacbrroller said:

US trial!

Hi, Jen. there is a US trial = University of Pittsburgh. I applied but was rejected because I have mets in two places (liver and lungs) which didnt' fit the protocol. they wanted Stage IV patients without distant mets, ie liver only. 

they are currently recruiting participants and do want people with MCRC.  Good luck. Wonderful people there!  

 

NCT01671592  

Safety of Labeled Dendritic Cell (DC) Vaccines and Feasibility of Tracking by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

just a suggestion

find someone to treat the lungs, fix that asap if possible and then ask for the liver treatment.

basically combo therapy of germany and usa, the lungs are supposed to respond really well to dc vaccines. you maybe lucky to have a response a=in a few months.

I would email dr nesslehut for an opinion, but plenty of places doing dc vaccines in germany. 

hugs,

Pete

tanstaafl

not waiting on Godot...

Some of us have elected to what we think is best as our own heuristic trials.  

Even for stage III-IV, mostly this means extending light maintenance chemo with off label drugs chosen from cimetidine, celecoxib, metformin, aspirin and supplements like the Life Extension Foundation colon cancer articles recommend, carefully extended higher for some supplements. We monitor blood more frequently and get more tests than is "standard" too, but relatively this is not too expensive.  This allows us to estimate effectiveness and identify problems sooner.    It takes effort to master and requires finding and coordinating willing professionals to fill knowledge/skill gaps. 

 

Each tumor mass reacts differently to chemo.   We had the most resistant masses cut out.  This restored chemo sensitivity (CEA) and have maintained immunochemo effectiveness for 3 years. Far beyond standard treatment effectiveness times.

smokeyjoe

tanstaafl said:

not waiting on Godot...

Some of us have elected to what we think is best as our own heuristic trials.  

Even for stage III-IV, mostly this means extending light maintenance chemo with off label drugs chosen from cimetidine, celecoxib, metformin, aspirin and supplements like the Life Extension Foundation colon cancer articles recommend, carefully extended higher for some supplements. We monitor blood more frequently and get more tests than is "standard" too, but relatively this is not too expensive.  This allows us to estimate effectiveness and identify problems sooner.    It takes effort to master and requires finding and coordinating willing professionals to fill knowledge/skill gaps. 

 

Each tumor mass reacts differently to chemo.   We had the most resistant masses cut out.  This restored chemo sensitivity (CEA) and have maintained immunochemo effectiveness for 3 years. Far beyond standard treatment effectiveness times.

There is a waiting list for

There is a waiting list for this in Ottawa according to the link for Colorectal cancer.  

janderson1964

Good article. There is a new

Good article. There is a new report that came out last week on CD47 antibody. They have now discovered that the macrophages which have engulfed solid tumors as a result of the vaccine to block CD47 are presenting tumor fragments to killer T-cells prompting a 2 pronged attack. Just google latest news on CD47 antibody and the new Stanford University report will come up. Hopefully it will be as aeffective in humans and the FDA will speed up the human trials. we can't afford to be waiting around too long for something this potentially significant.

pete43lost_at_sea

dear smokey, tans, jeff and

dear smokey, tans, jeff and steve and all cancer patients interested an immunotherapies,

to even have this discussion is a miracle given patient and medical attitudes 2 years ago, even 1 year ago, topics like gcmaf, ne castle virus diseaase ec etc etc were ridiculed. the ridiculers are quiet now, as science and medicine show the clear potential of these therapies. not just my results todate.

immunotherapies represent the best hope for our survival and treatment in conjuction with surgery and chemo and holistic medicine.

just watch this space over the next few months, remember that removab got me a complete repsonse, it will work for others with minimal metastatic disease expressing epcam. these other immunotherapies therapies also offer hope.

the biggest barrier, is money and patient access to these therapies, and with the greatest respect medical arrogance, I have seen this first hand. 

I suspect what cuased my recurrence 2 now, it was an inflamatory cascade caused by my port infection. if your 
NED and your CRP starts to rise, look for a subsequent rise cea ca199. that was my experience, now I have a battery of tests fromlab4more in germany that can provide a detailed analysis of components of inflamation. these can at least then be attempted, now that did not happen for me this time, but I am researching what inflamatory cytokines disable the tcells and macropages that had given me stability over 4 months.

no doctors but hallwang will adopt an aggressive anti inflamatory treatment plan, aimed at stopiing the recurrence before it starts in its tracks.

all the immunotherapies in the world wont help if they are being disabled, I am proof of that.

the fact that I have proven removab has curative potential, but that the remission needs to be carefully managed. I at least know the areas to start researching. meanwhile these guys are making efforts in the right directions, but frankly are off target, as removab works, for many and its not being studied.

the above areas will be where I attempt to get my phd. I have been stewing over my recurrence 2 and its implications for future therapies, I am so glad to have a couple of theories at least.

huge improvements are needed in clinical management for immunotherapies to be successful, its very hard work, educating the doctors, but day by day they learn from patients that thrive with these therapies.

hugs,

Pete

PS if anyone is interested in these therapies PM me

coloCan

pete43lost_at_sea said:

dear smokey, tans, jeff and

dear smokey, tans, jeff and steve and all cancer patients interested an immunotherapies,

to even have this discussion is a miracle given patient and medical attitudes 2 years ago, even 1 year ago, topics like gcmaf, ne castle virus diseaase ec etc etc were ridiculed. the ridiculers are quiet now, as science and medicine show the clear potential of these therapies. not just my results todate.

immunotherapies represent the best hope for our survival and treatment in conjuction with surgery and chemo and holistic medicine.

just watch this space over the next few months, remember that removab got me a complete repsonse, it will work for others with minimal metastatic disease expressing epcam. these other immunotherapies therapies also offer hope.

the biggest barrier, is money and patient access to these therapies, and with the greatest respect medical arrogance, I have seen this first hand. 

I suspect what cuased my recurrence 2 now, it was an inflamatory cascade caused by my port infection. if your 
NED and your CRP starts to rise, look for a subsequent rise cea ca199. that was my experience, now I have a battery of tests fromlab4more in germany that can provide a detailed analysis of components of inflamation. these can at least then be attempted, now that did not happen for me this time, but I am researching what inflamatory cytokines disable the tcells and macropages that had given me stability over 4 months.

no doctors but hallwang will adopt an aggressive anti inflamatory treatment plan, aimed at stopiing the recurrence before it starts in its tracks.

all the immunotherapies in the world wont help if they are being disabled, I am proof of that.

the fact that I have proven removab has curative potential, but that the remission needs to be carefully managed. I at least know the areas to start researching. meanwhile these guys are making efforts in the right directions, but frankly are off target, as removab works, for many and its not being studied.

the above areas will be where I attempt to get my phd. I have been stewing over my recurrence 2 and its implications for future therapies, I am so glad to have a couple of theories at least.

huge improvements are needed in clinical management for immunotherapies to be successful, its very hard work, educating the doctors, but day by day they learn from patients that thrive with these therapies.

hugs,

Pete

PS if anyone is interested in these therapies PM me

Another potential treatment

www.fccc.edu/information/news/press-releases/2013/2013-05-29-ASCO-Novel-Mechanism-Treating-Colon-Cancer.html

tanstaafl

coloCan said:

Another potential treatment

www.fccc.edu/information/news/press-releases/2013/2013-05-29-ASCO-Novel-Mechanism-Treating-Colon-Cancer.html

categorizing

One of the problems that always confronts us on medicine is determing the overlap (a "me too"), and complementary properties of treatments that might add together. Specific antigens or biomarkers often evolve through several, a half dozen, or more names.  They share pathways or associate with multiple close entities, so confusion is automatic.  

Reading the article I am left wondering how much this ARI-4175 overlaps with the PGG - ebitux (cetuximab) trial, or other mushroom extracts and beta glucans in general.  Although the extracts are a little pricey supplement-wise, they are order(s) of magnitude cheaper than (FDA approved) drugs, usually much safer, and available now. 

pete43lost_at_sea

tanstaafl said:

categorizing

One of the problems that always confronts us on medicine is determing the overlap (a "me too"), and complementary properties of treatments that might add together. Specific antigens or biomarkers often evolve through several, a half dozen, or more names.  They share pathways or associate with multiple close entities, so confusion is automatic.  

Reading the article I am left wondering how much this ARI-4175 overlaps with the PGG - ebitux (cetuximab) trial, or other mushroom extracts and beta glucans in general.  Although the extracts are a little pricey supplement-wise, they are order(s) of magnitude cheaper than (FDA approved) drugs, usually much safer, and available now. 

as a mutant, I am excited by this drug, but I am easily excited!

Immunotherapies hitting the big screen, but how long before they are available to all patients, in the interim, well we have psk = corolious, ahcc = shitake and thymus extract and placenta extract. plus many other immuno modulators.

always interesting steve.

 

Based on these findings, Borghaei and his team set out to explore how Ari-4175 triggers immune system responses to inhibit the growth of tumors with KRAS mutations more effectively than cetuximab alone. In the new study, they applied Ari-4175 to a mouse model of colon cancer. They found that the drug expanded a subpopulation of myeloid cells, which make up one major lineage of blood cells that can activate the immune system. The expansion of the myeloid cell population led to an increase in the production of inflammatory cytokines and the subsequent activation of natural killer cells—white blood cells that recognize and kill tumor cells. In addition, they found that a subset of granulocytes  are increased in this model and might be responsible for killing of colon cancer cells bearing KRAS mutations.

“We’re showing evidence that the immune system is activated, and that’s how we think Ari-4175 is leading to a better tumor response. “Patients should be interested because this could potentially open up a new area of research on orally bioavailable drugs that can be used to manipulate the immune system as a single agent or in combination with other active drugs. From a clinical perspective, this is very interesting, and it’s worthy of further research.”

NJC

My wife is the first one

My wife is the first one through Dr. David Bartlett's Trial (UPMC). He's been her Surgeon since day one and he as well as the Oncologist, Nathan Bahary, are a big reason why she's still around. She's done two phase I trials and they've pushed her to this point and we're very thankful of that fact...

In any event, she had her second round of vaccines two weeks ago and her CEA is down 20% in two weeks. She didn't have any real movement after the priming boosters but we now seem to be moving in the right direction. Bartlett is very pleased and encouraged with the results.

She's gone from 20 tumors in the liver (33years old) almost 3y ago to now only microscopic disease in the abdominal and pelvic nodes. Micorscopic disease and contained within the nodes is right up the vaccine's alley. However, that's not to say it won't help larger tumors but the less disease the more effective the vaccine will be.

This is certainly the new wave of the future so I'd suggest folks contact Bartlett to see if you're a candidate.

 

Best of health to everyone.

 

-Joe