Clinical Trials

tealnpink
tealnpink Member Posts: 30 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Is anyone currently in a clinical trial or thinking about volunteering for a trial? If so what phase, where, and please describe your experience as much as you are allowed and comfortable with. I am considering a phase 1.

Comments

  • kellyh33
    kellyh33 Member Posts: 287
    #2
    Clinical Trial
    Hi,
    I have debated whether or not I should answer this post. My Mom did a clinical trial after an unsuccessful surgery, the tumor ran through her cardiac line and 7 treatments of carbo/taxol failed.
    Mom's oncologist highly recommended she sign up for a phase two clinical trial. It was a 15 week trial and Mom did not have any success. At the halfway point she had a CT scan and her tumor did not shrink nor did it grow. After 13 weeks she had another CT scan and her tumor grew from 9 cm to 10 at which point she was removed from the trial. This was one of the black days. I was with her when they told her she was being pulled from the trial, it was terrible.
    Next they put her on Doxil and after 4 treatments her CA 125 count was climbing and she lost another 8 lbs. It was after her last treatment she confided in me she didn't want to do chemo anymore and she didn't. Mom was supposed to have treatment August 8th, she saw her oncologist August 5th, she told Mom her time was short. She suspected a month, Mom died 12 days later.
    One of the things that haunts me is I often wonder if Mom would have done the Doxil instead of the Clinical Trial if the time she was here would have been more quality time. I wonder too if perhaps the Doxil would have kept the beast at bay. I think in my heart i know it probably wouldn't have made a difference but still sometimes there is that whisper of what if.
    I am in Canada so Mom's treatment was done at the Juravinski Cancer Clinic at Henderson Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario.
  • Cafewoman53
    Cafewoman53 Member Posts: 735 Member
    #3
    kellyh33 said:

    Clinical Trial
    Hi,
    I have debated whether or not I should answer this post. My Mom did a clinical trial after an unsuccessful surgery, the tumor ran through her cardiac line and 7 treatments of carbo/taxol failed.
    Mom's oncologist highly recommended she sign up for a phase two clinical trial. It was a 15 week trial and Mom did not have any success. At the halfway point she had a CT scan and her tumor did not shrink nor did it grow. After 13 weeks she had another CT scan and her tumor grew from 9 cm to 10 at which point she was removed from the trial. This was one of the black days. I was with her when they told her she was being pulled from the trial, it was terrible.
    Next they put her on Doxil and after 4 treatments her CA 125 count was climbing and she lost another 8 lbs. It was after her last treatment she confided in me she didn't want to do chemo anymore and she didn't. Mom was supposed to have treatment August 8th, she saw her oncologist August 5th, she told Mom her time was short. She suspected a month, Mom died 12 days later.
    One of the things that haunts me is I often wonder if Mom would have done the Doxil instead of the Clinical Trial if the time she was here would have been more quality time. I wonder too if perhaps the Doxil would have kept the beast at bay. I think in my heart i know it probably wouldn't have made a difference but still sometimes there is that whisper of what if.
    I am in Canada so Mom's treatment was done at the Juravinski Cancer Clinic at Henderson Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario.

    Kelly
    When I read your post about your Mom's clinical trial it really moved me. Everyone wants to participate in a trial and be on the cured side but unfortunately there are some women who will be on the other side and without them the doctors would not be able to make advances with our treatment.
    So I hope you take comfort in knowing your Mom was a warrior in this terrible fight and I am grateful to her and all the women who go into clinical trial with no promise of a cure.
    Colleen

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