Calcitonin blood level is a measure of thyroid cancer activity: the higher the number, the greater the cancer activity. Most recently, July 12th results vs those of June 6 show calcitonin down 25%. This is very significant and very encouraging.
On the other hand, the CEA (cancer antigens) marker is up 3% for the same period, essentially the same. Taken with the CT results reported in the last blog posting (no visible changes in size, location or number of tumors in the liver), these indicators encourage us to view the current status of this illness with "optimistic neutrality."
I am always ready to nudge momentum in a positive direction with a reasonable dose of optimism, just in case it is possible for mere humans to influence outcomes.
This "lull" comes at an opportune time as we search for a nearby clinical trial site for Zactima (vandetanib) (see last blog posting). The manufacturer designates research facilities scattered across the country as sites for human tests and requires a flurry of in-person appointments to launch participation. Early feedback from the Burlington, VT site is promising for my qualification. Trouble is distance – a two day drive – and the alternative of air travel – stressful and costly. For various reasons three sites originally designated that are closest to us are no longer participating in the trial.
Friday we cast a net of telephone messages to pin down more information. No responses: seems everyone was already bound for the beach. We’ll see what we fish up Monday to move treatment along a path we can characterize in terms more robust than "optimistic neutrality." How about "swell of hope?" "Positive surge?" "Affirmative momentum?"
Thank you for staying the course with us.
Copyright 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Change No Change
We met with our oncologist yesterday to review the CT scan taken Wednesday July 11th. Compared with the previous scan of 5/14 there are no changes. We appear to be at a stalemate in this confrontation.
But life and research march on. A new drug now being tested on humans is still accepting participants for the "Phase 2" part of its clinical trial and shows promise for persons with the type of cancer the doctors now think I have: metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. The generic name is vandetanib, trademarked ZACTIMA.
This drug is designed to inhibit growth of cancer cells and the capillaries that supply them with blood. So far 20% of study participants with this type of cancer have experienced significant reductions in calcitonin (tumor markers that measure activity of cancer cells in this particular form of cancer). This excites the research doctors very much and is so promising that the FDA has designated vandetanib "Orphan Drug" status. I’m checking into what this actually means to us.
If it excites the doctors, then I’d like to have more of this type of excitement in my life!
Vandetanib is a one per day pill taken so once I’m signed up and registered, I’m sent home with a bottle of pills and a report card. We have no details at this time. The research unit is at Washington (D.C.) Hospital Center which is associated with Georgetown University School of Medicine.
So we stand at another crossroads. We’ll see what vistas open to us as we learn more.
The best news is that here it is July 2007, 9 months since the diagnosis, and I’m still here! Thank you for staying with us through a difficult time. We look forward to your company as the journey unfolds.
Copyright 2007
Posted: July 14, 2007
But life and research march on. A new drug now being tested on humans is still accepting participants for the "Phase 2" part of its clinical trial and shows promise for persons with the type of cancer the doctors now think I have: metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. The generic name is vandetanib, trademarked ZACTIMA.
This drug is designed to inhibit growth of cancer cells and the capillaries that supply them with blood. So far 20% of study participants with this type of cancer have experienced significant reductions in calcitonin (tumor markers that measure activity of cancer cells in this particular form of cancer). This excites the research doctors very much and is so promising that the FDA has designated vandetanib "Orphan Drug" status. I’m checking into what this actually means to us.
If it excites the doctors, then I’d like to have more of this type of excitement in my life!
Vandetanib is a one per day pill taken so once I’m signed up and registered, I’m sent home with a bottle of pills and a report card. We have no details at this time. The research unit is at Washington (D.C.) Hospital Center which is associated with Georgetown University School of Medicine.
So we stand at another crossroads. We’ll see what vistas open to us as we learn more.
The best news is that here it is July 2007, 9 months since the diagnosis, and I’m still here! Thank you for staying with us through a difficult time. We look forward to your company as the journey unfolds.
Copyright 2007
Posted: July 14, 2007
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