stage4's Cancer Blog
July 9, 2007
| I am in the Clinical Trial | Views: 524 |
A lot has happened in the month since I last posted something.
My CT scan showed that the spot in my lung has not grown any and may not be cancer, the spot in my liver has shrunk a little and they believe it is just scar tissue and what I thought was fluid around my liver again causing a large lump in my right side is actually a hernia. They don’t have to do anything with the hernia. Best of all, after a lot of tests I was approved to participate in the clinical trial for a colon cancer vaccine.
I have just finished the first week of shots for the vaccine. It is a piece of cake after all the chemo I have been through. 4 shots a week every 4 weeks sure beats chemo 4 days every other week.
Hopefully it will do the job. I wasn’t willing to go through any more chemo at this point so hopefully I can be part of getting a new drug on the market so someday people with colon cancer will not have to do chemo.
I am getting more energy everyday. I did not realize how wore down I was from chemo. The longer away from it, the better I feel.
More later…. Thx
Donna
06.22.08 - 
Diana Harper 
Thanks for your support -
Does this mean your off chemo for good? Becasue you took the vaccination’s?
I take Xeloda everyday-2times a day-for 14 days straight then one week off then back on…I also am stage IV CC. I had surgery to remove 1/3 of my liver in Dec. 06. I had previous surgery also. I then had 28 days straight of radiation after my liver resection and then on to the Xeloda. I was just told I have some small lesions on my lungs now ( 5 months after liver surgery and radiation and chemo). Not sure what they are yet as they are so small. In 2 months we will re take Cat Scans. Waiting is awful….
Sue,
This Avemar sounds interesting. I will do some research on it. To answer your question on my blog. Doing the clinical trial doesn’t mean that I will never do chemo again. Right now I don’t choose to anymore. I have had a total of 16 months of chemo (4mo,6mo,6mo)and 3 surgeries in the past 2 years. I didn’t want to do anymore.
I really suffered through chemo. It was not a life worth living. I had a lot of problems. With The Erbitux I had a bad reaction and they couldn’t give me that anymore, I couldn’t function on Xeloda and got off it, a tumor grew while I was taking Avastin. It worked great the first chemo protocol it quit working on the 2nd. I was cancer free for a short time after surgeries but it never lasted and I was just tired of being sick and tired and decided not to do anymore.
I found out about this vaccine trial. The word vaccine is a little misleading in that it is not just 1 shot and you are done. It is a series of 4 shots given over 4 days for 3 months. Scans are taken every 3 months for 2 years. If this trial is approved, once people have surgery to remove colon cancer tumors on the colon and liver they will be able to get these injections instead of chemo.
If at some point I decide to have more surgeries or chemo I will have to drop out of the trial. I don’t intend on having either but I have learned to never say never.
The trial vaccine works by boosting the patients own immune system and targeting and killing cells with CEA attached. My doctor tells me all cancer cells have cea attached to them.
For more info on this trial you can go to:
http://www.cancer.gov/search/ViewClinicalTrials.aspx?cdrid=410791&version=patient&protocolsearchid=3422267
Talk to you soon. Stay Stong.
Donna
Hi Donna—I surely know what your talking about. Been there-done that. That’s why I am trying the Avemar (it makes your immune system strong also!). I tried to find a clinical trial in Michigan for the vaccine, but couldnt find one. I’d like to try that as well!
Keep strong—good luck!
Sue
Donna – great to hear from you. and I am glad you were approved to participate in that clinical tral for a colon cancer vaccine. Sending some healty vibes your way.
Donna hope all is well with you and yours.
I pray that the Treatment will make life better for you.
Sherri
Just checking up on you. How are you doing on the vaccine? Sue
I am doing great. I am finally back to 40 hrs a week at work, no side effects from the vaccine.
A little more tired than I thought I would be this far out of chemo but that it not from the vaccine. I hope it works but I definitely won’t regret doing it whichever way it turns out.
Thanks for asking
Donna