The last couple of weeks I've started to be a bit more thorough looking into what might be next for me on the side of Tumour treatments and I've found there is a lot of reading to do.
My expectation is that in November things will look much the same as before but then the Tumour will start hitting back. Given that situation we will need to find a next phase treatment in the new year. One option is to go back on to Temodal (Temozolomide) and hope there is still more to be had before the resistance sets in. Another option is to go directly to the 2nd line treatment of PCV (Procarbazine, Lomustine & Vincristine) .
A third option is looking for a promising Trial that is aimed at Grade 3 & Grade 4 tumours. Failing to qualify for my favourite TTF trial (as I was downgraded), there are some promising results being shown from DCVax-Brain a Gene Therapy Vaccine but unfortunately all the trial sites are in the US.
But then again I could be completely wrong about what happens over the next few months.
Showing posts with label TTF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TTF. Show all posts
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Friday, 1 February 2008
Tumour Treating Fields
Visit to Universitätsspital Zürich today to talk to a lady (Dr Magneto) about the Tumour Treating Fields (TTF) trial I mentioned back in November. I didn't learn too much more about the treatment except to find out that the "device" is more a rucksack than a handbag. The trial started in early 2006 and they have about half the participants they want so far, so there is a fair chance I will be in recurance before they finish!
An interesting little fact is that because the device is not a drug its not subject to the same complex regulations, so once the trial is finished (assuming statistically significant success) it will be available on the market almost immediately. Not that the my insurer will necessarily pay for it.
One interesting little point that Ms. Magneto mentioned in passing is that Universitätspital's current therapy for recurring GBM's is combined Avastin and CPT-11. This is a very interesting combination of an angiogenisis inhibitor (stops blood vessels from getting to the tumour) and a topoisomerase 1 inhibitor (normal tumour bashing chemotherapy). I need to read up on this a bit more.
Dr. Magneto had taken a look at the Histology from my Biopsy and she commented on the inconclusive results and offered me a second opinion from their labs. I, of course, took it.... more later.
An interesting little fact is that because the device is not a drug its not subject to the same complex regulations, so once the trial is finished (assuming statistically significant success) it will be available on the market almost immediately. Not that the my insurer will necessarily pay for it.
One interesting little point that Ms. Magneto mentioned in passing is that Universitätspital's current therapy for recurring GBM's is combined Avastin and CPT-11. This is a very interesting combination of an angiogenisis inhibitor (stops blood vessels from getting to the tumour) and a topoisomerase 1 inhibitor (normal tumour bashing chemotherapy). I need to read up on this a bit more.
Dr. Magneto had taken a look at the Histology from my Biopsy and she commented on the inconclusive results and offered me a second opinion from their labs. I, of course, took it.... more later.
Saturday, 3 November 2007
Out of It
Sorry for being missing for over a week. The main reason was a bout of Gastric flu. The whole family has had it in various forms (some coming out of one end, and some the other) lasting a couple of days but not being too bad.. except for my case, I now know what it means to have your immune system messed with by Chemo.
The symptoms were no worse than anybody else on the surface but I basically slept for three days only dragging (or rather being dragged) to my radiation therapy to break up my sleep. I was like the proverbial Zombie. Today I awoke feeling almost normal, despite the continuing squits.
Anyway to other events of the week:
NOVO-TTF
On Tuesday I dropped an e-mail to the Dr. in charge of the Novo TTF trial centre at the University Hospital in Zurich. This is a new tumour treatment that has been showing a lot of promise in early trials by destroying tumours as the cells divide turning them into useless bits of sub-cellular matter. The Novo-TTF device does this by using low energy electric field at specific frequencies and thus interfering with the division process. I'm not currently eligible for the trial because it is for recurrent or progressive GBM's and mine is still going through its first attempt at killing me. But I thought I'd show my interest anyway. I was very surprised to get an appointment with the lady in February to talk about my interest. I know I shouldn't be tempting providence like this but this one sounds cool.
Bought tickets for my son and I to go see "We will rock you" on Thursday... I never made it but my son in law enjoyed it on my behalf.
Professor Neuro
A visit to Professor Neuro on Wednesday (the neurologist who is responsible for my well being) where I got an EEG to see how my brain waves were acting up. After 20 minutes of opening and closing my eyes, bright flashing lights and ringing bells I was returned to Prof Neuro who showed me some abnormality on the left side of my brain, commensurate with the outstanding potential (no pun intended) for minor seizures. He said that the current small seizures were not likely to cause any damage. We then discussed upping my anti-seizure medication (mainly so that I can do some exercise) and after a quick call to chemo man (who has all the ins and outs of my blood state) he agreed to up my Timonil (carbanmazepine) from 900mg to 1200mg per day. So let's see how this goes.
Funny each time I talk to somebody with Neuro in their name my chances of sitting behind the wheel of my X3 or riding my precious F650GS ever again seem to become just that little bit more out of reach
The symptoms were no worse than anybody else on the surface but I basically slept for three days only dragging (or rather being dragged) to my radiation therapy to break up my sleep. I was like the proverbial Zombie. Today I awoke feeling almost normal, despite the continuing squits.
Anyway to other events of the week:
NOVO-TTF
On Tuesday I dropped an e-mail to the Dr. in charge of the Novo TTF trial centre at the University Hospital in Zurich. This is a new tumour treatment that has been showing a lot of promise in early trials by destroying tumours as the cells divide turning them into useless bits of sub-cellular matter. The Novo-TTF device does this by using low energy electric field at specific frequencies and thus interfering with the division process. I'm not currently eligible for the trial because it is for recurrent or progressive GBM's and mine is still going through its first attempt at killing me. But I thought I'd show my interest anyway. I was very surprised to get an appointment with the lady in February to talk about my interest. I know I shouldn't be tempting providence like this but this one sounds cool.
Bought tickets for my son and I to go see "We will rock you" on Thursday... I never made it but my son in law enjoyed it on my behalf.
Professor Neuro
A visit to Professor Neuro on Wednesday (the neurologist who is responsible for my well being) where I got an EEG to see how my brain waves were acting up. After 20 minutes of opening and closing my eyes, bright flashing lights and ringing bells I was returned to Prof Neuro who showed me some abnormality on the left side of my brain, commensurate with the outstanding potential (no pun intended) for minor seizures. He said that the current small seizures were not likely to cause any damage. We then discussed upping my anti-seizure medication (mainly so that I can do some exercise) and after a quick call to chemo man (who has all the ins and outs of my blood state) he agreed to up my Timonil (carbanmazepine) from 900mg to 1200mg per day. So let's see how this goes.
Funny each time I talk to somebody with Neuro in their name my chances of sitting behind the wheel of my X3 or riding my precious F650GS ever again seem to become just that little bit more out of reach
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