A little update for Labor Day week-end. It is a gorgeous CO day, Im going to head into town to do more chores, I have more cleaning to do on the house when I return, and Robb is working on the driveway. Next week we will get away for a few days here in CO to enjoy the autumn season. Life could not be much better right now, considering the circumstances. Robb is doing great. It is difficult to convey to everyone how fast this cancer moves and exactly how serious this situation could have been at the beginning of July when we confirmed a recurrence. Robbs glioblastoma was described in January as an unusually aggressive GBM and as a primary GBM with EGFR and most likely VEGF amplification it is the worst of the worst. As many of you remember, Robb was given only 2 months without surgery, and 6 months max with only surgery. The reality is that if the immunotherapy had not worked in July, Robb would most likely be dead or in Hospice at this time. We stopped the recurrence in its tracks, and are already two months past his maximum expiration date given to him in January. There have now been three GBM patients including Robb who have seen success on this new protocol. There is another GBM patient on a slightly different protocol who has also seen success who wishes to remain anonymous. That is 4 out of 4 patients showing success with this protocol, or a similar protocol. Its not a miracle. Its a scientific marvel. I think Robbs experience shows that if a person responds initially, even with a dramatic recurrence, the person is capable of responding again so long as the treatment continues to be applied long-term. Unfortunately, it can take a long time and a lot of boosting to sustain an immune attack on the tumor and get every last cell. Immunotherapy is a very powerful option because of its ability to be carried out long-term. On the other hand, you can only carry out a treatment so long that is toxic or to which the cancer can evolve resistance (chemo and radiation). And this is why there has been very little progress on GBM for the past 40 years, both in terms of quality of life or survival. At this point I want to say THANK YOU. First, THANK YOU to all who provided emotional support and encouraged Robb to do the surgery in the first place. This was the darkest time of our lives. Second, THANK YOU to all who donated to Robbs immunotherapy to keep him alive. I look at what other brain cancer patients are going through and there is not a day that goes by that I do not count our blessings. We are in danger of losing our house, and we face $250k of medical bills unpaid by the VA, and a potential bankruptcy, but none of that really matters. Robb is alive and well, and I believe we are financially out of danger in terms of future treatment now that the insurance company has begun reimbursement. Third, THANK YOU to all who believed in us and all who have spread the message about this treatment by linking to my website. Heres my latest: feel free to spread the good news. blastingtheblastoma.blogspot/2014/08/my-speech-to-liberty-on-rocks-at.html
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 18:42:03 +0000
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