The Spartans Are Back!

We had an appointment with Jason's oncologist, Dr. Kim on Monday and we were expecting to be admitted to the hospital for Jason's 4th course of biochemotherapy. Before his appointment, I called the TIL study research coordinator and found out some great news. Jason has 160 million T cells frozen and ready to be used to fight his cancer. Only 50% of melanoma patients successfully grow T cells, so we feel very fortunate that his grew and we are able to participate in this phase 2 clinical trial. We also know that although the biochemotherapy seemed to be helping with tumor stability, he has 3 new small subcutaneous lumps since his last checkup. So we discussed it with Dr. Kim and we all agreed that the biochemotherapy was not working as well as we had all hoped.

There is some preparation that needs to take place before Jason can start the TIL study. Mostly it has to be coordinated with insurance and he needs to be re-staged. This will include an MRI and more CT scans. The only exclusion criteria for this clinical trial is brain metastasis, so we have to pray that there are still no tumors in his brain. So far, we have been very lucky with that. After the re-staging, we should be all set to start this new treatment on December 29.

The treatment will consist of 7 days of chemotherapy to wipe out his immune system. Then they infuse the 160 million T cells. Then he has to undergo high dose IL2, as much as his body can tolerate. We are all a little apprehensive about the high dose IL2, including his doctor, since Jason had so many problems with it in the past. The T cells and IL2 should take an additional week if things go smoothly, so the total treatment should take 2 weeks in the hospital, 2 weeks of recovery, and the cycle will repeat once more if all goes well.

I am thinking that it won't be as bad as before. My hypothesis is that he was showing a lot of autoimmune-like symptoms before. This is because the IL2 ramped up his whole immune system and this probably lead to his immune system attacking his internal organs, ie. kidneys. (He is famous at the hospital for the kidney trouble he had and the fact that he was moments away from dialysis). The oncologists got together to discuss whether Jason should do this study or not. I think this treatment will go better because his immune system will be wiped out, so in theory, only the specific T cells should be ramped up and should attack the tumors and not his organs. Dr. Kim said this was all very experimental, but thought there could be some merit to what I think. He also said that right now, they don't even know if the IL2 is completely necessary for the T cells to work. Or it might only take one or two doses to get them going which I know Jason's body can handle.

So the Spartans are back!!! 160 million Spartans ready to attack! Tomorrow, we are going to attempt to get the paracentesis again (stomach draining). This will hopefully help Jason to eat more and gain some weight. Our main goal for the next couple weeks before the clinical trial starts is to get him as strong as possible and to get him back to a healthy weight. That way his body will be ready for everything that will be thrown his way. He is so strong willed and has endured so much already, so we know he will have no problem with this treatment and we are very optimistic. The TIL study is slated to be one of the most promising new cancer treatments being studied for melanoma and a variety of other cancers.