Moving Heaven and Earth to Find a Cure!

 Meet Dr. William Freed-Pastor, M.D., Ph.D.

His team is researching a new, potentially exciting treatment for pancreatic cancer patients.  It is a Triple Immunotherapy treatment that you can read about here.

In a nutshell, Dr. Freed-Pastor has combined 3 drugs that hit the pancreatic cancer tumor hard.  The drugs are a combination of antibodies and checkpoint inhibitors.

The therapy works in concert to activate a patient's T-cells and drive them into the tumors to shut down the cancer cell growth.  And this would be the easy-peasy explanation... because the long version kinda gets complicated ;-)  Read all the scientific/research details here and even more details here!

The Triple Immunotherapy treatment is not yet widely available, but has entered the clinical trial stage and Dr. Freed-Pastor's team is excited about the possibilities.  Yet he is cautious to remind us that they don't know yet how this drug combination will transition from the mouse models to the human patients.

Dr. Freed-Pastor understands the urgency for viable pancreatic cancer treatments as he lost his mom to the disease as a young boy...

"Family members are looking for options.  Patients are looking for options.  I understand the need.  I lost my mom to pancreatic cancer when I was a kid.  So I know that people will try to move heaven and earth to find better options for those they love."

So thankful for Doctors like Dr. Freed-Pastor!  We are joining with him and all the pancreatic cancer patients and their loved ones moving heaven and earth to find a cure!

My Love, Always,
Jane

A New Pancreatic Cancer Treatment on the Horizon

Lynparza is the newest pancreatic cancer treatment to be approved for the fight!

Still in the early stages, but showing promise for those with terminal progression, Lynparza is a non-chemotherapy oral treatment developed by AstraZeneca and the Merck Research Lab and approved by the FDA for advanced pancreatic cancer patients.

Lynparza is limited in its treatment scope for pancreatic cancer, but is giving Hope to the many who may benefit from its novel approach.

"We are excited to have another treatment option available for pancreatic cancer patients.  While only approved for a small group, this treatment emphasizes the importance of treating patients based on their biology and their tumor's biology - the foundation of precision medicine." 
                                                             ~ the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

Lynparza is a first-in-class PARP Inhibitor.  And like me, you may ask, What the heck is that??

Well, in plain-speak (and very general terms), PARP is an enzyme in our body, in our cells.

It stands for poly-ADP ribose polymerase. Right.  Let's just call it PARP.   Deal?!

So, PARP helps cells repair damaged DNA.  And in cancer cells, PARP helps the cancer repair DNA so it can keep growing and multiplying.

A PARP inhibitor is a substance or chemical that blocks the PARP enzyme so it can't repair the damaged DNA.  And if you happen to be a cancer cell and your PARP enzyme is turned off, then you can't repair damaged DNA and you die.

That's a Yay for cancer death!  So we like PARP Inhibitors!  Right?!  Well, yes... and no...

Remember, all our cells have the PARP enzyme.  So what happens when we take a PARP inhibitor?

Well, for starters it affects the fast growing cancer cells, no PARP enzyme for you... and that's good.  But then none of the other growth cells in our body can turn on their PARP enzyme and repair damaged DNA either... not so good.

These fast growing cells in our bodies include our hair follicles, our skin, the cells that line our digestive tract and our bone marrow.  And that's why patients on PARP inhibitors can experience:

- hair loss

- skin rashes

- nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

- low red blood cell and white blood cell counts.

While most experience just mild side effects, there are some who can experience life threatening bone marrow problems, like Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) or Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

Nothing about cancer treatment is easy or good...

Except that every new discovery brings us closer to the cure.  And that is the Prayer and Hope for every one of our cancer-fighting loved ones!

For more information on Lynparza and to see if it's a fit for your cancer treatment plan, be sure to talk to your oncology team.  As of now, the FDA has approved Lynparza for pancreatic cancer patients who have:

- Stage IV pancreatic adenocarcinoma (the most common form)

- Germline (inherited) mutations of BRCA (testing available through PanCan's Know Your Tumor profiling as well as through your oncology team.)

- Stable disease (no tumor progression) after treatment with a first-line platinum-based chemotherapy (like Gemzar)... According to AstraZeneca, Lynparza may be used as a maintenance treatment after your cancer has not progressed on at least 16 weeks of treatment with platinum-based chemotherpay.

Lynparza... another bit of Hope for the Journey!

Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment

He was 10 years old when his mother died from Lymphoma.

Last year he was awarded the Nobel Prize for his ground-breaking work on Immunotherapy as a revolutionary new cancer treatment.

Meet Dr. James Allison.

In a nutshell, immunotherapy is all about freeing the immune system to attack tumors. Specifically, Dr. Allison's work takes the brakes off  the T cells, the "soldier's" of the immune system, allowing them to battle invading cancer cells.

His work has led to the development of a class of drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors.  One drug, called Yervoy, has been approved for late-stage melanoma, and has already yielded unprecedented results.  20% of the patients with advanced melanoma cancer now live for at least 3 years, and many live 10 years or longer. That's beyond exciting news!

Dr. Allison feels that immunotherapy is quickly becoming the "fourth pillar" of cancer therapy, joining the traditional treatments of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

And while immunotherapy doesn't replace traditional treatment, it can be used in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation to offer patients a strong offense in the cancer fight.  And one other exciting aspect of immunotherapy is that it appears to continue working even after treatment has stopped.

Research continues to investigate treating other cancers with this new type of immunotherapy.  These clinical trials offer a hope that is desperately needed on the cancer battlefield.

We are holding our breath to hear that pancreatic cancer has been spotlighted... so far, the research has focused on lung, kidney, bladder, gastric, liver, cervical, colorectal, head and neck, and lymphoma cancers.

The excitement is not lost on Dr. Allison:

"It's a great, emotional privilege to meet cancer patients who've been successfully treated with immune checkpoint blockade.  They are living proof of the power of basic science, of following our urge to learn and to understand how things work."

That 10 year old boy channeled his loss into extraordinary gains in the fight against cancer.

The president of MD Anderson, Dr. Peter Pisters, believes that "Jim Allison's research has led to life-saving treatments for people who otherwise would have little hope."

And that's some exciting news for the cancer fight!

Another Option for the Fight

In March of 2017, Karen Kiernan received the news that we all fear...

Her recent digestive issues, her weight loss and nagging back pain, they were the result of an aggressive pancreatic cancer growth.  A stage IV pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

The diagnosis left her overwhelmed and in shock.  We've been there too.  The first days and weeks of a cancer diagnosis can leave you reeling.

Thank goodness for family and friends!  Karen's sister dug in deep and began the research that has ultimately given Karen great hope.

Her sister encouraged her to have her tumor profiled with PanCan's Know your Tumor program.

The tissue sample showed a rare mutation that is known to respond to a relatively new immunotherapy drug called Keytruda.  Within weeks of starting the Keytruda regimen, her cancer stabilized, giving her the added relief of her back pain easing and a noticeable improvement in her overall well-being.

You may have seen the ads on TV for Keytruda.  It has been largely targeted towards those with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, but has been approved for any solid tumor that displays certain molecular characteristics.

According to the manufacturer, Keytruda works by blocking the PD-1 pathway to help prevent cancer cells from hiding.  Keytruda helps the immune system do what it was meant to do: detect and fight cancer cells.  

Keytruda is an immunotherapy treatment that is showing good results for those with certain mutations in the pancreatic cancer tumor.  This molecular mutation is somewhat rare in pancreatic cancer tumors, appearing in only 1-3% of these tumors.  And while this may be a slim number of pancreatic cancer patients, if it can help even a handful it is so worth shouting the news from the rooftops!

Karen shares her story over at the PanCan website as a way to shed light on the potential for new pancreatic cancer treatments and the hope they give.

Learn more about the Know your Tumor program and see if one of these newer treatments might be a good option for you!

As always, check with your medical team.  We celebrate the Hope of potential new treatments, but we never lose sight of the heavy responsibility of sharing truth and not unrealistic pipe dreams.

We battle together, fighting until a Cure is found...
In Grace, Always,
Jane

A Clinical Trial Success Story!

We need more success stories like this!

Come meet Earl...

In September 2015, Earl returned home to North Carolina after driving 5,500 miles cross-country for his first trip to the Burning Man festival in Nevada.  Concerned about a herniated belly button, he went to see his doctor.  Earl assumed the long, hard drive in his camper without power steering had put too much stress on his body.  The doctor came back with a diagnosis that was the furthest thing from his mind - stage IV pancreatic cancer, with metastases in his liver, lungs and fatty tissue.

Earl asked to call in his daughter, a physician,  Reflecting on that conversation, she says, "When you're hoping for the diagnosis to be melanoma, you know it's a very bad day."  Having treated pancreatic cancer patients herself, she understood they would have to act fast to make treatment decisions. 

His daughter immediately called colleagues to ask for referrals and flew to be with her father in North Carolina.  Reunited at the airport, the family cried and hugged before they left to start the process of setting a treatment plan.  They chose an expert medical team at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center that his daughter describes as "an amazing team of doctors and nurses who were always enthusiastic, upbeat, caring and hopeful."

While discussing treatment options, Earl's doctor suggested a clinical trial.  Earl says, "I saw it as an opportunity to get the best drugs hospitals could offer, plus more." His daughter adds, "We know that clinical trials offer the newest and often best, options for treatment."  Earl enrolled in a phase I clinical trial for CPI-613, a targeted therapy aimed at cancer cell metabolism, receiving the test drug in addition to Folfirinox, a combination of chemotherapeutic agents.

After four rounds of the regimen, Earl's tumors shrank by as much as 30%.  One year after diagnosis, he was feeling great and his CA19-9 levels had come down from around 10,000 to below normal range.

Early in his treatment, he took a trip to Disneyland with his grandchildren.  Since then, he and his wife, Juanita, have visited family in Canada seven times and gone on many family trips across the United States, including a camping trip in Yellowstone National Park.  Earl and his wife have also made the cross-country road trip to the Burning Man festival again - twice.  Earl says, "Even though it can be hard, I remained hopeful, positive and optimistic throughout the treatment."  To help maintain his positive attitude, Earl and his family made a point to spend extra time together, which has brought them even closer. 

Reflecting on his family, Earl says, "They have been so supportive - especially my wife of 49 years, Juanita.  I recently told her she may have to put up with me for another 15 years!  It is an understatement to say I'm a proud husband, father and grandpa."

Earl wants to deliver a message of hope that pancreatic cancer is not a death sentence.  He encourages others facing the disease to find an expert healthcare team, actively seek out clinical trials and try to maintain a positive attitude.  His daughter, speaking as both a family member and a physician, echoes this advice, saying, "When you're choosing a healthcare team, you must consider their experience and treatment philosophy - it will impact your entire experience.  Seek out the type of team you want and always consider clinical trials because they are very important treatment options."  Earl is currently receiving treatments with CT and MRI scans after every four rounds.  His scans have been clear for months, and his CA19-9 levels remain below normal.  He still feels good, though his many adventures cause him to be tired sometimes.  He says, "I'm extremely active for a 70-year-old pancreatic cancer patient, and I don't plan to slow down because I'm on borrowed time."

These are the stories that make my heart happy!

Thanks to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network for sharing Earl's story

and for promoting Precision Promise and the encouraging work of clinical trials for all cancers, but especially for Pancreatic Cancer...

Winging prayers of love and support to Earl and his family,

Keep up the good fight!

In Grace, Tonight,

Always,

Jane

The Truth About Cancer: Episode 1

Ok... I said I would give a review at the end of the 9-part series...

But, The Truth About Cancer?  It needs sharing... and so, here is a review of the first episode... because everyone touched by cancer should have all the cards laid out on the table.  If this is the hand we're dealt, then we need to know how to make our best play.

This documentary is rich in research and is adamant in the goal to eradicate cancer in our lifetime...

It is the Drumbeat of this daughter's heart...

And one of the first cancer conquerors they interviewed was Pamela Kelsey, a pancreatic cancer patient.  Ya'll, she was diagnosed in 1975 and is likely one of the longest living survivors of this horrendous cancer... you need to hear her story...

So, here, is a review of the first episode from The Cancer Tutor because he just lays it all out so much better than I could ever...

EPISODE 1 SYNOPSIS: TheTruth About Cancer–A Global Quest

“The true history of chemo and the pharmaceutical monopoly”

Airs: Tuesday, April 12th, 2016
The last 100 years of Medicine and how it has impacted our view on Health and Cancer. There is a conspiracy, but it’s not what you might think.

There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.-Soren Kierkegaard

---

CANCER CONQUEROR: Pamela Kelsey

Pamela Kelsey was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1975 and was told by doctors she had about a year and a half to live. She was 35 and thought her life was over.

But she took the essential first step of any cancer conqueror—she determined that she would beat cancer. And she would do it without poisoning her body with chemotherapy.

She went to the Biomedical Center in Tijuana, Mexico, where she was evaluated, given the Hoxsey Formula,  a strict diet and a large dose of hope. As they had predicted, she began to turn around in less than 3 months.

Forty years later Pamela is now free of the pancreatic and the liver cancer that had been a death sentence decades before.

IN THIS EPISODE

The surprising history of the medical industry including its direct ties to robber barons Andrew Carnegie and John D.Rockefeller. Pay special attention to The Flexner Report.

How the medical industry defines quackery often depends on the tastes of the age. Ignaz Semmelweis was rejected as offensive when he suggested doctors wash their hands.

• The eerie ties of “Big Pharma” to the Jewish holocaust.
• Stories of government-mandated chemotherapy on minors, who are taken from their parents for the toxic treatment.

The cancer-conquering agent vitamin B17.

The toxin-cleansing protocols that initiate natural healing from the inside out.

The persecution and truth suppression of natural healing practitioners by government agencies, the American Medical Association and Big Pharma.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Ty Bollinger, who lost parents and other relatives to cancer, traveled the globe in 2015 to meet with more than 100 experts in 20 countries. This global Quest for the Cure is a personal mission sparked by tragic loss.

• Almost 50 percent of people alive today will face cancer.

• 1 in 4 men will die from cancer.

• 1 in 5 women will die from cancer.

• Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller are responsible for the seismic shift from natural medicine to synthetic pharmaceuticals.

• The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) cites that 100,000 people die every year from properly prescribed prescription drugs.

In 1987 Judge Susan Getsendanner found the American Medical Association guilty of conspiracy against chiropractors.

• Chemotherapy originated from observing the effects of mustard gas on lymphocytes and some of the stuff used to make mustard gas is being used in chemo agents today. This is perhaps one reason 90 percent of oncologists will not prescribe chemo to their family.

• The alarming truth that pharmaceutical companies routinely commission ghost-written articles for publication in leading medical journals touting the performance of their drugs. These are the journals doctors read before prescribing treatments.

• Killing a tumor isn’t killing cancer.

QUOTABLES

When they talk about blockbuster drugs they aren’t talking about the effectiveness. They’re talking about how many bucks you can make. A lot of the goal of healthcare is to make a lot of money and if we happen to do some good with it that’s fine.

Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Medical Director and Founder—Tahoma Clinic, Washington

There are many physicians who are truly authentically motivated to help people but there is but there is a fear that they are going to be discredited and ostracized in their own community. When you’ve got tens of billions of dollars of revenue there is no end to the types of sophisticated ways you can acquire to manipulate the masses.

Dr. Joseph Mercola, D.O., Founder of Mercola.com, New York Times Bestselling Author

Articles ghost-written by medical writers engaged by pharmaceutical companies who have a vested interest in the content have caused concern after scandals revealed misleading content in some articles.

Source: The National Center for Biotechnology Information

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3190555/

Featured in this Episode (in order of appearance):

Dr. Ivars Kalvins, Ph.D
Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D.
Dr. Irvin Sahni, M.D.
Dr. Garry F. Gordon, M.D., D.O., M.D.(H)
Dr. Jospeh Mercola, D.O.
G. Edward Griffin, Author, Lecturer, Filmmaker
Dr. Robert Scott Bell, D.A. Hom.
Dr. Darrell Wolfe, Ac., Ph.D
Dr. Aleksandra Niedzwiecki, Ph.D
Dr. Matthias Rath, M.D.
Dr. Sunil Pai, M.D.
Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, D.C.
Dr. Ben Johnson, M.D., N.M.D, D.O.
Dr. Rashid Buttar, D.O.
Dr. James Forsythe, M.D.
Bob Wright, American Anti-Cancer Institute Founder
Dr. Boris Grinblat, M.D.
Dr. Bita Badakhshan, M.D.
Laura Bond Investigative Health Journalist & Author
Dr. Russell Blaylock, M.D.
Sayer Ji, Author, Lecturer, National Health Federation Advisory Board
Chris Wark, Cancer Conquerer, Author, Lecturer
AJ Lanigan, Immunologist & Inventor
Mike Adams, Scientist, Author, Lecturer, “The Health Ranger”
Burton Goldberg, Author, Lecturer
Jon Rappoport, Investigative Journalist
Dr. Robert Gorter, M.D., Ph.D
Dr. Nalini Chilkov, L.Ac.O.M.D.
Dr. Patrick Quillin, Ph.D, R.D., C.N.S
Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, M.D., Ph.D
Dr. Tullio Simoncini, M.D., Ph.D
Dr. Rob Verkerk, Ph.D
Dr. Patrick Vickers, D.C.
Jason Vale, Cancer Survivor
Webster Kehr, “The Cancer Tutor”
Liz Jonas, Director – Biomedical Center (Tijuana)
Dr. Elias Gutierrez, M.D.
David Olson, Cancer Conqueror
Dr. Subrata Chakravarty, Ph.D
Tara Mann, Founder of Cancer Crackdown, Fomer Big Pharma Rep
Dr. Gaston Cornu-Labat, M.D.
Jay Matthews, Pharmacist, Father of Selena
Todd Jones, Father of Jenay, Cancer Conqueror
Cassandra Callender
Pamela Kelsey
Tina Baird, Cancer Conqueror
Charlene Bollinger, Researcher and Health Freedom Advocate, Co-Founder of CancerTruth

---

Memorable Quotes from the First Episode

“It seems to me that the #1 goal of a lot of healthcare is to make money, and if we happen to do some good with it, that’s  fine . but the #1 goal is to make money”

–Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D.

“Modern Medicine is a business, and its goals are to grow the business and eliminate competition and to maintain the monopoly “

– Ty Bollinger, Host

“It is estimate that by 2020 more than half of all cancer in America will be medically induced from drugs or radiation, making our Medical establishment the leading cause of cancer. ”

– Dr. Ben Johnson, M.D., N.M.D, D.O.

“Oncologists here (Russia) and in many other countries are very restricted in protocols, they are not free to offer the good treatments”

–Dr.Boris Grinblat, M.D.

“When you treat the patient with chemotherapy and radiation and you don’t cure them, then you make the cancer infinitely more aggressive and the patients usually die“

–Dr. Russell Blaylock, M.D.

“Everyone exposed to radiation and chemo will have secondary adverse effects which are worse than the original condition they were being treated for“

–Sayer Ji

“Anyone that has been close to someone undergoing through chemotherapy and radiation would admit that it is a suffering rather than a treatment“

–AJ Lanigan, Immunologist & Inventor

“It is completely unacceptable that oncologists profit from the treatments that are justified by their own diagnosis“

–Mike Adams, The Health Ranger.

“If you do the standard of care and give chemo and people die, its OK. If you don’t do the standard of care and people live, its not OK (it is considered politically incorrect)“

–Dr. Rashid Buttar, D.O.

“If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls who live under tyranny.”

– Thomas Jefferson

---

*Bonus Footage:
Pamela Kelsey, a Pancreatic Cancer Survivor, shares her amazing story of overcoming her cancer that was supposed to be a death sentence. Watch this episode to hear Pamela’s inspiring story of hope through working with the Hoxsey Biomedical Clinic in Mexico

Powerful New Way to FIGHT Cancer...

The end of cancer... wouldn’t that be something?

There are hundreds of pioneers out there, far out of the spotlight, working tirelessly to find new treatments and new healing methods for the many different diseases that we collectively call “cancer”. It’s an incredible, eye-opening look at what’s really possible and happening now.

Thank you to The Cancer Tutor for this review... If it has you interested in seeing more of the series, check out this link at The Truth About Cancer...

Episode 2 begins in less than 2 hours.

Perhaps, a review tomorrow?  Time permitting, I will see you then!

In Grace, Always,
                       Jane

Personalized Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

What if someone could tell you exactly how to zap your cancer?

 

What if your doctor could plan your treatment protocol with confidence?

 

What if scientists could map your tumor and tell you the best battle plan to destroy the beast?

 

 

 

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is unveiling a new service for Pancreatic Cancer Patients.  It's called Know Your Tumor...

It's cutting edge science and holds much promise for Pancreatic Cancer patients world wide. 

Simply put, doctors can now determine the biology of specific tumors through biopsies and detail a personalized treatment plan for your individual cancer.

When mom was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, her doctor went to default mode and automatically set her on the traditional pancreatic cancer treatment... Gemzar Chemotherapy.

Never mind that this protocol had not changed much in the past 30 years... and was still only marginally successful.  Gemzar was the Gold Standard treatment for pancreatic cancer.  And in many doctor offices, it is still considered the Gold Standard... even though so many clinical trials and alternative protocols are showing promise. With Gemzar's low success rate, perhaps it's time to find another Gold Standard... Yes?! 

And maybe we can start by dissecting the pancreatic cancer tumor and finding out just what makes it run...so we can stop it in its tracks.

So, exactly what is this Know Your Tumor strategy? 

It is a way to test your tumor, often called molecular profiling, to find out what treatments and/or medicines will be more effective in destroying it.

The molecular profiling is done by a company called Perthera.  They describe the process on their website:

Every patient is different, and not everyone responds to the same treatment. Perthera’s job is to determine which therapies will work best specifically for your cancer, through a coordinated service designed to help you gain maximum benefit.

 

We begin the process with a biopsy where we have developed innovative ways to handle fresh tissue samples. We maintain total control over the tissue gathering process at the time of biopsy and beyond, to ensure that the fresh tissue is gathered properly. 

 

We send samples to the best diagnostic partners, each with tests that have been proven to improve the success rates of patients. Together, these tests represent the most comprehensive analysis of genomic and protein information that you can get anywhere in the world.

 

We have assembled a panel of distinguished medical professionals, each with expertise in a specific type of cancer, to constantly search for and evaluate the best available testing technologies and the latest drugs, trials and research, so they can become part of our proprietary Expert System Database (ESD).

 

We use the ESD to combine the molecular analysis of a patient's tumor with their medical history and the latest treatment options available to create a report of personalized treatment recommendations, and our panel of medical experts reviews the report and its recommendations.

 

We serve as an advocate for each patient by intently listening to their needs, constantly following up concerning milestones in the process and responding to patient inquiries within 24 hours. We also track the latest molecularly-targeted drugs and drug trials and advocate for your participation.

 

This service is available for patients who meet their criteria:

 

1.  Have stage 4 (metastatic) pancreatic adenocarcinoma cancer (this means the cancer has spread beyond the pancreas)

2.  Have already started or will soon be starting treatment for metastatic cancer.

 

Know Your Tumor is another avenue or tool for pancreatic cancer patients to explore.  Targeted cancer therapy designed for your individual cancer tumor.

 

It is not foolproof... understand that there are still so few chemotherapies to choose from in the fight against pancreatic cancer... but the molecular profiling might show promising clinical trials that target your tumor cells... We fight the fight anyway we can... 

 

As always, talk with your oncology team.  Molecular Profiling is not on everyone's radar... Perhaps it's time to kick this fight up another notch!  Working together to find Hope in the Fight...

 

In Grace, Jane

 

Finding a Chink in the Armor...

Before I leave the topic of Traditional Pancreatic Cancer Treatment, I would love to share about a relatively new test that is beginning to gain traction in the Pancreatic Cancer World...

Molecular Tumor Profiling

This test helps determine which chemo and/or treatment will work best at targeting your specific cancer cells.

So, what exactly is Tumor Molecular Profiling???

Every cancer cell has its own pattern of active genes and proteins. Molecular profiling tests for a variety of biomarkers in the DNA of a tissue sample to help better diagnose, stage and treat cancer on an individualized basis.

Not every oncologist offers this type of testing and individualized treatment, but it may be a test worth investigating.  By choosing more effective drugs for your pancreatic cancer treatment, it may be possible to avoid unnecessary toxicity and to target the cancer cells as aggressively as possible from the start.

One example of tumor molecular profiling is the HER1 or the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor.

HER1(also called EGFR) is the protein found on the surface of some cells and to which epidermal growth factor binds, causing the cells to divide. It is found at abnormally high levels on the surface of many types of cancer cells, so these cells may divide excessively in the presence of epidermal growth factor.

Using chemotherapy drugs and other treatments specifically tailored to lower the presence of EGFR in these patients should (in theory) make a significant and positive impact on their prognosis.

In Plain-Jane speak this tumor molecular profiling is a way to find the chink in pancreatic cancer's armor and take advantage of that weakness to stomp the cancer right on out.

As I said, this newer test is not widely available yet, but I did notice that the Cancer Center Treatments of America are beginning to use this test in mapping out an individualized treatment plan for their pancreatic cancer patients.

Praying that other oncology teams will soon begin to follow suit...

The sooner we can identify pancreatic cancer's weaknesses, the sooner we can begin a successful fight for a cure.

Journeying on in Hope, Always,
                                               Jane
 

Fainting Students, Bellowing Bulls and the Whipple...

For years I worked with a rural veterinarian.  Loved. It.

Well, actually the poop I could do without... but everything else was my kind of job.  The kind where you get paid to do something you love...

We were a country animal clinic, serving a grand variety of patients from tiny kittens to bellowing bulls.  You never knew what a day might bring... but you could always count on something exciting.  Like the day a box of feral cats got loose in the lobby.  Or the time we had to remove a metal T-post from the chest of an over-zealous colt. 

And of course you could always count on surgery.  Might be a run of the mill neuter or spay surgery on said feral cats (we did catch them, finally, have the scars to prove it!) or pinning the broken leg of the poor cattle dog that ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time...

We participated in the career program at the local high school and each semester the doctors would interview and select several students to interim with us...shadowing the techs, learning from the drs., deciding if the vet profession was the right one for them.

Great Program.  We enjoyed the students immensely, especially the ones who willingly cleaned the poop without nagging!  And every semester we waited to see who would be the first to faint during surgery...

It got to be almost a tradition.  Watching surgery is not for the squeamish.  As a matter of fact, the doctors seemed to relish making these surgeries more yucky and bloody than required just for the effect... and the effect was usually pretty dramatic.

Poor kids... can't imagine why anyone would put up with such "abuse"... except, of course, they were young and invincible, they made us smile...

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, surgery... as in pancreatic cancer surgery.

It's called the Whipple surgery.  Actually it's a pancreatoduodenectomy.  But it was nicknamed the Whipple, after the doctor who first described it, and that's so much easier to say...

As I mentioned before, watching surgery is not for the squeamish.  Well, having the surgery is no picnic either.  The Whipple is one of the most demanding of surgeries.  It is also one of the only traditional pancreatic cancer treatments that can offer a real chance at a "cure."

If the cancer is caught early enough to perform surgery, then statistics show survival rates of 20-40% at the 5 year mark.  Much better than the 5% survival for traditional chemotherapy alone...

But better than statistics are the real life testimonies of pancreatic cancer patients who have had the Whipple Procedure. Mom's pancreatic cancer was considered inoperable because the tumor had wrapped around her portal vein, making it impossible to remove safely...so surgery was not in the cards, but we've heard from a handful of pancreatic cancer survivors that have shared their experience with the Whipple surgery.   Perhaps their stories will provide an insight into this most difficult of surgeries...

 It's been 1 year since my whipple surgery was performed at Hackensack University Medical Center in NJ by an amazing surgeon, Dr. Marson Davidson. I was in surgery for 12 straight hours and was kept unconscience for 1 full day after surgery. After successful removal of the tumor and a 10 day hospital stay I was released and sent home to continue the recovery process. After 1 year the only problems I seem to have is I am not breaking down fatty foods properly and have multiple foul smelling bowel movements almost everyday. Imodium helps with this problem. Doc says I should take pancreatic enzymes to solve that issue. The only other issue is fatique and the stomach area is still tender to the touch. Other than those things my surgeon says I am recovering great. He pushed me to 6 month visits now. So far so good. Good luck to all and God Bless.
     ~ Rich


My father was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer in late 2004 when he had his gall bladder was removed. His cancer was resectable and the surgery was scheduled after he has sufficiently recovered from the gall bladder procedure. He was 74 and had been in excellent health. He did not smoke or drink.

The procedure took quite a long time to complete (I believe almost 8 hours). I believe it required removing part of his pancreas (head), stomach, bile duct, small intestine and stomach. He spent a couple of days in ICU after the surgery and was moved into a normal hospital room to recover more. Immediately after the surgery he was doing quite well. However, things changed.

About two weeks after the procedure he became very weak and nauseated. He had a very difficult time keeping anything down. He seemed to spend almost all of his time in the bathroom. He had to be hospitalized because he developed a fever and they had to try to get some nutrition into him via IV. He went from around 160 pounds to 105 during his recovery. After a week or so he was sent home. He had to start to eat around 7 very small meals a day and that helped. He really was not put on any meds and started to get better.

However, the process of going back to the hospital occurred roughly every 6 to 8 weeks for the first year. However he slowly regained his strength and his hospital stays after fever were getting shorter and after about 14 months he had recovered about as much as he was going to recover.

Yet, the best part of this was my father then survived until 2010. He lived right at 6 years after diagnosis and Whipple procedure. The quality of his life was very good until the very end and then things went down very quickly.

Unfortunately in the last 6 weeks my (now 82 year old) mother has been diagnosed with non-resectable pancreatic cancer. Her cancer has invaded the portal vein and has spread into the lymph nodes and she will not undergo the Whipple. We have started chemo. It is interesting to note my father never underwent chemo.      ~ Mark

And then there are two blog/websites that share in much more detail the experience of their Whipple Surgery and subsequent recoveries:

My Whipple Experience

and

Pancreatic Cancer and the Whipple Procedure

Both sites are full of actual, personal information about the Whipple and are paying forward the gift of gaining their lives back.

It is what we all pray for on this Journey.  Wherever we are, may we see the treasure in each sunrise, knowing it is another day to live life well.

All's Grace Today,  Jane                                     

Bible Drill Jeopardy or What are the Lesser Chemos?

Jane:  Names for $1,000 please Alex

Alex Trebek:  Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi...

Jane:  Who are the Twelve Minor Prophets? 

My Sunday School teacher would be so proud!  It's not everyday you are called on to remember such a list of names!

And what pray tell are they doing in a blog post about pancreatic cancer... Farmer Husband is rolling his eyes.  But here's the thing... In the Old Testament, the books are divided into groups.  The first five books are called the Law, then the next twelve are called History, then Poetry, and finally the Major and Minor Prophets.

But, really, I think the Major and Minor Prophet categories have gotten a rather bad rap.  One would think that Isaiah (Major prophet) was all Big Stuff, while Habakkuk (Minor prophet) was a nobody ... Oh, Not so.  It's just that the Major Prophets are lengthy books, while the Minor Prophets are concise and short.  No more, no less.  All are important, some are just more long-winded than others (good for the soul, just longer, smile)...

And so it is with the following pancreatic cancer chemotherapy treatments.  They are no more, no less important than Gemzar, Abraxane or Folfirinox, I just have made this post concise and short!

Truly!  Concise and Short!  My middle name... Read on for my short version of the next 2 (well, maybe 3) chemotherapies for pancreatic cancer.

Since 2000, more than 30 pivotal late-phase clinical trials have been carried out in an attempt to improve upon the effectiveness of Gemzar against advanced pancreatic cancer by adding other drugs to it. Only a very few of these trials have even been moderately successful.

One of the those successes was the drug Tarceva, also called by its generic name, Erlotinib.

Mom was given the Tarceva/Gemzar combination for a very short time when she was first diagnosed.  We share more about her experience with Tarceva here on the website.

The Tarceva/Gemzar combination was approved by the FDA in 2005.  Tarceva is considered a targeted cancer therapy.  This type of therapy works to block specific abnormalities in the cancer cells.  In our case, the Tarceva was used to block the specific protein that the cancer cells needed to grow and divide.

Tarceva is not effective for everyone, but is another treatment to add to our growing arsenal for the fight.

Another chemotherapy in the mix would be 5-FU, or Fluorouacil.  Check here for a run-down on mom's experience with 5-FU.  

In a nutshell, the 5-FU was probably the most brutal of all the chemo's mom was given.  The nausea/vomiting and debilitating mouth sores about did her in.  But it also was the most effective of all the chemo drugs as it dropped her tumor markers like a rock.

Some of you might also be hearing about the chemo drug called Xeloda (Capecitabine).  It is also being used for some pancreatic cancer patients.  Interestingly enough, when the Xeloda enters the cancer cell it converts to its active form, which is, 5-FU (5-Fluorouacil)...

5-FU works well when paired with radiation therapy.  And that's where we're headed tomorrow, so as I promised, short and sweet for today.  Well, actually I said short and concise.  There's nothing sweet about cancer treatment.  Nothing.

And I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating often... this series is simply for sharing, for learning, for preparing.  It is in no way to be considered medical advice.  Please, please talk with your healthcare team about all your treatment options.  Just know that you do have options.  Making an informed decision about your care will ultimately put you back in the drivers seat and give a measure of control over a totally uncontrollable disease...

Graced Always  to Journey Together with you,
                                                                   Jane

More is Better!

Talk to any toddler and you will get the "more is better" philosophy.

As in More Cheerios, More Cartoons, More Attention, More Gifts, More....Everything!

It seems that the More is Better trend is alive and well in chemo treatments too!  Yesterday we talked about one of the newest combo treatments for advanced pancreatic cancer.

Abraxane and Gemzar.

Combining the two drugs has seemed to be a more effective strategy so far for many patients.

And if two was good, why not four?

Welcome to the world of Folfirinox...

4 Chemo drugs wrapped into one Nasty Package.  Well, ok, actually it's only 3 chemo drugs plus a vitamin B derivative to help offset the side effects... But seriously, that's a lot of chemo coming at you... it better be worth the price!

And it does seem to be working better than the Gemzar alone according to the clinical trials.

And of course the side effects are bigger and better (read worse here) than the Gemzar alone as well...

Just grand... Someone has so aptly said that Cancer is not for Wimps.  It is a grueling marathon of decisions and tests and treatments and side effects... a Journey that not even the bravest among us could prepare for...

This series "Mapping the Journey" is such a drop in the bucket for those walking the cancer road.  We can hardly scratch the surface of what it means to be diagnosed with this nightmare of a cancer.  Our prayer is that Wisdom would precede these words and that Grace would guide your path...

Mom was never offered the Folfirinox from her oncologist.   But as we researched pancreatic cancer on the internet, we "met" some incredibly inspiring people going through much the same thing that mom was... we gravitated to those sites and blogs daily, for encouragement, for information and for hope.

Scott and Marisa's blog  "My Crappy Pancreas" was one of the first we found.  They shared much on their site of his journey and we grieved heartbroken when he lost his fight in May of 2012.... but if you would allow me, I would love to share one of their posts on Folfirinox.  You can find the direct link here.

Marisa says:  We have gotten to know some amazing people on this journey and from time to time, hopefully, we can convince some of them to share their own stories with you.  With that, I’d like to bring you our very first guest post.  For those on the same road, it may provide you with a different perspective on treatment or dealing with PC. 

Erin says:   So apparently Marisa and Scott’s blog is so popular that they invite guest bloggers.  I think I am the first so I’ll give you a short 411.  My name is Erin.  I’m 36 and in June, 2010, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  It was a shock to me and my family as there isn’t a history of pancreatic cancer in my family and I don’t have any of the risk factors.  But, 8 months later I’m still fighting.

Like many people who have commented on this blog, I found Scott and Marisa while looking for others who were going through what I was going through.  Sadly, PC patients don’t have support groups.  We’re too busy fighting cancer and spending our time with friends and family.  And the sad truth is there isn’t enough people who have survived that long to even have a support group.  Scott and I are probably one of the first people in the United States to get FOLFIRINOX treatment for pancreatic cancer.   We both got this treatment based on a compelling French study presented at the ACS conference in July, 2010. 

Marisa and Scott have asked me to comment on my experience with FOLFIRINOX and I’m happy to oblige.   It is hard to condense what I’ve gone through in the past 8 months into one blog post so I’m sorry if it seems convoluted or scattered.

Short info: So, days 1-3 are a loss and I just lay in bed until pump disconnect.  Days 4-7 I get a neupogen shot to boost white blood cell count.  I highly recommend in the belly if you have any sort of belly fat because the back of the arm burns.  Days 8-14 I just recover and return to normal.  Day 14 I get a blood test to see if I can have chemo again.

Side effects: So, for me, the worst side effect has been nausea.  I am always pumped full of anti-nausea meds and for the 3 days of treatment I sleep and throw up.   About round 4, I started to experience anticipatory nausea which meant that I was getting sick just walking into chemo.  Aaah…good times.  But nausea isn’t cumulative so it goes away.  In November, I experienced neuropathy that has never left. It is in my fingers and feet.  Luckily, I haven’t had it in my mouth or experienced the burning sensation that causes many patients to stop chemo.  I have lost my hair but in patches so I sort of just look like a deranged person.  And some hair grew back but it’s all come in white so now I get asked if my mom is my sister.  AWESOME.   Fatigue.  This is real and the difference between what I can do day 7 versus 14 is quite substantial.  I don’t think I could do a job or run a household on this drug.  I just try to do what I can and just understand that I will be less tired later.  I do experience cold sensitivity but it fades for me as chemo gets further and further.  However, I live in California and so I don’t know snow cold.  That being said…in December and January I was extraordinarily unhappy with the weather and its effect on my appendages.  About 3 weeks ago I went to Hawaii and my neuropathy seemed better and I had no cold sensitivity issues.  I recommend all recovery occur in tropical climates ;)

Other things: So I wanted to mention 3 other things that are not side effects that are listed in the FOLFIRINOX materials but are things that have happened to me and I wish I knew.  First, I have had to delay treatment due to low platelet counts.  Sometimes these breaks have been for a month.  The first time this happened I totally freaked out because I thought it meant that the cancer would immediately grow back.  Turns out..not true.  The chemotherapy is still there and it is active so if you want to do 3 weeks instead of 2..I recommend it.  It just makes chemo nicer and it gives you something to look forward to.  In the infusion center, I’m the first one there and the last to leave and then I take it home.  Do yourself a favor and after 2-3 treatments take an extra week break.   Both Scott and I traveled during treatment.  I went to two weddings and Hawaii.  It was worth it.  Second, about round 8 every time I started to travel I got sick.  So, if you travel I recommend bringing Tylenol, a thermometer and antibiotics.  When I was in Hawaii, I got pneumonia.  If I hadn’t had the Levaquin with me I would have had to brave the Waikiki urgent care and let’s be clear, I would have gotten something else.  Instead, I took the antibiotics and felt better within 48 hours; no trip to the hospital required.  And finally, this side effect is a little hard to explain but around round 4, I felt helpless and maybe depressed.  I think the first round you’re excited for the treatment.  The second round there is adjustment to meds, your hair falls out.  And then in the third cycle everything sort of settles and you realize what you’re in for.  So, I know that between the third and fourth round I had my first mental chemo meltdown.  You think…this is it?  And typically you haven’t had your scans yet.  And for me, my CA 19-9 numbers didn’t go down until round 3 so I was feeling more demoralized because I felt that I was 36, unemployed, living with my parents, dying, and chemo wasn’t even working.  Luckily, this was the round though that I went to see my friends from law school and I came back pumped and renewed because for 72 hours the conversation was not about me or cancer.

End Result: So even though I started FOLFIRINOX on July 20, 2010  (my 36^th birthday), I had my 13^th (and final round) on March 1, 2011.  FOLFIRINOX has sort of worked for me.  I always hoped that the tumor would shrink 40% and I could get that Whipple surgery but it turns out that once you have mets in the liver, doctors don’t think you should have surgery.   While the tumor in my pancreas hasn’t shrunk it is stable and has not grown.  In addition, the tumor in my liver was not detectable in the last scan and the tumors in my lungs are also appear stable.  I was taking drugs stronger than morphine prior to chemo and by round 4, all pain pills were put aside.  My CA 19-9 numbers decreased into double digits at the end of December.  In January, however, they started to go up again and even though I still am not in pain, it is clear that the chemo has probably stopped being as effective as it could be.  In addition, over the past two months my pancreas is not as effective as it used to be and I’m now diabetic.

What next: So…I consulted with oncologist and got a second opinion as well and was presented with three options.  First, do nothing and just wait until the pain returns or a scan shows metastasis.  Second, do another chemotherapy.  Third, try radiation therapy.  So…it appears that Scott and I are again on similar paths.  I am meeting with radiation oncologists over the next couple of weeks to see if a plan can be developed to treat my cancer with radiation.  I think it is slightly different from Scott’s plan which is to use radiation to help with pain although that is also the game plan.  I’m not sure how the treatment is different as we will both be sick and nauseous again in the coming weeks.
I want to thank Marisa and Scott for letting me post on their blog.

This was posted to Scott and Marisa's blog on March 14, 2011.

I am forever grateful to the many who are willing to share their experiences with the generosity of spirit to pay it forward.  As Erin shares, there were things that occured while she was using the Folfirinox that she wished she would have known about.

Knowledge is Power.  And being braced for, and having a game plan to deal with potential issues from the chemo is so often the difference between fighting the fight and just laying it all down...

Thank you Scott, Marisa and Erin for sharing your hearts and being the wings of lifting power.  It is grace for the Journey...

*  *  *  *  *

It is with much sadness we let you know that Erin lost her battle with pancreatic cancer on Dec 14, 2011.  Hearts ache for the toll this cancer is relentlessly taking on our loved ones and friends.

Much prayer for her family and loved ones.

This Trojan Horse Packs a Wollop!

For years, Gemzar has been the only chemotherapy drug approved by the US FDA for treatment of advanced stage pancreatic cancer.  It was approved in 1997.  It was the treatment of choice when mom was diagnosed in 2010.  

More than 15 years later a clinical trial uncovered a whisper of hope for pancreatic cancer patients the world over.  The trial combined the drug Abraxane with Gemzar and the results showed a marked improvement in the survival rate for these patients.  Not a cure, mind you, but improvement in treatment nonetheless.  In this hardscrabble fight to the finish, every day, every week is an inch we'll take and not give back...

On September 6, 2013, the FDA approved this combination of Abraxane with Gemzar as the first-line treatment for advanced, metastatic pancreatic cancer.  Mom had been gone already nigh on 2 years.  But we know, we know, how she would have applauded this small victory.  Anything that can hold back the advance of the cancer gives us a chance to hang on for the cure.  And time to love and live and smile and hope...

So, what exactly is Abraxane and how might it fit into your treatment plan?

Time for some research...This is what I found out about the new kid on the block.

 Abraxane is the brand name for a drug called Paclitaxel.

Abraxane belongs to a class of chemotherapy drugs called plant alkaloids. Plant alkaloids are made from plants.  There are many types of plant aklaloids.  Abraxane belongs to the group called taxanes.  They are made from the bark of the Pacific Yew tree (taxus).  They are also known as antimicrotubule agents.

Antimicrotubule agents (such as paclitaxel), inhibit the microtubule structures within the cell.  Microtubules are part of the cell's apparatus for dividing and replicating itself.  Inhibition of these structures ultimately results in cell death.

Abraxane is a "re-packaged" chemo drug that many might have heard about from the breast cancer war. It started as the drug Taxol (paclitaxel).  Many breast cancer patients have been and are still on this drug.  The problem with Taxol is that it doesn't dissolve in water, so in order to give it to patients it has to be mixed with a harsh solvent that often caused a huge number of side effects, including severe allergic reactions. 

Enter the Abraxane solution.  Scientists developed a process that bound the Taxol (paclitaxel) to a naturally occurring protein called albumin, making a little package that easily dissolves in water.  The exciting part about this process is that patients receiving the newly packaged Abraxane had better results than using the old Taxol.  Because albumin, which normally transports nutrients to cells, accumulates in rapidly growing tumors, it's possible that the bundles of Abraxane in their albumin "envelopes" are sent by express delivery directly to cancer cells. Targeted chemotherapy.

Ok, that's all the medical jargon. In simple English, Abraxane goes after the cancer cells that are busy growing bigger and bigger.  Abraxane sneaks right in, hitching a ride with his protein friend and hi-jacks the cancer cell from the inside out, just like a crafty Trojan Horse, seeking to win the battle with stealth and cunning.

Of course, Gemzar is busy taking care of the cancer cells too... So combining the two chemotherapy drugs is a double-whammy on the cancer.  It's also a double-whammy on the side effects.

Along with Gemzar's flu-like malaise, fatigue and low blood counts, you might also experience the common side effects of Abraxane:

Hair Loss
Nausea
Peripheral Neuropathy (numbness/tingling in hands and feet)
Mouth Sores
Swelling of feet or ankles
Pain in joints and muscles
Abnormal ECG
Infection
Eye Problems
Low Blood Counts
Weakness and Fatigue

To be fair, most cancer patients don't experience ALL of the side effects.  But trust the patients who've been there, even just one or two of the side effects is enough to knock you to the sidelines...  And you might have noticed that low blood counts and fatigue are side effects for both drugs.  Pretty good bet that you will experience these two for sure...

One of the ironic things about this cancer journey, especially right now as I am writing about the newest chemo protocol for pancreatic cancer, is that my Aunt Emily actually was on Abraxane for her metasticized breast cancer.  She and mom both walked their cancer roads about the same time frame, although Aunt Emily's cancer began many years before mom's.  And what's even more ironic is that she and my mom wrote back and forth regularly and mom kept those notes, complete with so much of their thoughts and experiences with cancer.  She never lived to see the day that the Abraxane might have helped stall her pancreatic cancer, even though she cheered it on for Aunt Emily, praying it would turn the tide of her cancer.

It is both heartbreaking and humbling to read their sweet encouragements to one another.  I am beyond thankful to have these treasured words, a sharing of their hearts.

And in a way of giving still, Aunt Emily shared with mom short bits and pieces of her dealings with chemo... I have pulled some of her notes thru the months that pertain to the Abraxane to share with you. Not a journal really, but a small peek into life with chemo...


The taxanes are just rough on me. The Taxol I had in 2003 permanently damaged my feet, which was the one main residual effect  from the first time around.

*  *  *  *  *

 If I'm written up in the medical journals, it may be for complaining about the new chemo I'm on (Abraxane). It's really hitting me pretty hard with fatigue and neuropathy. At least it's making more things hurt. I need to talk to the doctor about pain options. I was hoping that at this point in the cycle it would be much better. It is better, but my back and affected hip and leg aren't really (her cancer had metasticized to her bones at this point). Also, all my hair is gone. I simply lifted it off my head in clumps as all the follicles had released. At least I'm not  shedding on anything anymore.

*  *  *  *  *

 The good news for me this week was that the cancer marker had reversed direction, and was down four points. The doctor said twice that indicated stability for the moment. This new drug (Abraxane) is nasty, though. The first cycle I felt lousy for a whole week of the three. This time, I wasn't bad the
few hours after the treatment on Wednesday but then ran a fever close to 101 for 24 hours plus and had a lot more nerve pain. I was feeling better by Friday afternoon but then kind of got zapped again yesterday. The hip pain and pain in that leg are more of a problem and there's general neuropathy with this. I'm realizing that the Xeloda heyday is over. These last two drugs (Abraxane and another chemo drug called Ixabepilone) are simply going to take more of a toll and after that it will be hospice. I'm hoping to continue to be productive, though know it won't be for as many hours. At least this new drug doesn't make me excessively emotional and give me that plaguing olfactory phenomenon.

*  *  *  *  *

The marker dropped a couple of points after three weeks, so I had another infusion of the same chemo, but on a three week cycle so it's harder. I'm losing stamina and I'm having trouble with my eyes--holes in my vision and flashing lights.

*  *  *  *  *

 The other thing--I was realizing at 3 a.m. that, in the 32 months since I knew something was wrong with me (Aunt Emily's metastases to the bones were misdiagnosed for months before a perceptive doctor finally picked up on her breast cancer diagnosis from 5 years earlier), I've had close to a year with no treatment or ineffective treatment, 17 months on Xeloda that worked, maybe three and half months split between Abraxane and Navelbine when they worked.  I've had three treatments that didn't work at all--Faslodex (a hormone therapy), Gemzar, and Eribulin. And I don't know if this Ixabepilone is working or not. It sort of startled me thinking of it all that way. Without Abraxane as a stopper and the Xeloda, there really wouldn't have been much of anything but the disease working its course. --L, E.

*  *  *  *  *

Aunt Emily had Abraxane pegged perfectly... Abraxane is a stopper of cancer cells...for a time.  And for those pancreatic cancer patients using the combination of Abraxane with Gemzar it is our daily pray for the treatment to stop all cancer growth for as long as possible.

Wishful thinking?  Perhaps... And the side effects can be brutal... Truly.  But the gift is time.  In this fight each patient has such an impossible decision to make.  Time, but at what cost?  Only the cancer patient can make that decision...

Praying for wisdom and peace in abundance as we journey this road... In Grace, Always,
                                                                                                                                 Jane

Gemzar... The Gold Standard of Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Gemzar is the nickname given to a potent chemotherapy drug called Gemcitabine.  It was the baseline treatment for mom during her pancreatic cancer journey.

Mom chose a mostly traditional route of treatment for her cancer.  It was what she felt most comfortable with, although along the way we did give a nod to several holistic treatments and we'll share more about that in coming weeks... but Gemzar chemotherapy was the treatment most highly recommended by her oncology team, so that is where we spent the majority of our time.

I can remember a friend, sincere and well-meaning, asking mom how long she would have to be on the chemo.  Mom gently told her "for the rest of my life, as long as I have...it is the only thing holding the cancer at bay right now."

It sucks the air plum out of my lungs to remember the finality of that statement.  I wanted to cry at the obscene honesty, my heart grieving and torn over the obvious truth.

Mom accepted her terminal diagnosis long before any of the family could... We all, especially myself, just knew she could beat the odds.  And hearing her admit she would be on the gemzar until the cancer won out was incredibly painful, horrifying really...

Don't we all just assume the doctors and treatments will help us?  That at some point we'll be back to good health and the nightmare journey will fade into the past, complete with a "Well Done" certificate and a celebratory party when we walk out of the Chemo Lab for the last time?

That wasn't the way mom's story ended... We've journaled much of her experience with Gemzar on the website, so I won't rehash old news... but there are a few notes we could add in hind sight for those of you just beginning the journey.

First of all, Gemzar is still one of the most effective chemotherapies that we have in the arsenal to fight pancreatic cancer.  That may not be saying much, but it is true.  Gemzar did indeed work for mom in shrinking the tumor (for awhile) and actually kept the cancer from metasticizing to other parts of her body.

That is incredibly good.  Yes?  Definitely worth the host of side effects that accompany the use of such a potent chemotherapy drug.

But I also feel compelled to share the other side of the coin for those wanting an honest, transparent opinion...  Pay attention to the side effects. 

We knew (and mom experienced) the bouts of nausea/vomiting and flu-like symptoms.  We knew (and she definitely experienced) the low blood counts. 

What we didn't pay attention to was the small print... way down the list of side effects there was a caution about lung problems...

This drug can cause serious lung problems in some people. Tell your doctor right away if you start to notice cough, wheezing, trouble breathing during exercise, shortness of breath when lying down, or in other situations.

Many of you that have read our journey know that mom contracted aggressive double pneumonia the week before she passed away...

Pneumonia.  Not Pancreatic Cancer.

We never saw it coming.  As a matter of fact, her oncologist had just told us several weeks before she developed the pneumonia that the pancreatic cancer was still contained to the pancreas.  We had cheered that little victory.  No spread of the cancer yet.  All the while her lungs were being comprised to the point that the pneumonia got a foothold and never let go...

It was truly The Perfect Storm...

Do we blame the Gemzar?  No more than I could blame the donuts I ate for my increasing waistline.  The Gemzar did what it was made to do.  It kept the pancreatic cancer at bay for over a year.  It also destroyed most of mom's immune system in the process.

Do we wish perhaps that we had been more vigilant while her white blood count was so low?  A million times yes!  I would have buttoned her up and kept her at home instead of shopping for Thanksgiving turkeys together.  Even though I know in my heart of hearts there was no way we could have tied her down and kept her from the Thanksgiving festivities...

And that is the reason her story keeps on giving.  For in our hind sight, we can maybe, just maybe, give another cancer sojourner a chance to keep on fighting...

Pay Attention to the Side Effects... Listen to your Body...

Fight Hard... Love Harder...

Find Joy in every single Grace we are Given.  Always.