Mets Day 91 - Fox Chase; CT scan results

Jennifer and I spent the day at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.  I received a MUGA (Multi Gated Acquisition) cardiac scan (since there is a remote risk that the experimental drug could affect the heart, the sponsors want a baseline), as well as a CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis.  The scans were read immediately, and by the time we met with Dr. Betsy Plimack, she was able to tell us that the MUGA scan was normal, and the CT scan detected no metastatic activity.  Great news!  Of course, this does not mean that I am cured of cancer; it only means that the scans are unable to detect any solid tumors or enlarged lymph nodes. I will have these scans repeated every three months or so; only after 5 years of negative scans will doctors say that there is a very low likelihood of recurrence.  And as we know, the odds are very high that there will be a recurrence at some point.  But not today, Zurg!  (Name it:  who said it, in what movie?)

We also discussed with Dr. Plimack the clinical trial objectives.  She explained that the sponsor, Dendreon, has adapted its prostate cancer drug, Provenge, in hopes of targeting bladder cancer that has the HER-2 marker.  While this is a first-in-human trial for bladder cancer, the efficacy of the process has apparently be shown in other tests.  Whether it is effective is unknown; bladder cancer is different than most prostate cancers in that bladder cancer typically has many more genetic variations and is much harder to target.  The intent is to target the cancer when it at the microscopic level, hoping that the cancer associated with the HER-2 marker will be neutralized. 

Procedurally, the clinical trial will work as follows:  In about a week, the trial sponsor will randomly place me into either the control group or the experimental group.  If I am placed into the experimental group, then I will have three events of blood draws and infusions -- a draw on Monday or Tuesday, and an infusion on Thursday or Friday of the same week.  Then I'll wait for two weeks, then do it again, for a total of three rounds of treatments.  Then I'm done with the therapeutic part; the rest is just scans.  If I'm in the control group, then I don't have any draws or infusions (contrary to what I had earlier understood), but will just have regular CT scans, which is the current standard of care.  Either way, the sponsor will pay for me to be followed for life with CT scans, whether or not insurance will cover it. 

All of the draws, infusions, and scans must be done at Fox Chase, unless a closer location is opened for this trial, and I can get permission from the sponsor to change locations.  Aside from the drive, Fox Chase is an impressive facility and impressive people.  Maybe I've put a halo around Fox Chase due to the good news of the clear scans, but I'll take good news like this any way I can get it.