ATEMPT Clinical Trial - Roll Call
Comments
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Hi again. I think one issue is that the study is really only looking at very serious side effects (i.e., heart or liver failure) and isn't really focused on fatigue, nausea, blechyness (technical term), so from a strict research perspective, I don't think this stuff matters too much.
And, agreed, I try to remind myself that this is a very "tolerable" regimen compared to what many go through, and I'm grateful for that (and grateful that I have a lot of support and can lie in bed for a couple of days after treatment!)
Came home from #10 today and completely conked out around 2. 3 hours later when my kids barged in the house, my first thought was, "Why are they home at 2:00?" Ah, the 5-minute 3 hour nap! Ready to go back to sleep soon....
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SerenitySis, good point about the documentation of SEs in women with MBC on early trials. But I think in that trial too there was excitement that the SEs were much more tolerable than other chemos. ALso if I remember correctly when a drug is tested in MBC after a woman has had many earlier rounds of chemos, it is hard for researchers to separate SEs of one drug from residual SEs of earlier drugs. In any case, yes, we are in a rare group. I hope that women in areas not near major cancer centers or research hospitals are being informed about this trial and have access to it. I feel so fortunate that I learned about it and was within 3 hrs drive. If I had not gone for second opinion and stayed in my area for treatment, it would have been a totally different outcome for me (ACTH). Local onc that I saw had no idea about the trial.
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Laura, yes, the blechyness factor! I give all of you undergoing treatment while tending to small children many gold stars. My kids are older, so I had an easier time. One of my best treatment trips was when my older son drove me to Boston.
Have a great weekend, all!
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It's a huge shame that there are still oncologists out there recommending ACTH for early stage when for most, TH is supposedly the standard of care now. My MO specifically told me ACTH was not necessary at our first visit, and I was so relieved because I'd just had a friend go through it. The AC was very very tough.
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Maybe three more Herceptin treatments to go! Then comes CAT scan of hip and six-month check up mammograms. Feeling relieved.
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Yeah Ozoner! So.... 9 weeks???
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Serenity Sis, What was amazing for me was that I walked into DF almost literally at the moment that the research oncs there had concluded that TH is sufficient to treat stage 1 HER2+ and that ACTH is NOT necessary. As far as getting BC is concerned, at least I had good timing. ;-)
Ozoner--So fantastic that you're almost done!!!!!
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Yes IsabelArcher, great timing on your part!! Unfortunately not all breast oncs around the country are following that. When I was doing my research prior to treatment I found the results of that study online, which was only about a year old or so at that time. It was a trial lead by Dana-Farber. We're very fortunate for that!
Ozoner, congrats on your progress!! What is the hip scan for? Sorry if I missed that on an earlier post.
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Hi all. The CT is to diagnose cause of pain at the top, back part of my right hip. Started before Christmas, so the MO wants to check it out. I'll let you know when I get the info. Doc thinks it could an injury to a muscle or even kidney stones, but I choose to think of it as a tango injury
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Tango on, Ozoner!!
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Can anyone who had their port removed answer some questions for me? It won't be until after July, but I'm thinking ahead for health insurance purposes only.
I have read that some have it removed at either the doctor's office or the hospital. If it is the doctor's office - would it be a charged as a medical visit with a copay?
If it is the hospital, then it would cost more and go towards my deductible? I'd appreciate any help. Thanks!0 -
Port removed in the surgeon's office. Had met the deductible for 2015 so no charge. It would have been charged as an office visit of some sort. Going to the surgi-care facility or the hospital would have been covered as well and included additional facility fees, anesthesia, etc.
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I know a few on this website have science backgrounds. Can anyone translate for me into plain English the content of the TDM1-related link that Maggie posted? Or can you, Maggie? I don't quite understand what it means.
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Honestly I need to listen to the webcast.... My initial thought from reading what has been published is that a bit of the mechanism of how T-DM1 works is being brought to light in this research. Seems they are finding that T-DM1 brings on an immune response against the tumor!!!! Then these researchers combine T-DM1 with an additional immunotherapy drug with amazing results. I'll take notes on Wednesday and post a summary...
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hanks Maggie, that would be great.
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6 month check up and mammo clear!
9 down 8 to go!!!
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Congrats, wabals. I'm sitting here having #6, so I'll be 1/3 thru. You're more than halfway!!
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WOOHOO, Wabals! You rock!
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I listened to the presentation, "Armed Antibodies, such as T-DM1, Pave the Road for Immunotherapy" this morning. The work presented was performed in mouse models.
My take-away for ATEMPT participants ---> there is a better understanding of how T-DM1 works against tumor cells. T-DM1 reduces the tumor burden (the cytotoxic aspect which is why we are in the trial) AND also acts as an endogenous vaccine, ie has an immunotherapy function. Of note, there were comments about improved T-cell priming and infiltration into tumors being observed in patients, not just in the mice.
"Antibody-drug-conjugates (ADCs) are emerging as powerful treatment options, with outstanding target specificity and high therapeutic activity, in cancer patients. Using a trastuzumab-resistant, orthotopic and syngeneic breast cancer model, expressing human HER2 under the breast specific MMTV promoter, we were able to demonstrate that the ADC T-DM1 requires the adaptive immune system for full therapeutic efficacy. Upon treatment tumors acquire a T-cell-inflamed phenotype with brisk infiltration of CD4 and CD8 T-cells. The latter being endowed with potent effector functions as evidenced by markedly increased interferon-γ and Granzyme-B production. Though the model was resistant to immune checkpoint inhibition, a combined treatment of T-DM1 and CTLA-4/PD-1 blocking antibodies revealed a strong synergy resulting in the cure of almost all mice receiving this treatment regimen. Combined treatment was accompanied by a massive effector cell infiltration, activation and Th1 polarization. Unexpectedly, tumor rejection was accompanied by a pronounced increase in regulatory T-cells numbers. Depletion of CD4+ T-cells (including regulatory T-cells) only slightly decreased therapeutic efficacy but resulted in severe inflammation and tissue damage, implying an essential host protective role for regulatory T-cells during therapy. Our data reveal a novel immunological mechanism of action for T-DM1 and provide a strong rationale for clinical combinations with immunotherapies.
Philipp Mueller, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Basel, Switzerland"0 -
Thanks Isabel! So do we all!
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Serenitysis
Good for you! We are getting it done
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... cheering ya'll on!
Sorting through the 2015 medical expenses/receipts for tax time... as they say, "time passes...will you?"... Granted that was heard during some challenging coursework! My goodness time did pass!!!!
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I'm waiting for my # 10 to start dripping. 7 more to go! Woo Hoo
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Yay Tiny
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Wow Tiny!!!! Into the double digits... won't be long now!
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Since there are so few of us, relatively speaking, in this trial, wouldn't it be awesome to have a "reunion"?
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Hi, I was wondering if anyone here was on the Caitlin trial (Kadcyla and Pergeta)? I've had 12 doses with 6 more to go. Doing good so far. Hairs growing good, just typical SE dry mouth, bloody noses, fatigue. Can't wait for the end of chemo
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Hi Swissm2002-- I haven't heard of anyone on the Caitlin trial (and actually had not heard of the trial itself till now). Glad to hear you're doing well with just the usual Kadcycla (TDM1) SEs. So no extra SEs from the Perjeta? I wonder if there's a different forum on this site where you could find other women on this trial.
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Hi friends. After a CT and full-body bone scan, I found out today there is no sign of bone cancer!!!!! Just some deterioration..
So I'm sticking with tango injury and giving thanks!
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