It's time to fight harder

Mark had some scans done last week and got the results back tonight. It certainly wasn't the news we were hoping for. The purpose of the scans was to determine whether or not the Temodar chemotherapy drug Mark has been taking since August was working. Unfortunately it is not. Mark has three new brain tumors, new tumors in his lungs and the existing tumors that showed up in his scans in July have gotten bigger. That is a lot of new activity in only three months. It shows that the cancer is very progressive and the treatment needs to be even more progressive.

For that reason, Mark is going to be starting a new clinical trial Ipilimumab, which you may or may not remember is what Mark really wanted to do in the first place. I have to say, his instincts have typically been right on when it comes to his courses of treatment.

Dr. Kendra's office will be contacting a doctor tomorrow who specializes in the Ipilimumab, or "Ippy" as my mom and Mark are calling it, and he will decide whether Mark should go ahead with Gamma Knife radiation on his brain tumors first or get started with the Ipilimumab clinical trial right away. I will definitely keep you updated after we hear from the "Ippy" doctor.

How are Mark's spirits, you might be wondering? Well despite the fact that he and my mom have now been in the James Cancer Center for almost four hours (and are currently locked in the parking lot as I type this because the gate is broken and they can't get out), Mark sounds extremely positive and optimistic.

"I'm excited to get started. I know it sounds silly to say that, but I wanted to do this six months ago," Mark said. Yes, that is a direct quote. He used the word "excited" when referencing starting another clinical trial. Amazing.

Mark is very encouraged by the information out there about Ipilimumab, especially as it pertains to patients who receive Ipilimumab after they have already had success with Interleukin 2 (IL2), which Mark has. Early studies of patients that have had IL2 and are now taking "Ippy" have had really good results.  While only 5 out of 100 patients respond to IL2 (and Mark was one of those 5), 30 out of 100 patients responded to "Ippy." The number increases even more for patients who have received IL2 and "Ippy."

"There are no guarantees but we are very hopeful," my mom said.

I have to be completely honest. When I get calls like this and hear the bad news from my mom first, before talking to Mark, I get this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach wondering if this is going to be it. Is this going to be the point where Mark says, "no more," and quits fighting. And who could blame him? I can't tell you how comforted I was to receive his phone call this evening and hear the genuine, "I'm going to give this all I've got" attitude in his voice. He's nowhere close to giving up and I am so thankful for that.

Thanks, as always, for your love, support and prayers. I am touched each and every time I send out an update by your kind and encouraging words for my family. It means the world to us.

Some interesting Ipilimumab links:

http://www.medscape.com
http://knol.google.com
http://www.pharmastrategyblog.com