NIH Match Clinical Trial participation - Update 7-22-16

I mentioned in another thread yesterday that my Oncologist suggested that I think about entering the NIH Match Clinical trial. Today I received email, paperwork and a phone call scheduling me for an appointment with the Primary Investigator for tomorrow morning at 10:30am. The plan is to biopsy one of my metastasized lymph nodes. Apparently one of them is very easy to get to with an image guided biopsy procedure.

/www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nci-match-trial-will-link-targeted-cancer-drugs-gene-abnormalities

Also my Dr's PA informed me that my Taxotere Therapy had been put on hold for the time being. I will try to get with him tomorrow morning for a minute to determine why. My thought is that with the ups, downs and slow movement of my PSA he wants to re-evaluate the therapy.

I will post all updates about my participation in the Match Trial on this thread in the future.

Sonny

Post Edited (Sonny3) : 7/22/2016 11:31:57 AM (GMT-6)

Good luck Sonny. I was in a trial at NIH and was very pleased with their handling of everything. 99% of their staff was excellent and I still go back for my followups. They have been very accommodating to most of our needs....Jim

I met with my Onco today and the Match Trial Team.

First I had a discussion with my Onco about his decision to halt (suspend) my Taxotere treatment as I only have two left. He said that he felt that the biopsy and clinical trial were important in my case. He decided to halt my Tax so I could have the biopsy and minimize the risk of infection that could really cause issues if I was doing the Tax at the same time. We talked about the normal schedule of Tax treatments and whether or not it would lessen the efficacy by delaying the last two until after the biopsy. I asked about the 21 day prescribed schedule and we talked about clinical trials and the first of which is for safety standards. 21 days was arrived at as a result of the trials. Since the drug only has a half life of 12-16 hours and in 90% of folks is cleared within 48, it is not as though it is still in there working until the last minute before the next treatment.

So I went ahead and signed the Trials documents and will wait for the biopsy to be scheduled.

The only thing the change in the Tax schedule does is it changes the date of my last treatment from occurring on my birthday. I was looking forward to making that day a bigger celebration. But WTH!

So now I wait for the biopsy schedule. In the meantime I am cooking, living and enjoying life. In fact I am cooking 40 lbs of Boston Butt starting tomorrow for a family dinner on Sunday. I love pulled pork. And lest you think we have a large family and/or are just pigs about eating, one 10lb'er is for a new neighbor and one 10lb'er is for my next door neighbor, the County Sheriff. If you are going to cook 2 butts, you might as well cook 4. Doesn't take any longer and is no more trouble.

Every Day is A Bonus and I am living all of mine.

Sonny

Post Edited (Sonny3) : 7/22/2016 12:03:30 PM (GMT-6)