Update on My Mom 8.30.07

We came back from Houston last night. We had been there for my Mom's testing and to get the results. Unfortunately, the news was not what we had hoped for. This last chemo that my Mom underwent was not successful and she is coming off of this chemo regimen. Although her tumor marker was down, the CT Scan indicated that the tumor around the pancreas had still grown. The Doctor explained how this was possible but I do not think that I can communicate it through a blog. Sorry.

We met with a research nurse from the Phase 1 trial group. My Mom had previously tried a different clinical trial in the Phase 1 clinic, but this is a different medicine they are researching. There has been some success with treatment with pancreatic cancer, but as with all treatments and cancer each person is different. So this treatment will require her to receive a 10-12 infusion once a week for 2 weeks. I think then she is off for 2 weeks. I do not remember for sure without the information in front of me. She will begin this treatment around the 10th of September. Right now we are waiting on with random group she is selected into because that will determine the start date. One of the groups would require us to be there 3 days at a time and the other would be 2 days at a time. The side effects of these drugs are mainly the same as before that she has had with other chemos. The main one is extreme diarrhea which some people have been hospitalized for on this study, so let's hope and pray one of those people is not my Mom.

Phase 1 trials are usually the clinical trial that is first to be tested on humans, as my Mom puts it on level up from a monkey. Although this drug is a Phase 1 trial this drug has been tested and they said would probably be FDA approved for ovarian cancer. They are testing this drug with other drugs to see how it interacts. That is why it is a Phase 1 trial. So they do have an idea of the dosage level, side-effects and what it can do.

So, my Mom has a break from chemo for the time being. She is doing ok on most days. Mainly she's been really tired, but she's been a trooper through all of this. I am so proud of her and the way she has handled everything thrown at her. She's a real inspiration to our family!

Thank you for the continued love and support. We hope that each of you are doing well.

Love -
Crystal