Patient Number One in a new cancer treatment
Five years ago, I had my own immune system rebooted to (so far) eliminate my Stage IV melanoma cancer in a trial at the National Institutes of Health. At that time, without further treatment, I probably had six to twelve months to live.<p>In essence, the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) adoptive cell therapy was as follows:<p>1. The doctors removed a melanoma tumor that was growing in my neck.<p>2. In the lab, white blood T cells (T lymphocytes) that were attempting to attack the cancerous tissue in my tumor were isolated into at least five different petri dishes. The white blood cells&#x27; growth was stimulated using IL-2.<p>3. Those samples that grew the most and attacked the cancerous tissue (2 of the samples, in my case) were then expanded to a total of 130 billion lymphocytes in the lab.<p>4. I returned to NIH for a week of immune system preparation, specifically the almost complete suppression of my own active immune system using harsh chemotherapy. This was to allow my body to accept the new lab-grown immune system.<p>5. Once my immune system was sufficiently suppressed, I received all 130 billions of the lab-grown lymphocytes. The immune system was then stimulated by having five large doses of IL-2 every eight hours over a two day period. (Note: This was hellish.)<p>6. After a week or so, my immune system had recovered and I was released from the NIH Clinical Center to return home. I was given an anti-biotic to take for 4 to 6 months to reduce the possibility of contracting a specific pneumonia (PCP).<p>7. I returned to NIH monthly for scans monthly for the first three months. After month one, my tumors had shrunk 33%. After month two, 66%. After month three, they were almost complete gone. My immune systems had essentially been immunized against some of the mutations contained in my cancerous melanoma cells.<p>8. I was declared NED (no evidence of disease after 15 months) and a complete responder to the treatment after 21 months.<p>Now, almost five years post-treatment, I have had CT scans and brain MRIs every six months with still no signs of melanoma. My doctors have told me that I&#x27;m likely cured.<p>Immunotherapy works. I chose this trial because the I liked the fact that my own immune system was being boosted to fight my cancer.<p>Further info: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Tumor-infiltrating_lymphocytes" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Tumor-infiltrating_lymphocytes</a><p>My doctor is Dr. Steven Rosenberg of the National Cancer Institute.