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.In essence, the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) adoptive cell therapy was as follows:1. The doctors removed a melanoma tumor that was growing in my neck.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' growth was stimulated using IL-2.3. 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.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.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.)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).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.8. I was declared NED (no evidence of disease after 15 months) and a complete responder to the treatment after 21 months.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'm likely cured.Immunotherapy works. I chose this trial because the I liked the fact that my own immune system was being boosted to fight my cancer.Further info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumor-infiltrating_lymphocytesMy doctor is Dr. Steven Rosenberg of the National Cancer Institute.