Using weather forecasting to predict brain tumor growth
Topic: Clinical Trials

Very interesting on how ASU researchers are better able to predict the spread of Glioblastoma through the brain: 

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=198226

Clinical trial that we tried to get Dad on is doing very well.
Topic: Clinical Trials

 They just announced that 11 of the 16 patients were still alive 32 months after the trial started, back in Nov-2006. This is the study I was trying to get my Dad into, but his karnoksky score was too low.

 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110616092701.htm

Timeline of Events (partial)
Topic: Clinical Trials
12/15/2005 -- (rough date estimate) Dad mentions that he started feeling minor symptoms.
03/15/2006 -- Late Diagnosis -- MRI
03/24/2006 -- Second Opinion at Mt. Sinai in Miami
03/27/2006 -- Biopsy & Treatment plan at Duke
04/15/2006 -- MRI
04/20/2006 -- CPT-11 and Temodar protocol begins
05/16/2006 -- Grand Mal Seizure
06/01/2006 -- Craniotomy performed By Dr. Black and Dr. Yu. (60% resection)-- MRI
06/09/2006 -- Systemic Infection -- ICU
06/19/2006 -- Begin Temodar and Radiation
08/21/2006 -- Post Temodar and Radiation -- MRI
09/14/2006 -- Shunt installed Mt. Sinai in Miami -- CT Scan
09/30/2006 -- Shunt Adjusted at Wellington Regional Medical Center -- CT Scan
10/10/2006 -- Begin Treatment of Avastin with CPT-11
10/17/2006 -- CT Scan
11/03/2006 -- Second treatment of Avastin with CPT-11 -- MRI
11/14/2006 -- Third treatment of Avastin with CPT-11
11/28/2006 -- Fourth treatment of Avastin with CPT-11
12/07/2006 -- MRI
12/22/2006 -- Begin Gleevec, Hydroxyurea, and Avastin.
01/23/2007 -- Low Blood Count -- ICU (blood transfusion)
01/26/2007 -- MRI
02/27/2007 -- Begin Avastin and CCNU
04/10/2007 -- CCNU dose lowered due to poor white blood cell count
04/24/2007 -- Low Blood Count -- ICU (platelet transfusion)
04/26/2007 -- MRI

New treatment begins tomorrow.
Topic: Clinical Trials
Dad will begin his treatment of Avastin and CCNU tomorrow. Lets cross our fingers and pray that this is the treatment that will make a major difference.

Commonality
Topic: Clinical Trials
www.workedtodeath.net

This site is very interesting. It's sites like this one that will help to clearly define a reason for why GBM's occur. Once the cause is identified, that will certainly help in finding a cure, or at least a way to prevent others from dying in the future.

"According to the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, www.cbtrus.org GBM's strike an average of 2.96 people per 100,000 - less than .003 percent - every year. The State Health Department, in consultation with federal health and safety experts, is investigating the possibility of a brain tumor cluster at Pratt & Whitney's Connecticut plants. We have, with the help of local newspapers and TV stations running our story, compiled a list of over 87 confirmed Glioblastoma cases, we have an additional 41 confirmed cases with other forms of brain tumors at Pratt & Whitney. THIS IS WELL BEYOND THE PERCENTAGES!!!!!!!"

Updated book from Ben Williams mentions Avastin in detail as well as new similar drugs...Sutent & Nexaver
Topic: Clinical Trials
Download the book in Adobe PDF!

HLA test
Topic: Clinical Trials
Dad will have a test done soon to see if his type of blood makes him a candidate for this cutting edge treatment. We really want to know more about how successful the results have been before trying this (If he is a candidate).

___________________________________________________________________

Brain Tumors
Dendritic cell immunotherapy, using a vaccine derived from a patient's own cells to fight the malignancy, is being used to treat brain tumors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles, CA). According to principal investigator Keith Black, M.D., foreign proteins are taken from a tumor after surgical removal. These proteins are introduced to antigen-presenting dendritic cells taken from the patient's blood and grown in a petri dish. The new dendritic cells, when reinjected into the patient, are intended to work like a vaccine, recognizing and destroying lingering malignant tumor cells.

Several such injections are typically scheduled over a 6-week interval. Cedars-Sinai profiled a brain tumor patient having undergone surgery, radiation, and vaccine therapy. She was described about 1 year later as "feeling fine," returning to the Neurosurgical Institute only for follow-up laboratory work and MRIs (CSMC 1999). Note: Researchers from Cryoma Labs, (877) 604-4111, stress that if you are having brain cancer surgery or a biopsy, it is critical that brain tissue be stored for a future personalized cancer vaccine.

source

___________________________________________________________________

$500,000 was awarded to Dr Keith Black and Dr John Yu at Cedas Sinai for "A Phase I Trial of Tumor Associated Antigen-Pulsed Dendritic Cell Immunotherapy for Patients with Brain Stem Glioma" , which will pay for the first 2 years of a possible 4 year study. First payment of $100,000 was made.

source

Finally... Phase II trial results of Avastin (bevacizumab) and CPT-11 (irinotecan)
Topic: Clinical Trials
These are very exciting results. I've never heard of such a high response rate for the treatment of grade 3 and 4 gliomas. It does seem to be a high-risk high-reward treatment option thou. Dad is supposed to start on a similar treatment after his radiation is complete.

Please read:
Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2006

Initiating Anti-Tumor Immune Responses by Dendritic Cell Vaccination
Topic: Clinical Trials
Please read about this amazing vaccine. We are hoping that Dad will be a candidate for the Phase I trial. This type of radical treatment would not have even been an option to us if we hadn't resected part of the tumor.

Click here to read the original text from the Cedars-Sinai website

A new website, www.tugmcgraw.org, has been launched by national brain tumor research organization...
Topic: Clinical Trials
Tug McGraw (a major league baseball player) went to Duke for his treatment and his brother Tim McGraw has been a huge supporter of GBM research in finding a cure.
tugmcgraw.com