This Thursday's Treatment Went Well

My platelets were up to 61,000, so I qualified for my 10 mg dose of CCI-779. This puts me 1/3 of the way through my full treatment in this clinical trial, having ended Cycle 4 of 12 -- each cycle taking one month of once per week treatments. The effects are finally catching up with me. Until now I have not been able to tell that I am receiving any cancer treatment at all. But now I am drowsy and fatigued much of the time, and sleeping 2-3 hours twice during daylight hours.I consider this a small price to pay for what I think is turning out to be a highly effective treatment.

We had three families come and look at our house as potential buyers. All three loved it for different reasons. One was a substance abuse counselor who would like to use our place as a home and office, like we have done. The second was a three-generation family in which the grandma loved the office portion as an in-law apartment for her. The third family was one with six kids, the older two loving the office as two bedrooms, with bathroom, and a TV room. The younger kids liked the crawl space under the office as a fort hide-away.

Then Thursday we had an open house for realtors, of which seventeen came through and liked it. The condo unit we want to move into is empty now and ready for us to start decorating as soon as we close on our house. The sooner the better for saving money.

Dennis L. Gibson, Ph.D.

Successful Treatment Today!

My platelets were 57,000, qualifying me for a 10-mg infusion of CCI-779, to keep making my cancer smaller and smaller. I was encouraged by a report last week from a friend, that he knows someone who was treated with this drug, with splendid results. I continue to be amazed that I feel no side effects from treatment. I think this drug, in combination with others, like my Rituxan, has a bright future for several varieties of cancer.

Dennis L. Gibson, Ph.D.

Latest Lymphoma Treatment News

Yesterday I did not qualify for my weekly treatment in the clinical trial with CCI-779. My platelets were just barely below the 50,000 minimum necessary, at 49,000. This despite my use of sesame oil and agrimonia Chinese herb that has raised my platelets in the past month. When I talked to the tech man at the company that supplies the herb, he said it works temporarily, like for about a month. So, I'm going to give it a rest and see if it resumes its ability to raise my platelets in a week or two.

I was initially disappointed to miss a treatment, thinking that I need one each week so as not to die from lymphoma. However, I am comforted by another factor related to the design of this clinical trial. It specified 25 mg of CCI-779 per week as initial dosage. The first time a patient misses due to platelets below 50,000, future doses are lowered to 20. Missing one week at 20, your next dose is 15. Missing one week at 15, your next one is 10 mg. Failing to have a 50,000 platelet count for one week at 10 mg means you drop to the minimum treatment category: 10 mg every other week. Missing several of those means you are dropped from the study. I just failed at 15, so my next treatment will be at 10 mg. I think my body will probably recover from 49,000 this week to above 50,000 next week, since I am not being hit by the chemical this week.

The factor that comforts me is the recognition that the researchers have reason to believe that CCI-779 might retain its anti-cancer effectiveness at lower doses than originally thought -- like 10 rather than 25. In their original work, they thought 250 mg was the right dose. Then they found that 25 worked just as well against cancer, with much less hit to the platelets. So, I get to be one of those experimental subjects who explores the low limits. The lower the dosage, the less toxicity in terms of reducing platelet counts. I have the chance to show that low doses can both kill cancer and preserve healthy platelet counts. I like lending my body to the advancement of human knowledge, while at the same time using a treatment that may do better against my cancer than methods that have been used in years past. I think this attitude fits the Christian concept of the stewardship we are to exercise with resources God entrusts to our management. These include our time, money, words, relationships, activities, and bodies,

Dennis L. Gibson, Ph.D.
www.ACancerCoach.com

Cancer & House Progress Update

My platelets have been high enough for me to get my CCI-779 treatments the past two weeks. I have completed the four weekly treatments of Cycle #3 . It may take as long as 12 cycles -- one year. But my malignant lymph node has shrunk from 3 cm to 2 cm. We are beating this thing!

Our house is in mint condition for sale. Realtors have come through looking at it, and being impressed, but no shoppers yet. Our listing realtor plans an Open House for Sunday April 15, with lunch served. We have a contract on the condo unit we want, pending sale of our house. In our new location we will rent office space just 1/2 block away, thus continuing our counseling practice.

I am teaching a series about the miracle stories of Jesus. Those who benefited from His miracles knew they had come to the limit of their powers to influence events. They looked to Him for supernatural intervention. Now with our home sale, we would love it if we could conclude all the selling and moving by mid-May to save money. So, we ask the Miracle Worker to direct a buyer to us, and have us agree on a fair price, during April. But we follow His example, which Christians will commemorate this coming Thursday, when He acknowledged that God is not obligated to serve our wishes. Therefore, "Not our will but Your will be done, Good Father."

Dennis L. Gibson, Ph.D.
www.ACancerCoach.com