Writing this from a squeaky recliner set beside my wife’s bed in the oncology department of a local research hospital. Three weeks ago she had a radical hysterectomy and partial lymphadenectomy to treat stage IIIc ovarian cancer, and we’re back to try to aid her in her recovery to prepare for chemotherapy. Chemo should start next week, but we are hoping to also participate in a clinical trial for atezolizumab. This i…
Squeeze her hand for a stranger. Every person who has lost someone to cancer, and everyone who has survived it, and all of the people who watched that fight- all of us have her back and stand with her. She's fighting one of the hardest battles put to a person, and she has our respect and awe. I saw my friend at his weakest, and also when he was stronger than anyone I've ever known. It's been years but still, I'm cryi…
A cancer needs a good blood supply to provide itself
with food and oxygen and to remove waste products. When
it has reached 1 to 2mm across, a tumour needs to grow
its own blood vessels in order to continue to get
bigger.
Some cancer cells make a protein called vascular
endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The VEGF protein
attaches to receptors on cells that line the walls of
blood vessels within the tumour. The cells are called
endothelial cells. *This triggers the blood vessels to
grow so the cancer can then grow.*
Wait...what?!?!OK, what about this trial...atezzolblablblah.. What's it do?
Programmed cell death protein 1 is a cell surface
receptor that plays an important role in down-
regulating the immune system and promoting self
tolerance by suppressing T cell inflammatory activity.
PD-1 is an immune checkpoint and guards against
autoimmunity through a dual mechanism of promoting
programmed cell death in T-cells in lymph nodes while
simultaneously reducing cell death in regulatory T
cells.
...
PD-L1, the ligand for PD1, is highly expressed in
several cancers *and hence the role of PD1 in cancer
immune evasion is well established*.
Seriously?This thing isn't just some dumb pathogen floating around that just DoSes your body. It's digging tunnels and cutting phone lines. It has strategy.