New Possibilities

Yale New Haven Smilow Cancer Center today proved to be quite informative and has offered some new possibilities.
   The most exciting is a Clinical trial for a new "designer" medication that enhances your immune system to help it fight off your cancer rather than the medication fighting the cancer. There is a waiting list for this study and they need a few more of his test results to be sure but it looks like he is eligible. Stomach cancer is not very common so the list is not too long.We will know by Friday. 
   If the clinical trial doesn't work out, they have a new "DNA testing" for your tumor. Certain drugs have been effective against certain markers within a tumor so even if the drug is not traditionally used on your specific cancer, they may work on your specific tumor.  There is also a test they are doing on his previous biopsy to see if he has a certain tumor count that they have a new drug for that has proven to be effective. It is not likely that he will have this as it is extremely rare- but they are checking just in case. These are the cutting edge "investigational" drugs. 
   In addition to these, there is a new standard treatment medication that targets the blood supply to the tumor- this is the medication that St Francis talked about. Yale's Cancer team also feels that the fact that Kenny's first chemo regimen -although showed no reduction, shouldn't actually be ruled out totally because it also prevented further growth.
  If we need to wait for the clinical trial, we will continue with one of the standard chemo treatments while we wait.
   So, overall today was a good day. Very long, very exhausting but it offered hope... so it was definately worth it. I will update as soon as I know more. Thanks for all the support and well wishes.