New trial
The technology that created the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being used to develop a jab that could help treat cancer. Scientists from the University of Oxford and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research have developed a two-dose vaccine which they believe can target tumours in humans. When tested on mice, the jab increased the levels of anti-tumour CD8+T cells which attack the growths, greater reducing its size and increasing survival rates. It also resulted in an enhanced response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy - turning a person’s own immune system against a tumour - which is often ineffective as some patients have low levels of the T-cells required. The team created the cancer vaccine with two different prime and boost viral vectors, one of which was used in the development of the Covid jab. To ensure the new vaccine targeted cancer cells specifically, it was designed to seek out too MAGE-type proteins that are present on the surface of the cells. The first human clinical trial will take place later this year, with the jab being trialled on 80 patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Benoit Van den Eynde, of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, said: “We knew from our previous research that MAGE-type proteins act like red flags on the surface of cancer cells to attract immune cells that destroy tumours. “MAGE proteins have an advantage over other cancer antigens as vaccine targets since they are present on a wide range of tumour types. This broadens the potential benefit of this approach to people with many different types of cancer. “Importantly for target specificity, MAGE-type antigens are not present on the surface of normal tissues, which reduces the risk of side-effects caused by the immune system attacking healthy cells.”
Letrozole and Prednisolone
I posted on another discussion thread the other day that my oncologist was very unhappy with the joint pain that has gradually crept in over the 8 months or so that I've been on Letrozole. As well as okaying painkillers, he gave me a first option of prednisolone over 7 days to see how it would work. I took my first one this morning, hoping that it would make a perceptible difference and that I might see some improvement by the weekend. I got up from my desk at midday and walked across the office - shocked that I thought about the process after I had already taken a few steps. Tonight, during dinner, I got up from the table to let the cat out. To make it clearer, I just stood up in one motion and started walking. Last night, to get up from the table took me swinging around sideways in the chair, painfully levering myself up using the table and bench for support, getting my balance, then slowly straightening my body over the course of a number of hobbling steps. I turned around to go back to the table and saw one of the kids with her mouth open - "Mum! You just got up to let the cat out - did you realise that!" I feel overwhelmed...I don't know what I feel... I knew it was bad but I don't think I realised how restrictive it has become. I'm scared in case it's some anomaly. I'm scared to hope that it will keep improving and that the improvement will continue after the course is finished. I'm not sure I can go back to feeling the way I was. I'm not saying that I'm pain-free. My legs are really aching after a day at work and my joints are still sore but they're sore in a way that I can feel it, not stiffening up and sore in a way that I can't actually do anything.
Breast oedema
Saw for breast care nurse today as I've still got a lot of swelling and pain in my breast, which I thought was the seroma. But she says I've also got oedema of the whole skin of the breast too. She taught me the correct massage technique to manual drain my lymph nodes- hurt like hell. Wants me to do it 3 times a day for 2 wks then go back for reassessment and if not working then to lymphedema specialist for ultrasound technique. I came home and taught the massage to my husband.. must admit he enjoyed it lol!
recovery and life
It has been a week since my surgery for the lumpectomy and node removal. Funny enough, I was not nervous. I went into surgery calm and with the attitude - I am in good hands. Surgery took a bit longer because I found out today they got a rather nasty surprise.....the lump measured 8.5 cm or 85mm instead of the 2.5 cm they thought it was going to be. In their words "it was angry". With my slightly dark sense of humour - all I thought was "you would be angry too if someone came and threw you out of your comfortable home!" However, i know that 'angry' is not a good phrase in medical terms. The nodes biopsy hauled out 5 and 4 came back positive with the 5th showing signs of being 'annoyed'...clearly another medical term for "Not happy Jan!' This afternoon, I am being 'rushed' in for a full body cat scan and on Monday a bone scan is to be done. The medical team were hoping for both scans to be done tomorrow so they could have the results to be back for the conference being held prior to our meeting Monday afternoon. Alas, they will only have the CT scan. The doctor was truly fantastic in her delivery of how things had gone and she gave me time to try and catch my breath again. Once we had finished talking, my Breast Care Nurse called and confirmed the appointments, requirements for them and then asked the important questions - "How are you feeling??" - shell shocked again but to be honest, I had a 'feeling' that there would be more to come. So, come Monday - a new ball game will begin and this time the team and I will be going in to win the game! Oh yes by the way - the scars have healed amazingly. had 1 really rough day out which had me in tears, I found as long as me and my new best friend - my little u-shaped pillow go everywhere together - I am comfortable. Hope you are all coping with the lock-downs and life is throwing you giggles, chuckles and laughter. Lois xx
Just touching base :)
Hi lovelies I've just got back home from surgery last Thursday :). On the pre-op scans they found a 2nd mass which had been "overshadowed" by the main mass on previous checks, so that's been taken away as well. Lumpectomy (with the 2 masses) & full axillary lymph clearance (lymphs were already proven as malignant in the initial biopsies) & I must say that the surgical team did a very lovely job with the lumpectomy :) I have the surgical follow up appointment next Friday (before people start their Xmas breaks) & the 1st MDT meeting after Xmas will be 7th January. So it's a quick trip down to Tassie on New Years day to see our daughter. The poor thing only just moved to Tasmania & 2 weeks later I rang her to say "It's all okay, BUT Dad's just had a Heart attack!" & then 2 weeks after that I rang her again to say "It's all okay, BUT I've got Breast Cancer!"... I figure we'd better see her just to prove that we really ARE both okay before we start getting organised for the next steps, with Chemo starting sometime in January :) Happy holidays to all everyone. <3Dexamethasone
Who’da thought? Good old dexa may be one of the first effective treatments for those seriously affected by COVID-19. I was one of those who jettisoned the steroids after some obligatory dosing with A/C, as I had no nausea and dexamethasone with Taxol wrecked my carefully honed anti-constipation regime! Delighted to know it may also be useful in the fight against the virus. Possibly the only good thing about a pandemic is we will make all sorts of medical discoveries.
I just wanted to share
Good Morning lovely ladies.. I hope you don't mind but I remembered a poem my Dad (passed) wrote many many years ago, he used to write a lot of little poems about life... well this one I found again after my recent diagnosis. and thought you all might like to read and have a little giggle.. Just on me I go up to Wollongong on Thursday to meet the Medical Oncologist and find out everything that is coming next... hoping you all had a good a weekend. much love x
Aromasin and weight gain, now I know Im not going mad...
Hey all, I had to share this as Ive thought I was going mad all these years, but now I know I'm not. I finished my treatment for my 2nd diagnosis in 2015 and was placed onto Arimidex, I was then changed to Aromasin. Post chemo I put on 6kg, this has blown out into 8kg now, to many they would say it wasn't much. However, in 3yrs I have tried EVERYTHING! exercise and diet, I would lose a little but it would reset itself back or more and now I know why. I am stuck on this for a further 2 yrs after discussions with my Oncologist, but Im upset that this is not discussed in depth with patients. I say this only from the point of full knowledge and understanding, not as to whether I would take it or not. This is purely for knowledge and knowing WHY I cannot get this weight off and so I can stop blaming myself and beating myself up. I will still continue to exercise and watch my diet, eventhough I know whilst on this medication not much will change, knowledge is just power isn't it? in a way Im relieved. Its hard to not get caught up in this post recovery of finding your new normal, but it doesnt help when we aren't told everything. There is light at the end of it I hope LOL Exemestane (AROMASIN) is a steroidal Aromatase Inhibitor (AI) Your extra weight may hang around and increase after chemotherapy if you also take hormonal therapy (tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor). If your body shifts into menopause because of chemotherapy, there's a tendency to gain weight. ... It's important to know that the hormone estrogen suppresses LPL activity on fat cells. The enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL)plays a major role in the metabolism and transport of lipids, and consequently is a participant in the development of obesity•One of its roles is to remove triglycerides from the blood for storage in both adipose tissue and muscle cells.••Enzyme activity may also explain why some people who lose weight regain it so easily. After weight loss and weight stabilization, adipose tissue LPL is increased and its response to meals is heightened.•People easily regain weight after having lost it because they are battling against enzymes that want to store fat. Fat storage is efficient, and fat oxidation is not•The activities of these and other proteins provide an explanation for the observation that some biological mechanism seems to set a person’s body weight or composition at a fixed point; the body will make adjustments to restore that set point if the person tries to change it. Hope this helps others understand why they can't shift that extra weight post treatment and know you too ARE NOT GOING MAD!!! Hugs everyone, am wishing 2 more years away as currently am 8yrs on combined medications and had enough! xx M
Online Q & A Event - Breast Cancer 2021: Research, Risks and Recovery - Thu, 4 Feb 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Join Breast Cancer Trials and Australia's top breast cancer experts for a virtual Q&A to discuss the latest in breast cancer research. https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/breast-cancer-2021-research-risks-and-recovery-registration-132884618471 I registered for this event. The previous one was interesting.
Hiding in plain sight
Hi everyone, just a ‘newbie’ here. My name is Julie & I was diagnosed with ILC on the 11th Dec 2019 & so far it’s been full on, appointments....appointments & one more scan, biopsy after another. Truth was, I was at the end of a very long work year & getting ready for a month long holiday mode & then my world was turned around with the diagnosis of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. I didn’t have time for that little gem to drop it’s bomb on me. I had Christmas planned, not to mention a very long awaited trip all organised..... But now I’ve entered into the world of Dr’s, scans, MRI’s, biopsies....biopsies & then even more scans & even more biopsies. Meanwhile I’m sitting here, in plain sight hiding from the world & nobody can see the raging mess my head has become. I’ve found myself going to bed so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open, and then lying down, totally wide awake, as the words rattle in my head........... You’ve got Breast Cancer. You’ve got Breast Cancer. You’ve got Breast Cancer. I’m having a dye injected into my right breast this afternoon, then a hook wire inserted first thing tomorrow, then surgery tomorrow sometime. I guess I’m lucky things are happening so fast. Family & friends have been great, it’s just difficult to be totally honest with them & voicing all my fears - I can’t frighten them any more than they already are, so I’m here, writing down my thoughts and trying to get my head clearer. Thanks for the platform to do so. It’s helped.
