Clinical Trial try #2 - MG1 Maraba/MAGE-A3

Trial - as a verb means "test"

In September I learned there was another Clinical Trial being offered in Canada that I would qualify for.  It was the Maraba Virus and you can read the official details at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02285816

The Maraba virus used in this trial is a rhabdovirus and has this bullet-like shape. It was discovered in sandflies around the Maraba region of Brazil, and has been engineered to seek out cancer cells and do two things. As an oncolytic virus, it replicates inside the cancer cell and destroys it, while also triggering an immune response that recognizes the cancer as a threat. 

Read more on the CTV news article http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/canadian-study-to-use-two-cancer-fighting-viruses-in-world-first-1.2463322

I decided I wanted to try it.  And yes, I was nervous after what had happened with the last clinical trial. 

I was approved for the trial and the schedule was set out as follows:

• Tues 27 Oct, for signing of consent, blood tests, urine sample and ECG. 

• Wed 28 Oct, CT scan (here I will tell you that for the first time ever I vomited during the CT scan!  it was awful!  I get nauseous often when the contrast dye is injected and chewing gum has always been enough to get through it.  Not this time.  All of a sudden, while lying flat on my back in the CT machine, I vomited straight up in the air - all over the machine and then the vomit came right back down into my eyes and all over the place.  Horrifying.  The technician was so kind.  First he said, "OK, that happened but now we have to do the test" so I lay still, held my breath and got scanned.  Then he handed me some towels, helped me get up, again assured me this happens as if it was just another everyday occurrence, and gave me a clean gown to wear home.)

• Thurs 29 Oct, biopsy will be done in the ultrasound department. Expect to stay with us for 4 to 4 1/2 hours in total. Tumor samples were needed before starting the treatment.

• Tues 3rd Nov, virus treatment day 1.  Arrive at 8am and expect to stay until around 5pm.  So here's what happened....the virus was injected by IV into my arm.  4 hours later the side effects started, as expected. I had chills, oh so cold and was shaking quite violently.  My heart rate was very high.  The nurses kept piling warm blankets on me and giving me medications to help offset these effects.  This went on longer that expected and I didn't leave the hospital til later in the evening.  My poor husband go the job of playing nurse as we were to stay in Ottawa that night so we would be close to the hospital if anything went wrong.  I admit I did not feel well at all.  It was like having the worst flu ever.

• Wed 4th Nov, this day we were supposed to just hang out in Ottawa (originally my thought was we might do some shopping, ha!) but I felt rough so we returned to the hospital.  My head hurt really badly.  They put me in bed, with more warm blankets and pretty strong pain medication was needed but by 5pm it was over and I just felt tired.  To the Rotel for another night, with Mike again playing nurse. 

• Thurs 5 Nov, biopsy #2 will be done in the ultrasound department. Expect to stay with us for 4 to 4 1/2 hours in total.  These tumor samples will determine if the Maraba virus reached my tumor.

• Fri 6 Nov, virus treatment day. Expect to stay until around 5pm.  This treatment went much easier and we left at 5pm to go home.  

• Tues 10 Nov, Day 8 blood test in Pharmacology Ottawa

• Tues 17 Nov, Day 15 blood test in Pharmacology Ottawa

• Tues 01 Dec, Day 29 blood test in Pharmacology Ottawa

• Tues 15 Dec, Day 43 blood test in Pharmacology Ottawa

• Mon 21 Dec, Day 49 CT scan - to determine effectiveness of treatment.

Unfortunately this treatment did not have any positive effect on my tumors.  The doctor was kind and emailed me as the day of my appointment there was an ice storm.  His words were, "I did the measurements for the 2 target tumors.  The cancer is 19.8% bigger which is technically stable disease.  20% would make it “progression”.  Overall  looking at the other spots as well, my impression is stable to minor growth.   I sorry this didn’t work better for you."

What did happen is I tried something, I met some amazing doctors and nurses and I contributed to research. 
All things I feel good about.

I feel quite well at present and plan to spend some time now simply enjoying life; living in the goodness of it all and feeling gratitude for all I am blessed with.  

much love, Teresa