The Royal Marsden

We went to London for an initial consultation visit with the Royal Marsden Hospital and, from the information they have so far, there is nothing to exclude me from the clinical trials of the new immunotherapy drug TSR-042 they are trialling. There are many more criteria that needs to be tested for/screened before I would be accepted onto the trial though. They are even taking my original tumour out of storage to take a biopsy!

They invited me back this week to begin screening all of the remaining criteria required for my body to meet. They also need me to have another CT scan before the end of the screening period but they need to do it there in London. Basically they have 35 days to complete the screening process and let me know if I am in or out of the trials.

Really it’s all stuff that’s out of my control but one criteria is that my haemoglobin must be above 90. I can’t remember the last time it was that high. And you cannot begin the trial within three weeks of having a blood transfusion. I think this could be the one that lets me down, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

If I do get on the trials, I will have to travel to London twice every three weeks. It takes almost two hours each way, so it’s quite a trek for both Andy Andy and me. I nearly passed out on our first visit so we brought me in from the car park in the wheelchair the second time.

Otherwise I’m not bad in myself, just tired and can’t get about very much.

Scan results

The results are back and it’s not good news I’m afraid. The cancer has progressed and the tumours have all increased in size. Consequently, they have stopped the chemotherapy I was on - it hasn’t worked again!

My consultant is now going to contact the Royal Marsden Hospital in London to find out if they can offer me any immunotherapy clinical trials. We’ll just have to wait and see.

My anti sickness tablets have been changed again and, although it’s only been a few days, they do seem to be helping. They make me feel very tired though. I’ve not been getting up very early lately and some days I’ve just stayed in my pyjamas all day!

I’m struggling to get motivated for Christmas too. I have no idea what to do for gifts for family I’m unlikely to get to see. Normally we would drive all over the place visiting family, but this year I’m not up to it. Hopefully I’ll think of something.