Cycle one continues

Cycle One Day 2: Thursday 28 July
Chemotherapy

 As was the case yesterday:

Saline IV for 1 hour
2 anti-nausea drugs
Then Trial drug Palifosfamide or Placebo

Sent home with new anti nausea meds for Weekend to follow chemo after day 3:
Dexamethazone and Granissetron(Kytril)

Feeling Ok so far but I know day 8-11 are to be respected in this regard.

About the trial I am participating in: PicassoIII
Internationally, it was launched late last year. In Australia, subjects have begun participating. So far, several in Brisbane and myself in Melbourne at  Peter Mac hospital have signed up.The research is international and it is necessary to be as expansive as possible due to the rare nature of Uterine Leiomyosarcoma. I believe they are hoping to find over 400 subjects throughout the world over 2011 and 2012 to have a decent-sized sample.

The goal is to see if Palifosfamide-tris can be used with Doxorubicin as a first round treatment for Leiomyosarcoma. As a trial drug, it cannot be used as a standard treatment until research supports its level of success.Palifosfamide has the good bits in it of the more well known Ifosmamide which is used in around the world currently.

This trial can last for up to 21 weeks; each cycle runs for 3 weeks, with 6 formal Cycles included. On Days 1, 2, and 3 I receive chemotherapy. On days 8 and 15  I will have tests done to see how I am progressing. It is a commitment I have made. I intend to help myself and contribute to as much research on this illness as I can. There are a number of International and Australian research groups that are beginning to set up data bases and investigate causes and treatments of this cancer.

Genetic links and family histories are also to be explored. I am keen to explore this angle for personal reasons and I hope that the sensitivities involved for family members in Australia, Greece and the US will be greeted with an understanding that this is for a common purpose for a common good. If there is a genetic link or any history of uterine cancer in the family tree, we should use it to care for each other for current and future generations.I thank all the individuals who have begun this investigation and I hope that you can contribute as much information as you can to this research.

Love your Life,
Georgia