Because it's fun to say and we need to say fun things.
Remission
To be honest, I had kind of given up on ever hearing the word "remission" or "no evidence of disease"... after 5 years, here we are.
Please remember it doesn't just end and we can pretend to go back to "normal", and we still have a LONG way to go~ but for this, we celebrate Thanks, Science!
60 Minutes did a segment on what I spoke about a couple of weeks ago - on dogs and treating cancer, and talked about the trial Atticus is on. Whew, it was a little hard for me to watch the girl in treatment and discussion about survival rates, but at the same time, so grateful Atticus gets to be a part of this and hopefully help others in the long run.
One of Atticus’ nurses at Doernbecher!
One of the oncologists said the chemotherapy has been the same for osteosarcoma for 60 years! It is definitely time for a change and Atticus gets to be a part of that change he wants to see in the world!
Jade excitedly greeting Atticus when we picked him up from cancer camp - oh how she missed him!
November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month, and since Atticus has been going through this new trial, I thought I’d try to talk about it as much as I am able because you know, there are a lot of science words that I don’t understand, much less be able to explain!
One of the reasons I chose this month to talk about it a bit more is because this trial for recurring pediatric cancer came from our dog friends who had osteosarcoma! Please keep in mind, these were not “animal trials”, they are pets with osteosarcoma treated by Vet Oncologists and treated as patients.
They say pediatric osteosarcoma is rare - about 1,000 patients in the US per year, but in dogs, it’s much more prevalent - 25,000 patients per year. The treatment for osteosarcoma is limited for both our canine friends and humans, and the treatment/chemo plans for both have not changed in 30 years, nor have there been any improvements with these treatments.
Investigators from Tufts University and TGen discovered that the osteosarcoma genetics in dogs and pediatric patients are similar, and hoped that this discovery could bring about new treatments which, as previously stated, haven’t seen any significant breakthrough in thirty years. 30 YEARS. “Although surgery and chemotherapy can extend survival, about 30% of pediatric OS patients die from metastatic tumors within five years. The cancer moves much faster in dogs, with more than 90% succumbing to metastatic disease within two years.” https://tinyurl.com/2p9f2u25 So, they did some genome sequencing and a bunch of other genes and genome stuff that no matter how many times I read about it I just don’t understand it.
However! They made this immunotherapy (I apologise for always saying chemo, it’s all just kind of bad) that worked really well in dogs with osteosarcoma, and since the genetics of osteosarcoma in doggies and kiddies are similar, they decided to make a trial for this treatment for human children. Of course, there are a million hoops to jump through and get funding, but the Superhero Scientists made that happen.
“One of the NCI-led trials focuses on osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that’s rare in kids but common in dogs. LeBlanc says that the genetics of this particular cancer are so similar in dogs and children, you can hardly tell them apart. Because of the prevalence of canine osteosarcoma (especially in large-breed dogs), enrolling them in clinical trials can not only benefit dogs, by providing access to new therapies and alleviating the cost of care for pet owners, but it could also be the foundation for drug development to treat humans with that type of cancer.
“Our efforts through dogs are directly designed to benefit not just them as a patient population but also to help children who, for the last 30 years, have seen no significant advances in their disease management,” LeBlanc says.”
Pretty cool, right? For humans, they have already completed Phase One. Atticus got into the Phase 2 trial after a year ago (a year? wow) lobes in his lungs were growing and when he had surgery to take them out, sent to pathology, it came back as osteosarcoma (no surprise, but still heartbreaking), which meant he was in his third recurrence. “Luckily” because of the recurrence, he was eligible for the Phase 2 trial which would be going through OHSU Doernbecher.
The treatment involves giving him Listeria, which now involves the immune system that I also can read and kind of understand, but I can’t write a summary of it! So, a nice dose of listeria, then give him an antibiotic drip at the end of the day, and then he takes more antibiotics for the next seven days.
Today, we sit here in the hospital from about 0830 to about 1900 which makes for a long day. Today is also the start of his last cycle, which means this is the first of the final four! It will be 48 weeks when finished. As with the other treatments, they will be monitoring him for the next five years. We hope that this will make a significant change in how pediatric osteosarcoma is treated and even while miserable, Atticus was glad to be a part of this. I was too because you know, the possibility of him dying might be less.
There are a LOT of rules around this trial, as I’m sure most trials do have. He had to sign a bunch of paperwork, about what he is not allowed to do while on treatment. In the hospital too, taking vitals every 30 minutes, rules about how far away the treatments can be, can’t miss by a day, it’s quite something. Usually, I like to pretend it’s not happening and just do what they tell me to do. Sadly, I do know what is happening and it’s scary that even though it will be over in three more infusions, it’s never over. It’s a constant dark cloud floating around taunting us, ready to throw new bricks at our heads.
Also, just wanted to show the press release that came out in 2021:
“Children’s Cancer Research Fund Supports AOST-2121 PhIIb Clinical Trial in Recurred, Resected Osteosarcoma
Published: Jun 23, 2021
OS Therapies to Initiate Ground-Breaking Trial Across the Country Next Month
MINNEAPOLIS AND CAMBRIDGE, Md., June 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF) announced today the support of OS Therapies, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing innovative therapies to treat and cure Osteosarcoma (OS) and other deadly cancers in kids and adults. The investment, made possible by the Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund at CCRF, will help OS Therapies initiate a much-anticipated trial in Osteosarcoma: a deadly cancer of the bone that usually targets teenagers.
”Children’s Cancer Research Fund and Zach’s Fund are excited to join other non-profits, investors and OS Therapies to do something about this horrible disease,” said Daniel Gumnit, CEO of CCRF. “OS Therapies is working to achieve the goals of CCRF, particularly to give every survivor of childhood cancer a long, healthy life after treatment.”
Funding will support a national Phase IIb trial of 39 patients with Osteosarcoma that has returned (recurred) after initial treatment with failed chemotherapy and radiation. OST-HER2 (OST31-164 Listeria monocytogenes) stimulates the patient’s immune system to target the micro-metastasis seeking out soft tissue and oxygen so readily found in the lungs and brain.
”We are thrilled that CCRF would join us in this battle against Osteosarcoma. They are a leader in the research, advocacy and support of families and patients with childhood cancer,” said Paul Romness, CEO of OS Therapies. “Fortunately, we have a technology that has shown great success in treating Osteosarcoma in dogs – now we need to see if it will work as well in our kids with OS.”
About Children’s Cancer Research Fund
Children’s Cancer Research Fund invests in groundbreaking research that is leading to better treatments and cures for children with cancer. Since 1981, CCRF donors have funded research that has revolutionized the way childhood cancer is treated worldwide. The Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund was created by Zach and his family in 2012 to direct proceeds from his music and other fundraisers held in his honor to research that will help prevent and cure this devastating disease. Visit www.childrenscancer.org/zach to learn more.
About OS Therapies
OS Therapies Inc. (OST) is a clinical stage therapeutic company focused on the identification, development and commercialization of treatments for Osteosarcoma (OS) and other deadly cancers in kids and adults.
For more information, please see the Company’s website at www.ostherapies.com”
I did want to bring attention to Ulrike Szalay who started the non-profit Canines-n-Kids; I love their motto “Crushing Cancer at BOTH ends of the leash!”, and an article about partnering with The Black Dog, and some cool stuff they are doing.
Here is an interview with One Health co-founder and CEO Christine Lopes about their mission and future in dog and human cancer treatments, which is interesting and understandable.
Another easy-to-read article summarizing the connection between dogs, kids, and cancers of all kinds, not just osteosarcoma.
And for those of you who love to geek out on the real science, charts, and graphs and genomes and HER2, which apparently is not just for breast cancer, these are for you!
https://tinyurl.com/ywwjrsnm
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26994144/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835000/
https://aoj.amegroups.com/article/view/5695/html
I want to thank all of the survivors, the kids who passed on, the scientists, doctors, nurses, the dogs, and the other people going through this trial. You are all heroes in my book.
Now that you all have your homework set out for you, go snuggle your dog, or someone else’s, and there will be a test on Monday ;) Also, check out my shop , some pretty cool things to give as gifts, or just to treat yourself as I try to continue to support my family. There is also my boutique right here on my site for merch and other various goodies!
May is the last month for our Seniors, their last day is June 1! I can hardly believe it.
I am so grateful for the Benson Polytechnic staff who always made sure Atticus was getting a great education even during his first recurrence, lots of missed days, second recurrence, surgery and injury weeks off, COVID, making sure things were accessible to him. There are amazing people at that school, and a particular shout out to his school counselour who took many panicked emails from me, and was always patient, kind, and explained things to me in ways that I could understand. School is a lot different from back in my day of being the one senior at a tiny private school, graduating alone at Sunday night church - and way more fantastic. I hate school because I’m bad at it, but Benson really made me want to go back to high school - there!
I heard Pomp and Circumstance the other day and burst into tears because #Irene’s Crying Again, but I’m just so proud of him. And yeah, after he shook the principle’s hand I did a bit of a weird sob, to the embarrassment of my girls! As I’ve said before, he could have quit so many times and I never would have blamed him. Atticus graduated with honors, here are the meanings behind his cords and sashes:
Gold: Honors
Colorful cord: Completed Major- electric
Sash: shows what their Major was - electric
Benson Logo "medal" for going to Benson
Atticus and Logan