clinical trial

The words clinical trial may or may not be meaningful, but for a cancer patient it can mean hope-a last ditch effort to halt cancer's assault on the body. Cancer has been a vicious and cruel enemy to my body, destroying healthy cells and replacing them cancerous ones. This endless assault has created permanent damage and endless pain. My present struggle against this disease is a in the "do or die" phase of the game. I have had no promising treatment options during this long eight year struggle, but I remain hopeful this clinical trial will at least slow the cancer's progression.
I recently traveled to Houston, TX to visit MD Anderson cancer center. This world renown cancer center conducts clinical trials for all type of cancer. I will be participating in a phase one clinical trial using targeted therapies. They have viewed my medical records but more importantly they requested the pathology slides of my individual cancer cell. Under a microscope, they can view the distinct properties of the cell, helping them to formulate the treatment plan that is best for me. Many clinical trials use drug therapies which are not yet approved by the FDA and are very experimental. Fortunately, I will be using 2 FDA approved cancer treatments. The experimental part of my clinical trial is using the drugs in conjunction with one another in the treatment of cancer and the observation of side effects.
I will be using Tarceva and one other drug which is not yet known. I have been using Tarceva since June (about 6 months) and so far scans show that it may be helping the tumors in my lungs. Participating in this clinical trial will require me to travel to MD Anderson once a month for treatment and evaluation. This will be challenging both financially and physically. Flying to Houston has been expensive so far, and sitting on the plane inflames the cancer in my sacrum, causing high amounts of nerve and bone pain.