This morning I got a call from the transplant folks and I now have a date for my CAR-T treatment. I'll do a bunch of testing over the next two weeks followed by a plasma collection in early September. The plasma will then be shipped off to the CAR-T factory, where it will be turned into personalized cancer-killing T-cells. The treatment itself will take place in early October, and after that it's just a matter of waiting and hoping that my response is strong and the side effects are mild.
Assuming everything goes well, total recovery time will likely be a few months and I will be cancer free (sort of) by 2023. This treatment is still pretty new, however, so there's no telling how well I'll respond or how long it will last. If I'm average, it will last at least a couple of years, during which I'll need no chemo at all.
For those of you curious to know more, the treatment is called Carvykti and you can read more just by googling it. It was originally developed in China and is marketed in the US by Johnson & Johnson. It was approved by the FDA in February.
Best of luck! It sounds pretty cool!
Re: China
This guy started the ball rolling with CAR T
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_H._June
He appears to have been focused on leukemia.
Hope this goes well for you. Wonderful news!
WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!
Great news!
This is such good news! Thank you for sharing it and I hope it all goes well.
Kevin,
I value your informed commentary, and I'm wishing you the best for a return to a more normal lifestyle after your therapy. Good luck.
Tom
That IS good news! Congrats and good luck.
Hurray!
Bring out the dancing cats!!
One thing I've been wondering is the cost and how you are paying for it. Good you can get it though!
He has mentioned before he has insurance from Kaiser and had to get on a Kaiser waiting list for this treatment and/or appeal to Kaiser to have it covered.
Thanks for the update. Good luck.
Hoping this works. Good luck Kevin.
But conservatives have repeatedly assured me that china never invents or develops anything. They steal all intellectual property.
Congratulations! And best of luck!
Relieved & very happy for you, Marian, Hilbert, & Charlie.
Congratulations and good luck!
I'm pulling for you Kevin. Best of luck and fast recovery.
Good luck Kevin, Ihopeit all goes to plan.
But, but, but... the pharmaceutical industry is evil! It's a scam.
This is wonderful to hear, and I will be interested your first hand account of how well it works, as this kind of therapy is the area where the most immediate advances can be made through a wide range of illnesses.
Great to hear. How therapy works well for you.
Fantastic news, Kevin! Congratulations from a fellow myelomian [don’t we need that word?] who salutes you among the pioneers.
Best of luck Kevin. The CAR T treatments for MM are really new so the long term prognosis is pretty hazy right now. Could be a real long term remission.
I wish you success and a permanent remission.
Great news and best of luck Kevin!!
Excellent news -- wishing for all the best!
I'm looking forward to seeing many, many years of monthly charts tracking your continued remission!
Hooray!! Best of luck on this. And, in this world of rather impersonal takes on everything, I really appreciate you sharing your personal health journey on this.