I just got back from a visit to City of Hope, and it turns out I have no choices to make after all. My prostate cancer makes me ineligible for clinical trials, so my best option is an FDA-approved bispecific treatment called Talvey, or talquetamab:
TALVEY™ is a bispecific T-cell engaging antibody that binds to the CD3 receptor on the surface of T cells and G protein-coupled receptor class C group 5 member D (GPRC5D) expressed on the surface of multiple myeloma cells, non-malignant plasma cells and healthy tissue such as epithelial cells in keratinized tissues of the skin and tongue.¹
There you have it. Unlike my previous CAR-T treatment, which targeted the BCMA antigen on the surface of cancerous cells, talquetamab targets GPRC5D. So it's a whole new thing for my body.
I now have three separate opinions that talquetamab is probably my best choice at the moment, so that's what I'll do. Sadly, the CoH doctor indicated that it requires dexamethasone to work properly, so I'll be back on the Evil Dex. This should all start up in a few weeks.
¹The mention of "tongue" here is a veiled reference to the fact that it kills tongue cells and is therefore also likely to kill my sense of taste to some extent. Hooray.
I am sorry that you have to trudge through yet another medical gauntlet. Best wishes to you.
Well, at least a reduced sense of taste usually helps one lose weight.
Think of the savings on spices and seasonings…
What is it going to do to your non-malignant plasma and skin cells?
Sorry man! I wish none of us had to go through this kind of thing.
Well, at least you'll never have to second-guess the choice you made had you been able to make a choice (if I make myself clear). Healing light is now winging its way to you from North Carolina.
Times two from Vermont.
Getting old comes with all kinds of challenges and opportunities that folks 100 plus years ago couldn’t imagine.
I've been reading you for years, and always much appreciated your numerate, level-headed approach to issues of the day, as well as to your own health challenges. It seemed as good a time as any to post and say how valuable your perspective has been to me, trying to make sense of the political and economic world we live in. I hope your next health update brings good news to you and your many readers.
Beautifully put.
Hi Kevin. I'm pretty sure the keratinized tissues of the tongue are not sensory, so you might be spared the loss of taste, although your sense of taste might be altered. Keratin is a fiberous protein helps give durability to hair, nails, claws, feathers, hooves, the outer layer of skin, and the surface of the tongue.
Well, rats.
Well, that's sucky news. But best wishes it's effective.
Glad that you and Kaiser are keeping up on implementing the latest treatments. So sorry that this one requires the evil Dex. Take care and know you have so many people pulling for you.