Our cancer patient panel—Kristin (treated for leukemia), Philip (treated for kidney cancer), and Joanna (caregiver to her husband with prostate cancer)—shared their experiences participating in immunotherapy clinical trials at the Immunotherapy Patient Summit in New York.
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Meet the participants
Kristin Kleinhofer was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and started a two-year journey with chemotherapy. That treatment failed to keep Kristin in remission. By 2014 her cancer was back, this time Kristin enrolled in a clinical trial of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy. She was one of the first patients to benefit from this cancer treatment and today, Kristin remains cancer free.
Back in 2012, Philip Prichard received news that he had a 3.8 pound cancer tumor on his right kidney. The tumor was successfully removed but months later the cancer had returned and spread to his lungs and liver. Philip and his wife Susan were not satisfied with the chemo options presented to them. Instead they researched other treatment options and came across a clinical trial for nivolumab. Around the third month in this trial, Philip’s main tumor had shrunk, and by spring of 2015, his tumors were undetectable. Today, Philip is healthy and wants patients to remain hopeful.
Johanna Sedman’s husband Andy was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2014. Johanna began researching all treatment options available, which led to an immunotherapy clinical trial of ipilimumab. Following chemotherapy and surgery, Andy participated in the trial. He credits Johanna for helping find the best options available at a time when he felt overwhelmed. While Andy has had some progression of his PSA, he feels good and remains active.
