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- Posted Tuesday February 3, 2015
TGen-Scottsdale Lincoln personalized therapy offers hope even for patients with advanced cancer
Phoenix CPA with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer now has no detectable tumors
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Feb. 3, 2015 - A new course
of action - prescribing chemotherapy based on genetic research -
has led to a Happy New Year for Phoenix resident Phil Zeblisky, an
advanced Stage 4 pancreatic cancer patient who benefitted from a
cutting-edge clinical trial, and now has no detectable
cancer.
When Zeblisky was diagnosed in April with advanced metastatic
pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, or PDA, doctors offered little
hope, telling him he perhaps had only months to live. Like other
types of pancreatic cancer, PDA has virtually no symptoms until it
reaches an advanced stage when it is difficult to treat.
Zeblisky and his wife, Kathy, kept looking for other options, and
ultimately found medical oncologist Dr. Erkut Borazanci at the
Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials, a partnership of
Scottsdale Lincoln Health Network and the Translational
Genomics Research Institute, or TGen.
"Dr. Borazanci was the first one who took the time to talk
in-depth about my cancer and why he thought the particular mix of
drugs in the chemotherapy he would prescribe for me would have the
best chance to succeed," he said.
Zeblisky was enthusiastic about the personalized approach to his
treatment: "Dr. Borazanci's openness and willingness to spend as
much time as necessary talking with us, answering all of our
questions, gave me a lot of confidence in him. That helped me
decide to be part of his innovative approach to cancer fighting. It
seemed to be the best option for me and to advance the
science."
Zeblisky's individualized therapy was designed based on genetic
research at TGen, a non-profit biomedical research center
headquartered in Phoenix. He was placed on a combination therapy of
Abraxane (nab-paclitaxel) and Gemcitabine, which because of
previous studies at the TGen-Scottsdale Lincoln clinical trials,
was approved in September 2013 by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) as a front-line therapy for advanced
pancreatic cancer patients.
A third drug, Cisplatin, was added because of data gathered from
studying patients tumors as part of TGen's Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C)
pancreatic cancer dream team grant. Zeblisky was one of 10 patients
in this unique clinical trial funded by the Scottsdale-based Seena Magowitz
Foundation.
"Our partnerships with the Seena Magowitz Foundation and SU2C are
generating positive results in the clinic, and we are confident of
making even greater strides in the future on behalf of our
patients," said Dr. Daniel D. Von Hoff, TGen's Distinguished
Professor and Physician-In-Chief, and Chief Scientific Officer for
the Piper Center clinical trials.
"We are finding that cancers are as individual as the humans who
are affected by them," said Dr. Borazanci, who also is an adjunct
faculty member at TGen. "We are learning that people with certain
DNA profiles are more susceptible to certain kinds of
cancers."
The best-known example of this, he noted, is the BRCA gene. When
that gene mutates, it is more likely to cause breast cancer in
women of Eastern European descent. The mutation has also been seen
in pancreatic cancer.
"BRCA-ness is just one example of a type of DNA genetic profile
that can lead to cancer and then be targeted with specific
chemotherapy mixes," Dr. Borazanci said. "There are hundreds,
perhaps thousands, of different drug combinations that need to be
matched to cancer patients and tested in clinical trials."
Following six rounds of chemotherapy at the Piper Center, no trace
of pancreatic cancer could be seen in any of Zeblisky's medical
images. After two more rounds of the combination therapy, the
absence of any detectable cancer was confirmed.
Zeblisky received maximum benefit from the original clinical
trial, and now is in a follow-up clinical study funded through
TGen's SU2C grant, testing the effectiveness of a maintenance
therapy.
"The most surprising element of Phil's story," Dr. Borazanci said,
"is that most patients with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer rarely live
more than six months. Now, here it is almost a year after he was
diagnosed, and he's feeling great and ready to return to
work."
"It's amazing," said Zeblisky, 57, who has a new perspective on
life and is looking forward to returning full-time to his job as a
CPA with the Maricopa County Superior Court. "When you have a
cancer diagnosis, the way you look at life totally changes. It
really becomes a matter of 'carpe diem,' seize the day. So, I'm
living my life much more in the moment than I did before. I wish
everybody a Happy New Year. I think it would be wonderful if they
could see life through fresh eyes. It's really great."
Best of all, Dr. Borazanci said, is that Zeblisky's experience is
not unique. "Phil represents a new and growing group of patients
with cancers previously thought to be untreatable, who are now
receiving benefit through participation in clinical trials. We urge
people with cancer to consider the possibility of participating in
a clinical trial. Only about 5 percent of people who are eligible
for participation in clinical trials ever enroll in research
studies.
"That's frustrating for us," he said, "because clinical trials
offer opportunities for patients whose cancers have not been
treated effectively through existing drug therapies."
"Patients should never give up hope," Zeblisky said. "Don't be
afraid to obtain a second or, as in our case, a third
opinion."
Cancer patients who want to know more about clinical trials at the
Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center can call 480-323-1339 or email an
inquiry to [email protected].
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About Scottsdale Lincoln Health Network
Scottsdale Lincoln Health Network's non-profit mission is to
improve the health and well-being of the communities it serves. The
network encompasses five acute care hospitals with approximately
10,500 employees, 3,700 affiliated physicians and 3,100 volunteers,
an extensive physician network, outpatient centers, clinical
research, medical education, an Accountable Care Organization, two
foundations and extensive community services. The company was
formed through a merger of Scottsdale Healthcare and John C.
Lincoln Health Network, two of the Valley's most respected locally
based non-profit health systems with long histories of caring and
innovation. For more information, visit www.shc.org and www.jcl.com.
About TGen
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused
on helping patients with cancer, neurological disorders and
diabetes, through cutting edge translational research (the process
of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen
physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of
both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children.
Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical
communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial
contribution to help our patients through efficiency and
effectiveness of the translational process. For more information,
visit:www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]