Welcome to our regular three monthly update.
We have reached the end of the first two years of the
STAMPEDE trial for prostate cancer. The trial has been running for many years
and has tested several different treatments and combination of drugs. If you
are interested in the detail, it stands for
“Systemic Therapy in Advancing or
Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Drug Efficacy”,
which is a bit of a mouthful. I am on arm K, which is testing whether
the diabetic drug, Metformin helps slow the progress of the disease. Obviously,
I am hoping that it does! So far it seems to be doing pretty well, as I still
feel well and have no real symptoms other than being a little tired. But that
could just be down to getting a bit older. I have already benefitted from the
findings of some of the earlier arms of the trial. It is good to see that as
soon as the researchers show that a particular treatment is better than the
current standard regime, these treatments are offered to current patients fairly
quickly.
As part of reaching the two year milestone I had a fasting
blood test this morning and we are due to see the consultant and research nurse
on Monday for the results. As always this is a tense time as we know that at
some point the current treatment will stop working as well as it did to start
with. It is quite possible I will be given a new hormone drug – Enzalutamide at
this meeting. We have already been told that when the PSA reaches four, that
this will be the time to add an extra medication. Hopefully there won’t be too
many side effects if I am put on this now.
It is possible that the current trial I am on may finish at
the end of these two years, but I expect to find out on Monday. If it does come
to an end there are several other trials that I hope to be eligible for. The
immunotherapy treatments look very promising so I will definitely be putting my
name down for one of them if the opportunity comes up. Fingers crossed.
I have mentioned in previous blogs the realisation that
working part time is fantastic as it gives you the time to do the things you
never seem to get round to when in full time employment. I am now working at
three businesses on a casual basis which provides more than enough work. One of
these is a care home that I originally started with as a casual chef but I am
now acting as catering consultant and trainer as the standards are well below
what you would hope for. Lots of frozen food and packet mixes, which is such a
shame to see. Unfortunately I have now become the most hated person there as
the whole department are having to work harder and take more responsibility. It
will be interesting to see how it ends up.
Apart from work and cancer treatments we continue to have a
very full social life with lots of holidays planned. So far for this year we
have the Maldives in April, Scotland in May and Hawaii in October! I am sure we
will fit a couple of extra short breaks in as well.
We hope you are all well and enjoying life to the full. I will let you
know the results of our appointment next week.
A few photos from some recent trips.
A short break in the Cotswolds to celebrate my birthday.
An excellent vegan meal at Rubino Kitchen near Chelmsford with Ruth & Russell.
Celebrating with Maurice & Gary after they moved into their new home in Dorrington, Shrewsbury.
