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Spring Survey 2012 Results

Hope for the Future

Program: Advances in the Treatment of Adrenal Cancer
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Andrew Schorr:

Dr. Sellin, so you’ve seen it all over the years.  So what would you say to people related to this disease?  There’s some cancers that we’ve made great progress in, some we haven’t made hardly any, and this one certainly has been difficult.  What’s your hope for the future related to adrenal cancer? 

Dr. Sellin:

There are a number of things.  One is to really recognize that even for some of the aggressive tumors, controlling the tumor and allowing people to live with a certain amount of tumor in their body as long as it’s not taking over is sometimes enough of a goal.  We used to have the notion that if you don’t kill the cancer it will kill you.  That’s not necessarily the truth.  You can come up with a strategy where you control the tumor cells and they just stay in check even though they can’t be eradicated, and shifting that goal to control rather than eradication I think is a very important understanding that we’ve had both for this and other tumors that has allowed us to shift how we treat people.  

The other thing is that even though the drugs themselves have not substantially changed for this particular disease we know a lot better how to keep people healthy at home, not uncomfortable, back to work even though they’re under treatment.  We have learned to deal with some of those possible side effects and control them so that somebody like Mr. Smith can go to work even though he’s taking mitotane. 

And the third is that we of course are continuing to look for better drugs, newer drugs that have more targeted therapy, and Dr. Habra is working at the laboratory level to try to identify some of those characteristics, and there are new drugs that we are exposing some of our patients with adrenal cancer to through clinical trials.  There aren’t clinical trials that are--well, there are some, but it’s not easy to have a clinical trial only for adrenal cancer because there are so few people to populate it.  But we are getting experience from having individuals with adrenal cancer who have not responded like Mr. Smith, who then can participate in a clinical trials with some of these newer targeted therapies.  And some of them are doing quite well, and we are just learning how to use some of those agents for adrenal cancer as well.

Andrew Schorr:

Dr. Habra, so there you are in the lab.  I know just everybody listening wishes you well.  Are you hopeful? 

Dr. Habra:

There is always hope.  Again, the amount of information we’ve discovered over the past I would say ten years or so really is changing what we do.  But again to promise patients up front this is what will work, it’s too early to say.  But there is--what we discover about the biology of adrenal cancer allows us at least to proceed with these clinical studies which are moving relatively at a fast pace.

Andrew Schorr:

Well, we wish you well with your research.  Dr. Sellin, thank you for your many years of dedication for folks with this condition and appreciate you being with us.  I wanted to give the last word to David, now back to work. 

David, there are people listening who maybe have been given the news like you were at that local hospital outside Austin that, you know, it’s kind of like all over, you know.  What would you say to them if they would go on the internet, whether it’s at a firehouse or wherever they live or work, that might give them some hope and direction? 

David:

Well, unfortunately I think that the diagnosis and the prognosis I was given originally is not an uncommon thing for different--even different types of cancers, not just adrenal cancers.  I’ve heard that story over and over again where people were given a certain amount of time to live, and obviously that’s in my opinion not the best course of action for a doctor to put a time stamp on you.  In fact what I would tell people is you don’t have an expiration date on your foot.  Look there, and it’s not there.  And basically you don’t know, and a lot of times the doctors you’re dealing with don’t know how you’re going to respond and how long you’re going to live, so don’t give up hope right off the bat. 

And I kind of did originally, give up hope right off the bat, but within a day or so and speaking to my doctor and then getting to MD Anderson a week or so later, was given hope that it wasn’t over just yet and that if I fought and if I tried what they were saying that there definitely was hope and I wasn’t done.  That’s what I would tell any cancer patient is don’t give it up just yet no matter what kind of bad news that you might get.

Andrew Schorr:

Amen.  Well, thank you for sharing your story with us, David, and the best to you, your wife Alicia, your kids and hope you have a long time with them.  And thank you for the daily work you do as a paramedic and a firefighter because you’re on the frontlines and making a difference.  We’re glad you’re back to work, David. 

David:

I’m happy to hear your story also.  I know you must have gone through a lot yourself.

Andrew Schorr:

Well, we all have, but I’m glad you’re doing what you’re doing.  Thank you for being with us, David. 

David:

Yes.  And thank you to both doctors.  I love them very much.

Andrew Schorr:

Says it all. 

Dr. Sellin:

Thank you.

Andrew Schorr:

Well, this is what we do on Patient Power, and I am so happy to hear David’s story, the dedication of the doctors at MD Anderson who are working so hard on even one of the most uncommon cancers, and I hope it’s been helpful for our audience.  Remember, knowledge can be the best medicine of all.  I’m Andrew Schorr.  Thanks for joining us. 

Please remember the opinions expressed on Patient Power are not necessarily the views of MD Anderson Cancer Center, its medical staff or Patient Power.   Our discussions are not a substitute for seeking medical advice or care from your own doctor.  That’s how you’ll get care that’s most appropriate for you.  

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