Ingalls Advancing Colorectal Cancer Treatment Through Research
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer- related deaths in U. S. women. Michelle Burnett of Palos Heights is acutely aware of that.
Before she became the second person in the world to enroll in a breakthrough research study at Ingalls Cancer Care in 2016, Burnett, who had been battling stage 4 colorectal cancer, had run out of options!
Previous chemotherapy treatments from her seven- year battle with advanced colon cancer had left her debilitated, fatigued and unable to drive. When her cancer spread to her lymph nodes in 2015, Burnett’s doctors told her she was out of options – and out of time.
But that all changed when she came to Ingalls Cancer Care at a friend’s urging.
“When you’re given a diagnosis like I was, you want to find a really good place to go,” she explains. “As soon as I stepped into Ingalls, I knew it was where I should do my treatment.”
The “miracle” study as Burnett calls it uses immunotherapy to tap into the body’s own ability to fight disease – in this case, advanced colorectal cancer.
Ingalls enrolled a number of patients in the breakthrough international study sponsored by F. HoffmanLa Roche Ltd. and was the only hospital in
Illinois – and one of only a handful in the Midwest – to offer the trial. As a result, it drew inquiries and patients from several neighboring states. ( This particular research study is now closed.)
Burnett’s cancer care team at Ingalls includes Mark Kozloff M. D., Medical Director of Ingalls Cancer Care, and cancer research nurse Joy Vlamakis, R. N. After just four treatments, the difference in Burnett, who had been too sick to leave her home, was like “night and day.”
“I remember calling Joy and saying, ‘ Oh my God, I feel like normal,’” she recalls. “This was the first time in a year and a half that I felt so good because of these treatments. The real miracle came when I had my scan done after four treatments and found out that not only did my disease improve overall by 36 percent, but that one of the tumors in my liver completely disappeared. That’s why I wanted to go to Ingalls, and that’s what they can accomplish for you.”
In fact, Burnett is doing so well, she’s back to stage- acting again – something she never thought she’d be able to do a year ago.
“Colorectal cancer was once considered unresponsive to immunotherapy,” Dr. Kozloff explains. “The immune system is the body’s natural defense against disease, but cancer cells have a way of inhibiting the immune system. Immunotherapy agents help unleash the immune system’s potential to fight them off in certain types of cancer.
“These are the hot drugs in cancer care right now,” he adds. “And I’m proud to say we’ve been investigating and using these treatments at Ingalls for several years now.”
Ingalls currently offers immunotherapy treatments for malignant melanoma, certain types of lung cancer, and kidney cancer, and is investigating immunotherapy agents to treat esophageal and gastrointestinal/ stomach cancers.
Colorectal Awareness Month
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, so what better time to address its risks and how to prevent it. Most cases begin as small, noncancerous clumps of cells called adenomatous polyps. Over time some of these polyps become colon cancers. Because they can be small and produce few, if any, symptoms, doctors recommend regular screening.
“Most people with colon cancer experience no symptoms in the early stages of the disease,” explains gastroenterologist Adrienne Fregia, MD. “When symptoms appear, they’ll likely vary, depending on the cancer’s size and location in your large intestine.”
Studies show up to 90% of colon cancers could be prevented by proper screening. People with an average risk should begin screening at age 50; but those with an increased risk, including individuals with a family history, and African- Americans, may begin screening at age 45.
Several screening options exist, including annual fecal occult blood testing; flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years; and colonoscopy every 10 years.
“More frequent or earlier screening may be recommended if you’re at increased risk of colon cancer,” Dr. Fregia said. “Discuss the benefits and risks of each screening option with your doctor.”