Still In Limbo

It looks like I'm not going to move up to the next cohort group and get the higher dose of SNS032. The subjects already in that group have had some toxicity problems with the drug. That's the whole point of a phase I study. You keep increasing the dose for each cohort group until you reach a human being's limit. These guys in the next group may have hit theirs. Sunesis is adding two more to the group and will evaluate them in 28 days. If they also develop problems then that dose may beyond what humans can tolerate. Sort of makes me glad they didn't put on the next higher dose. Ha.

That leaves several burning questions regarding treatment. One is will they have a dose that's in between the dose I'm on and the current dose? Another is what are they going to do with me otherwise?

For the time being it looks like I'm going to continue to get the drug at the dose I've been getting. In fact we start the third cycle this week. It looks like this is just holding my place in line until they decide what to do about the SNS032 dosage. I don't have many good alternatives, so this will have to do.

In the meantime, my stomach continues to get better. But I'm far from 100%.

Quick Trip to Houston Last Week

I just thought I was going to get another week off. But Alice, my leukemia nurse, called Tuesday afternoon to say that Sunesis was not going to let me delay further infusions indefinitely and remain on the study. In fact if I didn't get the next infusion by Thursday I was off the study. So off to Houston we went. I had to get the next infusion at the old dose just to hold my place in line. There's still no decision from Sunesis about moving me up to the next cohort group, but the request is on the medical director's desk. We should know this week. So keep your fingers crossed and say lots of prayers.

What a Rough Couple of Weeks

Except for the bout of GvHD, this intestinal bug has been the worst thing I have ever had. The bug is known as C. diff which is short for the scientific name. It lays waste to your entire intestinal tract. I've essentially been non functional for three weeks. I'm a little better today, but not by much. I'm taking oral Vancomyecin every 6 hours round the clock. But they told me it could take 10 days to begin to get better. Today is day 9.

I'm suppose to be in Houston to see the doctor tomorrow (Monday) morning. But I decided I couldn't make the trip. Besides, we tried for the last several days to get an answer about whether Sunesis would allow me to move up to the next cohort group. Keating was out of town and the nurses, including the research nurse for this study, did not know. So we took that to mean "no news" is no news. So if they haven't heard from Sunesis, a trip to Houston is just a waste of time. So, I'm not going.

Fortunately, the nodes are not growing wildly. They are bigger in the neck, especially the right side. I look like I've got a golf ball embedded in the side of my neck on the right side, but at least it's not a tennis ball. As long as the nodes don't go wild, we have time to let things play out with Sunesis.

That's all for now.