Contributors

3 March - Novocure

One of my readers wrote to me last night to say "do a web search on novocure." I did. It appears to be a new cancer treatment currently undergoing clinical trials in the USA and Europe which is relevant to the treatment of brain tumours as well as other types of cancer.

There are no clinical trials of novocure currently taking place in the UK, however. Furthermore it appears I would fail the inclusion criteria shown on the website. My glioblastoma is neither newly diagnosed nor recurrent and has received other treatment (intensive temozolomide and clomipramine) since diagnosis.

To be honest I would not sign up for a clinical trial even if I did qualify. I have accepted my situation, whatever that turns out to be. At the same time I don't think my life expectancy will be as short as the prognosis I was given last summer. I believe we are beating the bugger at the moment.

I hate being in hospital. I would rather receive the treatment I am currently getting as an outpatient and see out my days in the comfort of my own home than spend much of the time left to me travelling to and from distant hospitals or having to undergo further operations (as I believe would be necessary for novocure which must be physically delivered to the tumour.) I am also given to believe that participants in clinical trials may receive a placebo instead of the drug. I'd rather know that I am receiving treatment.

But it's good to know what options are available. I'm writing this blog not just for myself but for others who learn that they or a friend or relative has a brain tumour and I appreciate all relevant comments.

3 comments:

  1. Hi, it was me that mentioned novovure.

    First of all let me say I am not some random individual trying to spam you, I also am a glioma sufferer.

    I think you have misunderstood how novocure works. First of all it is absolutely non invasive. It beats radio and chemo and surgery in that it is non invasive. Secondly it has now got FDA approval. Just matter of time until it becomes more commonly used.

    Here are some links to see:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi63ND3gI-E

    http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/rethinking-healthcare/novocures-electric-cap-for-brain-cancer-now-fda-approved/4055

    All the best and good luck.

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  2. Hi Akis.

    Thanks for the links and the clarification. Clearly I did misunderstand something I read on the novocure website.

    I appreciate your effort to send this information to me and didn't think you were trying to spam me.

    From the link you sent: "The survival rates were comparable between those treated with NovoTTF and the control patients who underwent chemotherapy. Patients in both groups lived just over 6 months. According to Novocure, the rate of progression-free survival at 6 months was 21% in the NovoTTF group, compared to 15% in chemotherapy patients." My thought is that 21% is not that dramatic an improvement over 15%.

    Also: "Patients trying the new device experienced slightly more convulsions and headaches, they didn’t experience many significant side effects associated with chemotherapy, including nausea, anemia, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, and serious infections." I've been lucky so far in that I my experience of the side effects of chemotherapy have not been especially unpleasant. Those that I have experienced (mainly bowel-related) we have learned to prepare for and control.

    Many of the people who used clomipramine as an adjuval treatment to temozolomide chemotherapy survived considerably longer those who didn't.

    This is not a criticism, I just wanted to explain why I'm taking the position I'm taking regarding alternative treatments at the moment. I wish you the best of luck with your own glioma fight and look forward to receiving many more comments from you.

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  3. Hi Julian

    Been catching up on the blog. Good to hear your progress. All the best to you and Olga.

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