I just read this article
about a drug that could have a major impact on neuroblastoma, “one of the most common forms of
childhood cancer.”
It’s also a deadly form of childhood cancer.
This article, by Ms. Rachel Greco of the Lansing State Journal, is a well-written, detailed story about a
tenacious doctor and researcher who was inspired by parents of young children
with the disease who were searching for somebody, anybody who could help them. http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/2016/01/07/msu-prof-breaks-ground-childhood-cancer-discovery/75520838/?hootPostID=33dc1aaa9d7a71c51048311371c05ec0
One person who thinks DFMO
is particularly promising is Dr. Randal Wada, medical director of the Pediatric
Stem Cell Transplant Program at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children
in Hawaii and chief of its pediatric cancer division.
A former colleague of
Bachmann's, Wada said his hospital will take part in the third-phase of the
clinical trial for DFMO. He calls the re-purposed use of the drug
"exciting."
"The results so far
suggest that DFMO could have a significant impact on the survival rate of
patients with aggressive forms of neuroblastoma," Wada said.
I’ve written this post
because, as a father, I can’t imagine the sorrow and impact such a diagnosis
would have on a parent. Actually, that isn’t true. I have a small glimmer of
what that impact would be from this and other articles, and that glimmer leaves
me heart-sick.
The other bit of sorrow I
still have from reading this article is how long it takes for a potential
solution to get to market; to get in the hands of doctors who have patients
dying from the lack of an effective solution.
I’d add an emoji but there
isn’t one sorrowful enough or sad enough or upsetting enough to represent my
feelings for these victims and their parents.
