On Friday, August 26th; crizotinib received FDA approval. It is now called Xalkori. Nice little features on both the ABC (scroll down to find Xalkori) and NBC evening news a couple of nights ago. That’s my oncologist/goddess Dr. Alice Shaw providing commentary, and in the NBC piece, the images of the before and after chest CT scans are my lungs (an online friend recognized them and emailed me!). They do get around (my lungs and Alice).
I should also mention that there was a story about Pfizer’s coup in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday with a picture of and a few quotes from yours truly. My Dad Ollie, who read the WSJ faithfully, would have been pleased to see me there.
I’ve noticed some criticism on the blogsphere, as Xalkori comes with a hefty monthly price tag ($9600), but Pfizer has taken steps to provide financial aid for those who need it. Also called out has been the fact that only 4-6% (or according to this latest data, almost 10%) of people with NSCLC have a mutation of the ALK gene. However, there are so many cases of lung cancer world wide (according to WHO, 1.4 million deaths yearly from lung cancer), that when you do the math, it is a truly significant number of patients who shall potentially benefit.
So yes, Xalcori is big news for Pfizer as well as those of us with lung cancer and the FDA is to be applauded for streamlining the often ponderous approval process.
And now, on a more personal level; what’s up with me.
On August 19th I took my final dose of crizotinib (Xalkori). I am now ‘washing out’ in preparation for my next party trick (make that a miracle). Yesterday I peed in a cup, had bloodwork, a physical, an EKG, a chest and abdominal CT (with contrast–blech) and a PET scan as well. I was given one of those nifty cards identifying me as residually radioactive for 24 hours (just in case I encountered someone with a geiger counter).
I am scheduled for my lead in dose of LDK378 next Wednesday and that’s when the circus really starts.
In the meantime, I am feeling pretty crappy. I saw Alice (Dr. Shaw) yesterday, and she thinks that quite probably, the crizotinib was still conferring some protection, which is good news if in the future we want to add it to my arsenal again. Now that I’m off treatment, my energy level has really dipped and my shortness of breath is catching up to me. Today I made myself go on a walk, as I’ve been breaking my own rules lately (never stop moving). It was also Peter’s first day at the Academy, and he’s going to require a lot of support as he adjusts to a very rigorous academic schedule, so I’ve got to stay on my toes.
What can I say? It is a stressful time for all of us, but we are doing our best to stay positive and hopeful. Because that’s how it’s got to be.
life and breath: outliving lung cancer 