The woman exceeds deadly brain cancer with cell research therapy: “truly surprising”
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A New Jersey woman has had a second life chance, thanks to a new cancer therapy.
Pamela Goldberger, 65, discovered in 2023 that he had glioblastoma, a devastating diagnosis with an average survival of only 14 to 16 months, even with surgery.
In an interview at the camera with News Digital, Goldberger shared that his first symptoms were subtle, apart from a severe nausea suit, until one night at dinner, he used his fork as a knife and his knife as a fork. (See the video at the top of the article).
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Goldberger went to the emergency room for neurological tests, including magnetic resonances and a cat exploration, which revealed a brain tumor.
“It’s quite devastating news listening,” he said. “I don’t know what I thought was happening, but that was not … our world simply stopped.”
Pam Goldberger is photographed with her husband Bruce Goldberger (right end) and her two grandchildren. The survivor said her husband was her “biggest cheerleader” during her cancer trip. (Goldberger family)
“We have two grandchildren and [I thought] I was never going to have the opportunity to see them grow. I think that is as devastating as it seems. “
Goldberger was admitted to the hospital and scheduled for brain surgery a few days later.
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Surgery is a standard treatment for this highly invasive brain cancer, but the head of neurosurgery at the Hospital of the University of Cooper in Camden, New Jersey, offered Goldberger a different option.
He invited Goldberger to consider joining a clinical trial for individualized dendritic cell therapy that could help treat glioblastoma, and she agreed to participate.
Although the healing process was “very gradual,” Goldberger said she began to feel like herself once oral chemotherapy ended. (Goldberger family)
After surgery, Goldberger started six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation, and then began six weeks of research cell therapy a few weeks later. That process was followed by another year of chemotherapy maintenance.
Although the healing process was “very gradual,” Goldberger said she began to feel like herself once oral chemotherapy ended.
Now, 2 and a half years after his diagnosis, he is alive, healthy and capable of playing tennis several times a week.
Clinical trial details
Survival rates and glioblastoma treatments have not changed in 20 years, according to Dr. Joseph Georges, a neurosurgeon at the Hospital of the University of Banner in Phoenix, Arizona, who directed the clinical trial.
“It is a highly mutated tumor and there are different cell populations for each patient,” he told News Digital. “And the tumor is also very good to silence the immune system of the body to attack it.”
“It is a fairly devastating news to listen … our world stopped.”
The new treatment provides the immune system to detect and kill the tumor cell creating a vaccine directly from the patient’s tumor, which is collected during surgery.
“We are collecting all these various types of tumor cells, and then we are teaching the immune system how to attack the tumor, even small cells that evade surgical resection,” Georges said.
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The treatment, which uses dendritic cells taken from patients, was administered to 16 people between 47 and 73 years who were diagnosed freshly diagnosed with glioblastoma, including Goldberger.
After undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, patients received three injection courses every two weeks, along with weekly injections of a pegured interferon medication (a type of protein that helps regulate the immune system).
While Goldberger still has regular records with his doctors, he informed that he feels “well” and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, playing tennis, lunch with friends, reading, buying and traveling. (Goldberger family)
Phase 1 clinical trial showed general positive results, according to a press release from Diakonos Oncology, the group that developed the treatment, which is called Doc1021 (Dubondencel).
The researchers noticed positive immune responses and improved survival after treatment. It was also discovered that it was safe with minimum side effects, even at high doses.
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“In the best case, we hope to keep it stable and we hope we do not see it grow, but in reality we are seeing that tumors disappear for some of these people in their magnetic resonances,” Georges told News Digital, which is “something that is not seen in glioblastoma.”
“It’s really surprising.”
‘Living my best life’
While Goldberger still has regular records with his doctors, he informed that he feels “well” and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, playing tennis, lunch with friends, reading, buying and traveling.
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“I am living my best life at this time, and I am not restricted for not being able to do anything that wants to do,” he told News Digital.
For other patients with glioblastoma, Goldberger recommends seeking opportunities for clinical trials if they are available and appropriate, and also urges them to cure seriously.
After undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, patients received three injection courses every two weeks. (Istock)
“I was a very good patient. I did everything my doctors told me to do,” Goldberger said, and said he walked every day, ate well and slept a lot.
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“I surrounded myself with things that made me happy,” he continued. “I spent a lot of time with my grandchildren and my family … and they only did things that made me happy.”
“I think all those things, together with excellent medical care and this judgment, is the reason [I’m alive]. And good luck. “
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Georges agreed that patients with recurring glioblastoma should seek clinical trials that can help.
Diakonos Oncology announced on July 22 that the first patient has been dosed in the DOC1021 phase 2 clinical trial. Georges shared that the trial will be available on 20 sites throughout the country.
Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for News Digital.