New Way to Kill Lymphoma without Chemotherapy

How do you annihilate lymphoma without using any drugs? 

Starve it to death by depriving it of what appears to be a favorite food: HDL cholesterol. 

Northwestern Medicine® researchers discovered this with a new nanoparticle that acts like a secret double agent. It appears to the cancerous lymphoma cell like a preferred meal – natural HDL. But when the particle engages the cell, it actually plugs it up and blocks cholesterol from entering. Deprived of an essential nutrient, the cell eventually dies. 

Link

Port removed today

Well,

The final stage of my ordeal is complete. The port was removed today in a quick surgery. Thanks to all my friends for your support. For other who read this blog in your quest to get more information about Hodgkins, I regret not posting more often. Honestly, ABVD treatments became rather routine (albeit still unsettling for 4-5 days immediately following). So far, I am fortunate that I responded well to the treatments. If I do happen to relapse, I'll be making every effort to get involved in the SGN-35 trials with Seattle Genomics. If you are in a trial due to a relapse, please post a link to you bog or experiences as a comment to this (hopefully last) entry.

Final PET/CT Results

As of August 10, 2009 my PET/CT states that I continue to be in remission. Good news!

Last Chemo today

Well, the final day has arrived. I receive my final chemo treatment. Thanks to everyone for your caring and support. With any luck I'll remain free of cancer for the rest of my life.

Only 2 more treatments

All,

I have just 2 more treatments. Some of you know that Karen and I, along with the kids, will be going to Hopetown, Elbow Cay, Abaco in the Bahamas for the next year beginning in September 2009. I'll be writing about it at http://www.boatchannel.tv/blog Thanks for all the kind words and support. We plan to be back in a year but who knows where this adventure will lead us...

Remission

Based upon my PET scan last Wednesday, it appears that I am responding properly to the chemo. They can find no trace of the cancer so now we just follow the original plan until July 9. If everything is still clear after that, it's time to celebrate!

Chemo 6 yesterday

Halfway through folks. Same drill.