Giving Thanks… Five Years Later..Melanoma..Jim Breitfeller

Giving Thanks… Five Years Later

Back in July of 2005 I was diagnosed with Melanoma Cancer. It has turned my life inside out and upside down. Here is a note that I sent to my colleagues at Eastman Kodak.


Dear Friends and Family,


I wanted to take a moment to let you know that I’ll be leaving my position at Eastman Kodak Company as of March 9, 2007. I will be starting a new phase of my life trying to win this battle of cancer. My short term disability ends and the long term starts.


I have enjoyed my 25 years there and I appreciate having had the opportunity to work with each and every one of you. Thank you for the support, guidance, and encouragement you have provided me during my time at Kodak. Even though I will miss my colleagues and the company, I am looking forward to this new challenge and to starting a new phase of my life. Even though the paths are many, I must go down each one to find the “Yellow Brick Road.” With your support and encouragement we can beat this disease together.

Please keep in touch,


Jimmy B


It has been five years now and I believe I accomplished what I had set out to do, that was to beat this disease melanoma. With the help of family, carepage friends and researchers, oncologists, we have come a long way. I have spent most of my waking hours researching and helping fellow melanoma comrades traverse the canyons of this disease. Along the way I have met and lost so many friends to this disease and only wish that they could be here today to celebrate with me.



Without you, I would not have been so focused on finding a cure. So today , I just want to say thanks for everything. Thanks for keeping me on the right path and believing in me. We are making great inroads in understanding the immune system and how it can be trained to eradicate Cancer. We are in the emergence of the renaissance (A rebirth) of Immunology and Combinatorial Therapy. I believe whole heartedly that we will see a Cure for cancer in my lifetime.

We must keep on persevering to obtain that goal.


Jimmy B


“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

~Charles Darwin~

Take Care,

Jimmy B

 

Jimmy B. about your last post 8-4-2009 ..Timing and Tregs.Melanoma.Jim Breitfeller

Jimmy B. about your last post

Posted by JerryfromFauq at 12:02 on Tue, Aug 04, 2009 [Show other posts by JerryfromFauq]
I copied it and emailed your last post here to my Medical Oncologist at UVA. Below is his response. Keep up the good work.
*****************************************
Dear Mr. Ellis,
Thanks for this information. The impact of IL-2 on regulatory T-cells has long been known from animal studies. I am very interested to see this approach to the phenomenon and the proposal to regulate regulatory T-cell action. As you know, antibodies now exist which inhibit regulatory T-cell activity (ipilimumab and tremilimumab).

I think this timing approach has merit.
Thanks again.
Geoff

Weiss, Geoffrey R
From: tjellis [mailto:tjellis]
Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 7:14 PM

To: Weiss, Geoffrey ,
Subject: IL-2 administration increases CD4 + CD25(hi) Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in cancer

The following post was provided by a medical researcher that has Melanoma and posts on the MPIP.org.

He has some interesting theories from his research and experience about the timing of treatments that is posted on his website.
IL-2 administration increases CD4 + CD25(hi) Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in cancer


Take Care,

Jimmy B

As I Continue my Quest, I have come to another Windmill..Melanoma..Jim Breitfeller

As I Continue my Quest, I have come to another Windmill.

Anti-CTLA-4 Blockage maybe coming back to compassionate care or better yet,may be getting ready to seek FDA approval.

I have stumble upon another Review Article by Dr. Kim Margolin from 2008.

"Moving forward with immunotherapy: the rationale for anti-CTLA-4 therapy in melanoma."

Source:http://www.communityoncology.net/journal/articles/0507367.pdf
Moving forward with immunotherapy: the rationale for anti-CTLA-4 therapy in melanoma

If you look closely at the tables, you know why Brisol-Meyer Squibb aquired Medarex for their "String of Pearls".

This is the quote I like the Best:

"The preliminary results of these trials are encouraging, considering most patients were previously treated for advanced melanoma. The possibility that anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, used as single agents, will be superior to proven therapies, ie, dacarbazine or IL-2, will be tested in phase III trials. Of greater promise may be the combination of these agents in carefully timed sequence with cytotoxic or other immunotherapeutic strategies."

See , I believe that the combination therapies Hold the greatest Promise.
I can vouch for that. NED FOR OVER 25 MONTHS AND STILL COUNTING!!!!!

Please seek out this therapy if you need it. It could extend or even save your life.



Take Care,

Jimmy B

Please give and show your Support..Melanoma..Jim Breitfeller

I am writing to you today for your help and support. As you know Melanoma therapy depends on cutting edge drugs. These drugs take years to go through the FDA process and most of them fail. This is what happen to Tremelimumab (from Pfizer) is an IgG2.
It was compared to the “gold standard” Dacarbazine as a single agent. The trial was setup to fail at the beginning. Pfizer wanted to go it alone instead of using the research that was published stating it would be better in combination of other therapies. This drug
saved my life.

We need organizations like the Abigail Allaince to help us in the quest to get these and other cutting edge drugs. Our lives depend on it. So won’t you please Donate today. If you have loveones that are fighting cancer, don’t you want them to have access to these cutting edge drugs?

Here is happen to one family “My husband fought Stage IV Mel for two years and one week... The last year was spent waiting for the Ipilimumab that never came...”

There are many stories like this.


Please give generously to this organization. You can use paypal on the website
Abigail Alliance website


Thanks for Caring

Jimmy B … Melanoma Missionary

Patient/Survivor of Stage IV Melanoma Cancer


Take Care,

Jimmy B

RNews!!!!!!!!!! Local Man Has a Theory to Cure Melanoma..Jim Breitfeller

I have been trying to get this out to the media.


Local Man Has a Theory to Cure Melanoma



Source:http://www.rnews.com/content/top_stories/475270/local-man-has-a-theory-to-cure-melanoma/?RegionCookie=2004


Take Care,

Jimmy B

Relay for Life!!!!!! Melanoma..Jim Breitfeller

Relay for Life!!!!!!
6-6-2009
Webster, N.Y

Pictures:
Just to let you Know,I Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk

My 15 seconds of fame.



Opening Ceremonies



Great Turnout!!!!


Celebrating the Survivors!!!


The Team that Adopted Me!!




All in the Family!!!!!!



Pitsford Embroidery NY donated their skills
Hand Embroidery
Owner: Gini Weslowski

Jillian Korn...The captain of the 4 KIDS BY KIDS RELAY TEAM Modeling the Hoodie


Take Care,

Jimmy B

NED is Back in Town!! Melanoma.. Jim Breitfeller

Ed took the day off but NED took his place.
The drum roll Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Camparison: CT scan Chest, abdomen and pelvis, no evidence of reocurrence.

1.) there are several superficail scars and surgical clips in the subcutanous fat in the mid right back. These are not hypermetabolic and are unchanged since july 2008 consistent with treated sites of Melanoma

2.) No focal hypermetabolism elsewhere!!!!!!!

3.) No supicious CT Findings


Can you say OZ!!!!!!!!!!

25 months and counting NED


Jimmy B

Letter to Medarex 3-24-2009 Melanoma Jim Breitfeller

Ms wolfe,
This not about who has what product? This about a theory and therapy that will make your product the greatest invention since sliced bread. Your product has the potential of help cure Melanoma. The dose has to be 15mg/Kg to invoke an innate immune response. Once that has happen, the Interluekin -2 (growth factor) promotes propagation and is need to activate the CD8+ Tcell. IL-2 Regulates Perforin and Granzyme Gene Expression in CD8+ T Cells Independently of Its Effects on Survival and Proliferation. With all this said and done, IL-2 needs the get Immune response started. That is done by your Monoclonal Antibody. “The Magic Bullet”.

Well now I have a request for you. Please pass this on to your Clinical Team. I have been data mining on the internet and have been able to piece together why my combination therapy worked. etc...........

The rest is the same as Dr. Rosenburg Letter.

I am still trying to make contact with Novartis the, Manufacturer of Interluekin-2. I don't have a contact name or email yet. I hope to get one soon. If any one has a contact please get intouch with me.

Thanks

Jimmy B

Riding the tube today!! Melanoma..Jim Breitfeller

Well, I have my front row seat to the "Blue Man Group" All the clinging and banging in the tube reminds me of the Blueman Group.


I have my ear plugs!!!!

Take care Jimmy B

Full body PET Scan is set For Monday 3-23-09 Melanoma..Jim Breitfeller

Well, I am excited to have my Full Body PET scheduled.This is what I call make or break time. It has been 24 months since therapy. They say the long time from relapse, the better the chance are for survival. So the drum roll will start on Monday and Johnny C. will be presenting the envelope on Wednesday most likely. I am ready for "HERESssssssss Johnny"

Ed will be at the controls.

LETS RIDE THE TUBE ONCE MORE!!!!!!!!!

Jimmy B.

I Took My Dream to the Drug Manufacturer ..Melanoma..Jim Breitfeller

I am more convinced than ever that we are on the right track.

HOMEWORK,HOMEWORK,HOMEWORK

This was posted this morning:

Posted 27 minutes ago 3/12/2009 9:00 am

by Teri

I was told yesterday that the "Til Harvest" that MDA,(MD Anderson) is doing is seeing more response (positive) to patients that have had IL-2 prior to using their T-cell harvested cells. They told me currently there is a 36 year old female patient being treated and she is almost NED....she had lung lesions, did IL-2, and now is doing T-cell.

You're much more technical than I am, but I think that goes along w/ your hypothesis....the cells were pre-activated and then more responsive when the T-cells were used.

Well done my faithful servant!

Teri2007
=================================================================
Medarex, Inc. Manufacturer of the monoclonal antibodies

Dear Mr. Breitfeller:

Thank you for your email. It has been forwarded to our clinical development team.

We are continuing to develop Ipilimumab with Bristol-Myers Squibb and studies are ongoing.

Your interest is appreciated.

Best Regards,
Alicia Allen
Assistant to Christian Schade
Senior Vice President &
Chief Financial Officer
Medarex, Inc.

Guess Who got In touch with me??Melanoma ..Jim Breitfeller

Hint: Mr. CTLA-4 Himself, Dr. Luis Camacho in Texas!!!!

Back In 2005:

On 10-24-2005 when I was first diagnosed with melanoma, I contacted Dr. Luis H. Camacho who was currently at MD Anderson.

Subject: Paper on Antitumor Activity

“Luis Camacho, My name is Jim Breitfeller and I have recently been diagnosed with melanoma will need some sort of Ontological therapy after my surgery. I ran across an abstract of yours (Antitumor activity in Melanoma and anti-self responses in Phase 1 trials with the anti-Cyctotoxic T Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen 4 Monoclonal Antibody CP-675,206) in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Is it possible to get a copy of your paper? It can be emailed to the address below.”

Camacho response:

Dear James,
Thank you for your note. The CTLA4 antibodies in melanoma are currently under development and completing the approval process with the FDA (Phase II and Phase III). The overall response rates in my mind will be near 20-30% with a good number of patients attaining long term remissions. However, none of the programs are currently oriented to patients rendered NED (Stage III or IV). They are in fact for patients with advanced disease. From your brief introduction, I think your best options are to obtain an HLA typification and go for an adjuvant trial.

Please feel free to page me if you need further information. Pager is 713.404-5319
Best,

Luis
CP-675,206, a novel monoclonal antibody, enlists the immune system to fight advanced melanoma


Today:
Dear Jim,

Thanks for your note. You really refreshed my mind! I am glad things have worked out relatively well for you!. Did you get rid of your disease?. I am glad you are writing your story and hopefully inspiring a number of patients in dire need of hope. Let me know how can I help.

Kindest regards,

Luis


Now I can hopefully get Dr. Camacho to propose a Clinical Trial based on my success. This my Dream. As Bruce Springstein "I am working on a Dream".

And If I have the research right it may be one of the paths to the "YELLOW BRICK ROAD"

Jimmy B

As Paul Harvey would say, "Now Back to the Rest of the Story" Melanoma .. Jim Breitfeller

The Orchestration of an Inmmune Response Unrehearsed -Continued-

Day 29- 10/11/06, A couple of days ago, Dee noticed two new growths on my back. Iwas hoping for the best. Anyway, we got confirmation from the Hillman Center that it is 2 new tumors growing. This really stinks. I think it is time to take out the “Weed be Gone”. This is not what I was hoping to hear. It was decided that the CTLA-4 blockage therapy was to be terminated. My CD4+T cells were just about at maximum propagation.

Dr. Kirkwood, decided that the next line of defense would be Interleukin-2 (IL-2).

Results of early PROLEUKIN® IL-2 Clinical Trials

Year received FDA Approval 1998

Number of Patients 270 patientsNumber of Trials 8
Response In 16% of the patients, tumors shrank or disappeared as a result of PROLEUKIN® IL-2 therapy.

In 6% of the patients, the tumors disappeared completely.

Results From these trials, it was determined that a patient whose tumors completely disappeared from the treatment remained cancer-free for a median of 4.9 years.

I needed to washout the CTLA-4 blockage and have some test run before I would be accepted into the next trial. We know from the PK studies that it would take 42 days to eliminate the antibodies from my system.

Day 43-10/25/06, I got the results back from the Scans and it wasn’t good. The cancer is spreading in my lungs quite rapidly according to the CT scans. There are now over 40+ nodules ranging from 15 mm down to <>Day 50- 11/1/06, the first cycle of High dose Interleukin-2 (IL-2). It just so happen to be the maximum propagation of the CD8+ T cells. All of the anti-CTLA-4 is washed out. We also, most likely have the most CD4+ T reg cells. These are the cells that help regulate the immune response so it doesn’t go into overdrive and cause an autoimmune response.

If we reset the clock for the second therapy (LI-2), then we can follow the activation of the CD8+ T-cells. My body has become a big Erlenmeyer flask. Erlenmeyer flasks are used in microbiology for the preparation of microbial cultures.

So on day 50- 11/1/06, we innocuated my body with IL-2 – a growth factor. So based on the Itoh study, I should be activating the CD8+ T-cells into a mature state (TILs and LAK cells.) It should take roughly 50 days they would be at there maximum growth phase.

In Itoh’s study the cultures were supplemented every 5 days by replacing half the cultured medium with fresh medium containing (IL-2) as one of the supplements. My IL-2 additions were every 21 days. (Need the dose Information)

On 78th day 11/29/06, the second cycle of IL-2 was administered. It was pushed back a week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. I completed 8 doses which is the average that patients can withstand.

On day 93 12/14/06, I had another CT scan. I am trying to recover between cycles.

On day 98 12/19/06 we got the CT Scan Results: What a Christmas Present!!!!!! The tumors were shrinking!!!!!!!

Melissa’s Note:

I'm Christmas shopping.....but Heather called me with the results....I AM SOOOOO HAPPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPPPPPEEEEEE!!!!!!! Hope you have a wonderful holiday, and I'll see you soon :) :) :) :) Melissa

As you can see, the timing and the players of this Orchestration all fell into place. A single Bullet of Monoclonal antibodies started the whole sequence of events which lead to the restarting of my immune system. Without that bullet, there would have been no "Danger Signal"

"Melanoma and the Magic Bullet (Monoclonal Antibodies)"

This is dedicated to Leanne Schmall who lost the fight to the Beast, Melanoma

Jimmy B

Jimmy B

Remember I said HOMEWORK..HOMEWORK..HOMEWORK!!!!! ..Melanoma.. Jim Breitfeller

Guess whatI did this weekend!!!!!!



My Homework!!!!!!!


Jimmy B

I am back from my Punch Biopsy !!!! Melanoma .. Jim Breitfeller

Before I can be included in the Rose Bengal Clinical Trial, They want to know if the lesion is Melanoma. So, here are some pictures:

This was taken before CTLA-4 & IL-2 therapy.


Taken by my Wife (Dee) on 1/17/2009

Taken by my Wife (Dee) on 1/24/2009
5 days of 2% Mupirocin oinment twice a day

10 days of 2% Mupirocin oinment twice a day

You can see where my wide incision was and the Reoccurrence in the wide incision.One thing that is different, there is no height to the lesion. So is it stuck in the radial growth phase? Has it mutated more? Hopefully the pathology will tell us.


So, Dr. Richardson under the direction of Dr. Marc Brown did the punch biopsy. I did not feel a thing because there is no nerves there due to the surgery. They also froze some skin on mt chest that looked like it could be some basal cell. So Now We wait and see if it is indeed Melanoma.


Jimmy B

Jimmy B's Update. Melanoma .. Jim Breitfeller

You know from my messages, and I have told some people that I been researching Rose Bengal. The therapy originated downunder in Australia. It has to do with lesions.

Well,I have one that has not cleared up since 2006. The PET Scan shows no activity but I am question why it won't heal. It bleeds than scabs up and the scab falls off and bleeds again. It has been getting smaller.

Anyway I have been watching the information on Rose Bengal for over a couple of years. Well, The time has come to see if it is Melanoma

It is now in clinical trials in the States.


Phase 2 Study of Intralesional PV-10 for Metastatic Melanoma
This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified by Provectus Pharmaceuticals, December 2008
Sponsored by: Provectus Pharmaceuticals

Information provided by: Provectus Pharmaceuticals
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00521053

Purpose
The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of intralesional (IL) PV-10 for locoregional treatment of metastatic melanoma. This study will also include assessment of response in untreated bystander lesions following intralesional injection of PV-10 into targeted lesions. Additional objectives are to determine the safety profile of PV-10 following intralesional injection, and assess the pharmacokinetic profile of PV-10 in the bloodstream following intralesional injection.



Condition Intervention Phase
Melanoma
Drug: PV-10 (10% rose bengal disodium)
Phase II

I am having a needle biopsy done on February 3rd to check to see if it is
Melanoma.

Jimmy B

I got the "Clean and Green" from Dr. Marino .. Jim Breitfeller Melanoma

Well things look good so far. I do need to have my blood tested but I have to fast first so I will do that next week. So, I am back here with you trying to work out the puzzle.

Have a Great Weekend, My happy hour has started!!!!

Dinner = fish with Spinach
Desert = 2 bx of sugar free pudding Vanilla
1 container cool whip lite
1 can crushed pineapple 12 to 16 oz
1 pie crust (baked)

Mix together and refrigerate

ENJOY

jIMMY b

I am coming up for Air!!!

I am coming up for Air!!!

I have a Dr. appointment with my PCP (Dr. Marino)tomorrow at 10:30.
It is a check to see if eveything is still going well. I can't complain, see I've been jucing vegie's. I need all the protiens and Vitamins that I can. It gives me a sense that I am doing all I can to extend my journey here on earth.


Take care

Jimmy B