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‘Well? What do you think?’ Jake couldn’t wait a second longer.
‘There’s some good research here, and some interesting trials, but …’ He ran his hands through what was left of his hair, mirroring the gesture Jake had long ago picked up from him.
‘But what?’ Jake’s voice was clipped and tense.
‘I’m sorry, son. I’m just not seeing what you think you are.’
‘You’re saying there’s nothing?’
‘I don’t think so.’ He shook his head sadly.
‘What about the German study?’
‘It was interesting, and I think we’re only going to see an increase in the use of immunotherapies, but the chemotherapy they are preferencing is similar in make-up to the treatments Summer has reacted to badly in the past. The doses necessary to achieve chemical remission before the immunotherapy can be used, in Summer’s case, would be very high. As she’s already had failed remission, it would have to be consecutive sequential administration, not contiguous.’
‘So the treatment would probably be dangerous.’
‘Almost definitely.’ He accepted the steaming mug from his wife with a smile. ‘Sadly, I don’t think they would accept her. In fact, I’m sure of it. She’s too late stage.’
‘I liked the MRNA one in New York, but I think the roll-out will be too late to help Summer,’ Jake mused aloud.
‘Agreed.’ Tom shook his head sadly. ‘But for other children – and adults – in the future, it’s potentially very exciting.
‘Instead of focussing on the ones that won’t work, why don’t you tell us which one you thought was most promising, and you and your dad can discuss it in more detail,’ Julie suggested.
‘The Massachusetts one,’ Jake replied, after a few moments of thought. ‘If I understood it right, the chemo when paired with the monoclonal antibody seemed to incite less negative reactions, even among patients that had experienced them before. And I don’t think Summer’s had that type of chemo either – though I’m trying to translate my animal knowledge into human, and American brands into British generic familial.’
‘I doubt she would have been given it before. It’s a very harsh drug, especially for someone so young, and she’s already had circulatory issues.’ Tom flipped through Summer’s red treatment record booklets. ‘The chemo in question – it can do a lot of damage to the point of leaking out of veins and causing damage as it’s administered. I doubt it would be possible to give it in high enough doses safely to make any difference.’ He closed the book. ‘But you’re right, she’s not been tried on it.’
‘What really interested me with that one is that they’ve already taken patients with recurrent illness, and the combination of their prototype drugs mean they’ve been able to reduce the inductive chemotherapy doses. And if she’s not had that drug before, it could work, couldn’t it?’
‘In theory, yes.’ Tom’s response relieved some of the knot in Jake’s stomach.
‘So if they lowered the chemo dose alongside the other meds, that would make it safer? Maybe safe enough?’
‘In theory.’ Tom nodded slowly.
‘Have you seen the phase 3 trial results? Even with patients with high risk, stage 4 cancer they’re reporting a two-year event-free survival rate above eighty per cent.’
‘Really? I don’t remember seeing that.’ Tom started flicking through pages at a rate that was far too slow for Jake’s liking.
‘Give them here.’ He just about managed to not snatch the papers from his dad, but only just. He skimmed through the papers as fast as he could, looking for the paragraphs he needed.
‘Here. 86.4 per cent were event-free two years after they started the trial.’
‘That is very, very promising.’
‘And you think this drug could work for Summer?’
Tom sighed. ‘I’m not an oncologist, Jake.’
‘No, but you’re very good, and you’ve looked at her case and the study. I’m asking what you think, Dad.’
‘I think I would like to put in a call to Summer’s oncologist.’ He took the papers back. ‘I don’t know how this could have been missed …’ He continued flicking before freezing over one page. ‘Oh.’
‘What, what’s the matter?’
‘Jake, I don’t know how to tell you this, but this can’t help Summer.’
