Mesothelioma Survivor Profile: David Vanderhyde
OF NOTE: The Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute would like to express their heartfelt thanks to David and Pilar Vanderhyde for their gift of $100,000 in support of mesothelioma research at the Punch Worthington Research Laboratory, funded by PHLBI. Diagnosis and Treatment David Vanderhyde was diagnosed with pleural malignant mesothelioma (epithelial type – epithelium are tissue membranes that line the internal organs), in October 2006, and was instructed by his oncologist to begin chemotherapy right away. A month later, he began the standard regimen of Alimta with Cisplatin, however, his oncologist included a non-standard targeted therapy drug as well called Avastin (Bevacizumab), which is not a chemotherapy drug but rather an anti-angiogenesis therapy. Anti-angiogenics are drugs that inhibit blood vessel formation, and blood vessel formation is critical for tumors to grow — it’s like their food supply. Research has shown that in some instances, Avastin may prevent blood vessel formation in some types of tumors.
ANTI-ANGIOGENIC DRUGS: Anti-angiogenics are drugs that inhibit blood vessel formation, and blood vessel formation is critical for tumor to grow — it’s like their food supply. After his six rounds of chemotherapy, PET scans revealed that the chemo was effectively reducing the size of the tumors in David’s chest. His oncologist extended treatment for two more rounds, but without Cisplatin, due to a bad reaction after round six. David finished in May 2007, and starting researching mesothelioma treatments on the web. After noting repeated references to the expertise and skill of Dr. Robert Cameron, Executive Medical scientific advisor of Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, David made an appointment with Dr. Cameron.
Dr. Robert Cameron performs Pleurectomy with Decortication
Dr. Cameron informed David that while chemotherapy helped reduce the size of his tumors, a surgical procedure to remove the remaining tumor, known as a Pleurectomy with Decortication (P/D), might both extend his life and give him a better quality of life.
Dr. Cameron’s ”Less is More” approach to surgery: Perform Pleurectomy with Decortication, and resect (remove) the pleural lining around the lung, without disturbing tumor-free organs inside the chest, as opposed to the radical, highly invasive Extrapleural Pneumonectomy, a surgery that removes the entire lung, part of the membrane lining the thoracic wall, the diaphragm and the pericardium.
On June 7, 2007, David underwent the eight hour procedure with Dr. Cameron. Once inside, Dr. Cameron saw tumor growing around the heart, so the lining of the pericardium (heart sac) was also resected.
Approximately three weeks after his surgery, David was feeling so good, he took a long walk along the Santa Monica Pier. Later that night he woke up with a fluttering heart and high blood pressure. Doctors put him on Lopresor to restore his normal heart rate.
In July 2007, David inhaled for a deep cough to clear the phlegm causing his scratchy throat. Phlegm occasionally occurs after surgery for mesothelioma patients and can range from moderate to severe congestion. David coughed with such force that he opened the surgical stitches on his left side.
David’s wife Pilar immediately drove him to a nearby San Diego emergency room where doctors attempted to put steristrips over the wound. Within minutes of leaving the ER, David could feel the strips loosening, so the Vanderhydes drove straight to UCLA.
At UCLA, doctors found an infection had developed, so they couldn’t re-stitch his side. Instead, David had a “wound vac” attached to his side for over four months. A “wound vac” gently and continuously drains the open wound so that it can heal quickly — without the machine, healing could have taken up to a year. Pilar became an expert at packing the wound with sponges, then bandaging the top until it eventually healed.
David continued his regular visits to Dr. Cameron who recommended radiation with Dr. Michael Selch, also at UCLA. David’s PET scans in November 2007 showed good results, though David was concerned about the four month delay in radiation due to the blown stitches.
David completed his radiation, then began nightly injections of interferon alpha as maintenance therapy beginning April 24, 2008. David usually keeps a very positive attitude and outlook on all aspects of life, however, while he was on interferon, he noticed that he felt extremely fatigued, which caused depression. He did not want to get out of bed. David found it difficult to summon the optimism he often relied upon during his treatments.
Depression and fatigue are common side effects associated with interferon alpha. Usually these symptoms (and possibly flu-like side effects) disappear after a few days. David continued the interferon treatments, but after three weeks of worsening depression and fatigue, David and Dr. Cameron decided to stop the drug. Two days later, David noticed that he was feeling better and was a little more upbeat.
In October, 2008, a CT scan revealed some micronodules in David’s right lung, however, after four rounds of chemotherapy, Dr. Cameron says the nodules look fainter, and may be receding. When David is finished with chemotherapy, he is going to try the interferon injections again, but at a lower dosage.
“Never Surrender”
Despite the hardships during treatment, David plans to set an example by continuing to fight the good fight and never surrender. He often says he can’t wait to share his story about being a 10 year survivor! He hopes to inspire others to donate their time and money to the efforts of the Pacific Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, as “[they] believe in trying to find a cure for this so-called incurable disease.”
Pilar Vanderhyde’s Tips for stress reduction:
*Draw on your personal relationship with God, in whatever form you perceive God to exist.
*We watched a video called ‘The Secret’, which is all about positive thinking, and positive thinking is why David is alive today. A thoracic surgeon in San Diego told us that David’s cancer was inoperable, and there were no options. We decided to do some research on our own, and an interesting thing happened: Dr. Cameron’s name kept coming up, not only on the web, but also from the daughter-in-law of a friend, an attorney, and other oncologists. Be sure to explore your options, even if someone tells you “nothing can be done.”
*Find things that make you smile, and, if you really like the rain, like I do, make a fool out of yourself and go dance in the rain
August 15, 2009