Immunotherapy Saved My Life: Michaela's Colon Cancer Story

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07/06/23

“Fill your toolbox.” Michaela researched different treatment options for colorectal cancer, contacted oncologists and clinical trial leaders, asked questions about immunotherapy, and advocated for herself to get the best care possible. #CIM21 #Immune2Cancer #CancerStory

In 2016, Michaela gifted herself with an appointment with a genetic counselor to gain insight into why her immediate as well as several extended family members had been diagnosed and subsequently died of cancer. The genetic counselor found she has Lynch syndrome, an inherited mutation that leads to cancers of the colon and uterus at an early age. Two months later, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and given 1-2 years to live. Michaela and her family did not accept this prognosis and, armed with their knowledge of Lynch syndrome, found an immunotherapy clinical trial of pembrolizumab (Keytruda®). After roughly one year on the trial, she has no trace of cancer in her colon. Today, Michaela introduces herself as a Mother Warrior Cancer Survivor: the first survivor in three generations on her mother’s Isleta Pueblo bloodline. https://www.cancerresearch.org..../patients/immunocomm

This video is part of the 9th Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month™ in June 2021, hosted by the Cancer Research Institute. Help us raise awareness of the lifesaving potential of immunotherapy for all types of cancer. Let's fuel the next scientific discoveries and breakthrough treatments through learning, engagement, and storytelling. https://www.cancerresearch.org/june #Immune2Cancer

Immunotherapy patient stories are part of the Cancer Research Institute's Answer to Cancer Patient Education Program. Established in 1953, the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to harnessing our immune system’s power to control and potentially cure all cancers. Our mission: Save more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all types of cancer. To accomplish this, we rely on donor support and collaborative partnerships to fund and carry out the most innovative clinical and laboratory research around the world, support the next generation of the field’s leaders, and serve as the trusted source of information on immunotherapy for cancer patients and their caregivers. https://www.cancerresearch.org

Cancer Research Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit under EIN 13-1837442. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable under the law.