Kidney Cancer, Family, and the Right Combination: Rick's Immunotherapy Story

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07/10/23

Rick's family needed their father more than ever when he was diagnosed with kidney cancer, and he was able to be there thanks to a combination immunotherapy clinical trial.

In 2015, Rick saw his doctor with a bad cough. Months later his wife, Dixie, discovered a lump on his chest. After a biopsy and an initial misdiagnosis of breast cancer, Rick went to MD Anderson Cancer Center for a second opinion. In 2016, weak and hardly able to lift his two-year-old grandson, Rick learned he had stage IV kidney cancer. Dixie and their daughter, Katie, advocated for Rick to enroll in a clinical trial, combining immunotherapy drugs nivolumab (Opdivo®) and bevacizumab (Avastin®). After Rick’s third infusion, CT scans showed "dramatic results—the chest tumor had shrunk by 40% and the liver tumor by 25%." Rick sees his doctor for scans every four months and has not received any cancer treatment for the past 18 months. He is grateful to have his life back, to return to full-time work as an engineer, and to be "pop-pop" to his three grandchildren. https://www.cancerresearch.org/patients #CancerPatientStories

This video is part of the 7th Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month™ in June 2019, 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..../join-the-cause/canc #Immune2Cancer #CIM19

Immunotherapy patient stories are part of 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

Sync ID: MB01MQRMUZNQZUB

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Rick passed away on March 11, 2020, from a brain tumor. Dixie shared with the Cancer Research Institute, “We are so grateful that immunotherapy and the clinical trial at MD Anderson gave Rick four amazing additional years. We had three grandchildren born during that time; one on an infusion day. ” In addition to being a loving father and grandfather, Rick was very involved in his community, dedicating time to mentor many young engineers. Dixie feels passionate about cancer patient advocacy and hopes that Rick’s message will continue to inspire those impacted by cancer.