Pelotonia-Funded Research Sends 83-Year-Old ManInto Remission

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July 15, 2014 7:55 am

Burden “Brent” Brunthall, 83, of Seattle, Wash., learned he had stage 4 cancer of the carotid gland in 2010.After surgery to remove his salivary gland, followed by an aggressive radiation therapy regimen, doctorsbelieved his cancer was in remission. Unfortunately, it showed up in his lymph nodes nine months later.

Brunthall knew from his original workup that his tumor was human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(HER-2) positive. With the help of his daughter – a gastrointestinal oncologist in the Seattle area – heimmediately began searching for clinical trials and found an experimental HER-2 vaccine study led byPravin Kaumaya, PhD, at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James CancerHospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).

Brunthall made the cross-country flight to the OSUCCC – James to determine his eligibility for the trial andreceived his first vaccination in June 2012. Since that time, his only cancer treatment has been theexperimental vaccine. At the end of his fourth visit to Columbus in December 2013, his OSUCCC – Jamesoncologist, Tanios Bekaii-Saab, MD, informed him he was in remission.

“When Dr. Saab told me my cancer cells had shrunk and I was in remission, to say the news was wellbeyond my expectations is an understatement,” Brunthall said. “Being part of this trial has given me hope –especially for others who will face cancer in the future. If my involvement in research can help others avoidsome pretty horrible chemotherapy, I’ve done my part.”

Brent travels back to Columbus every six months for diagnostic testing and to receive his experimentalvaccine. He’s happy to report that he’s experienced no noticeable side effects of treatment and he isn’tunder any restrictions that impact his quality of life.

“A lot of times cancer hits people in the prime of their life. But if an old guy, 83 years old, can go intoremission with a vaccine,” Brunthall says, “I think that is a pretty exciting statement about the strength ofthis research.”

The HER-2 vaccine study at the OSUCCC – James, funded in part by Pelotonia, targets two cell-surfacereceptors that help sustain many types of cancer and two specific regions of the human epidermal growthfactor receptor 2 (HER-2), a molecule that occurs at abnormally high levels in up to 30 percent of breastcancers.

To support cancer research like this study at the OSUCCC – James, ride, donate or volunteer for Pelotoniaby visiting http://www.pelotonia.org.