Cancer Immunotherapy Patient Perspectives Panel at the 2021 CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit

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Four cancer veterans share stories about their diagnosis and treatment journeys, immunotherapy, clinical trials, and survivorship. #CRIsummit #CancerStories #Immunotherapy https://summit.cancerresearch.org/ • 00:00- Tamron Hall introduces Gordon, Mike, Sonia, and Stephen • 00:37- Stephen starts off the panel discussion • 41:10- The panel takes questions from the audience • Questions from the audience answered by the panel: • I'm an almost 5-year cancer survivor. I am very sensitive and even sad when people say positive things to me like, You beat cancer. Is that normal for cancer survivors? • How scary was it to start a trial (before FDA approval)? • Gordon Levine, Colon Cancer Veteran • In November 2014, Gordon learned that he had a malignant tumor in his colon. Gordon underwent surgery and chemotherapy, which put him into two two-year remissions. In early 2018, the cancer came back again, this time having also spread to the abdomen, liver, lung, and bone. He received the immunotherapy combination of nivolumab (Opdivo®) and ipilimumab (Yervoy®) and his treatment ended in the summer of 2020, having resulted in the eradication of all of the cancer save for a resistant area in the sigmoid colon. In the spring of 2021, Gordon underwent surgery to remove the remaining disease and create a permanent ostomy. His most recent scan confirmed no evidence of disease – an incredible accomplishment after a very long journey. https://www.cancerresearch.org/patien... • • Mike Blevins, Kidney Cancer Veteran • In 2019, Mike Blevins felt a deep, sharp pain in his side and went to a nearby hospital, where he was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He was recommended for a clinical trial combining two immunotherapies: ipilimumab (Yervoy®) and nivolumab (Opdivo®). Over the course of 10 months, the tumor shrank from 7.8cm to just about 3cm. After two years of stability, the tumors started to grow again and he began a new regimen combining a different immunotherapy, pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), with chemotherapy. Recently retired, Mike now enjoys time with his kids and grandchildren, grateful to his family for their lifesaving advice and support along the way. https://www.cancerresearch.org/patien... • • Sonia Su, Lymphoma Veteran • Sonia was diagnosed with primary mediastinal large B cell lymphoma at age 24. When her second treatment failed to keep Sonia in remission, she underwent CAR T cell therapy in March 2019 and has been in remission since. Inspired by her personal journey, she is now leading her own cancer nonprofit, Kits to Heart, to bring smiles and solidarity to those affected by cancer. https://www.cancerresearch.org/patien... • • Stephen Estrada, Colorectal Cancer Veteran • In 2014, at 28 years old, Stephen Estrada was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and told he had a 1 percent chance of living for the next five years. He underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and a NanoKnife procedure, which ultimately failed. At this point, Stephen worked with his oncologist to research other treatment options for colorectal cancer patients with Lynch Syndrome. He enrolled in a phase 1 clinical trial combining chemotherapy with the immunotherapy atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ®). Since beginning immunotherapy over seven years ago, his disease has remained stable. Stephen has married, bought a home, and become an advocate for fellow cancer patients as well as a CRI ImmunoAdvocate. https://www.cancerresearch.org/patien... • The 2021 CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit is part of the Cancer Research Institute's Answer to Cancer Patient Education Program. It was offered free of charge, connecting cancer patients and caregivers with scientific and medical experts. This year’s Summit highlighted the growing implications of immunotherapy for more than 10 cancer types, provided education on the basics of immunotherapy and how clinical trials work, and addressed cancer care disparities. https://www.cancerresearch.org/en-us/... • 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.

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