Explaining My Treatment - The Battle Within, Simplified

I’m getting two types of treatment, a “targeted therapy” drug and a regular chemotherapy drug.  Based on how the treatment was explained to me, here’s how I simplified it in anecdotal terms for the boys I teach on Sundays.  I’m picturing a battlefield within my body.

My basic problem is that enemy cells, i.e. lymphoma cancer cells, have made it past the white cell defenders at some point.  To make matters worse, these cancer cells have managed to mask themselves so that they convince the white cells that they are friend, not foe, and the white cells take no action.  In the meantime, the lymphoma cells wreak havoc, rapidly dividing and messing with the lymph nodes.  The swelling in my lymph nodes was the outward indicator that something was amiss inside, in spite of my white cells not taking action. 

Enter Rituxan, an elite defender, a targeted therapy drug.  Rituxan is infused into the bloodstream and specifically seeks out the lymphoma cells, and a Rituxan cell actually attaches itself to the lymphoma cell.  Once attached, the Rituxan alerts the white blood cells that the lymphoma cells are not friend but foe, and the white cells take them out.  It’s as if on the battlefield, Rituxan sneaks into the enemy tent and suddenly turns on the lights, the stereo, and a roadrunner shows up holding a sign with a big arrow pointing at the tent that says “Enemy! – Commence Fire!”  This battle began immediately when I received the drugs.  It may be my imagination, but I actually think some of my nodes have already reduced in swelling.

The second defender, old fashioned chemotherapy,  is on a mission to seek and destroy rapidly dividing cells.  The good news is that cancer cells are rapidly dividing.  The bad news is, other cells such bone marrow, digestive tract, and hair follicles are also rapidly dividing cells, and they get attacked in the battle as well.  That’s why a lot of patients lose their hair eventually. 

So I have an elite force seeking specific lymphoma cells, and a bomb squad blowing up anything in its way that rapidly divides.  It’s like a video game inside my body.

On a technical basis, the Rituxan tips off the white blood cells because it contains some type of genetic protein taken from mice.  Yeah, I had to hear that twice myself.  Mice.  It attaches itself to the lymphoma cells and the presence of the mouse material attached to the human cell immediately identifies the cancer cell as an enemy mutant worthy of destruction.

What an amazing drug.  This world needs fewer Wall Street moneychangers and more scientists.