>> BETSY SYKES: WE HAVE A PHONE CALL FROM KERNERSVILLE.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT CALL AND SEE WHAT THE VIEWER IN
KERNERSVILLE-- THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT
KERNERSVILLE GO AHEAD, YOU'RE ON THE PROGRAM.
>> KERNERSVILLE CALLER: HEY, I JUST ACTUALLY HAVE A QUICK
QUESTION. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER IN NOVEMBER, AND IT IS
MELANOMA. I WAS JUST WONDERING, IS THERE ANY SPECIAL AREAS RIGHT NOW
THAT ARE DOING ANY SPECIAL STUDIES WITH THE MELANOMA?
>> BETSY SYKES: CLINICAL TRIALS YOU MEAN?
>> KERNERSVILLE CALLER: YES.
>> BETSY SYKES: ANYONE HERE ON THE PANEL KNOW?
>> JEAN SELLERS: I CAN SPEAK TO THAT, AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO CERTAINLY SEEK
OUT IF THERE ARE CLINICAL TRIALS AVAILABLE FOR YOU NEAR
KERNERSVILLE, BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE YOU CAN CHECK THAT OUT
AT BAPTIST WAKE FOREST MEDICAL CENTER, FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE
THAT'S CLOSE TO YOU. I CAN SPEAK TO SAY THAT LANCE
ARMSTRONG WOULD NOT BE ALIVE TODAY HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE PEOPLE
THAT WERE ACTUALLY ENROLLED IN CLINICAL TRIALS BEFORE HE WAS EVER
DIAGNOSED WITH TESTICULAR CANCER, SO OF COURSE I'M A
VERY BIG PROPONENT OF HAVING PEOPLE DEFINITELY INVESTIGATE AND SEE IF
THEY ARE AVAILABLE. OFTENTIMES TOO IT'S HELPFUL FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT STAGE YOUR MELANOMA WAS AT. BECAUSE MELANOMA IS LIKE SOME CANCERS
AND CAN BE CURED THROUGH SURGERY. IF IT IS CAUGHT EARLY
ENOUGH. THERE IS A LOT OF QUESTIONS I DON'T KNOW, THAT I CAN'T HELP
YOU WITH, BUT AS YOU BEING AN ADVOCATE IN GETTING A COPY OF
THE REPORT AND ACTUALLY SITTING DOWN WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN AND
ASKING QUESTIONS, AND THEN PURSUING THE OTHER OPTIONS BASED
UPON YOUR OFFICE DISCUSSION. I'D CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO
GO THAT ROUTE.
>> ANGELA ESTEVA: I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT. WE ALSO AT THE
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY FULLY ENCOURAGE THE FACT AND IMPORTANCE
OF CLINICAL TRIALS, BECAUSE THESE ARE CRUCIAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
NEW DRUGS. AND WE AT THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY HAVE A CLINICAL
TRIALS MATCHING SERVICE WHICH IS A FREE, CONFIDENTIAL PROGRAM THAT
HELPS PATIENTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS FIND
CLINICAL TRIALS APPROPRIATE TO THEIR SITUATION. I HAVE A 800 NUMBER
TO CALL IN ORDER TO ACCESS THIS SERVICE, 1-800-303-5691, OR, AGAIN, THROUGH
OUR WEBSITE AT cancer.org.
>> BETSY SYKES: AND KERNERSVILLE, ARE YOU STILL THERE?
>> KERNERSVILLE CALLER: I AM.
>> BETSY SYKES: WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS HAVE YOU STAY ON THE LINE
THERE FOR A MOMENT, AND WE'LL HAVE THE FOLKS WHO ANSWER THE PHONES GET
THAT PHONE NUMBER TO YOU, SO YOU CAN CALL THAT PHONE NUMBER
DIRECTLY AND FIND OUT IF YOU DO FIT, FIT THE CATEGORY OR
CRITERIA FOR ONE OF THE CLINICAL TRIALS THAT MAY BE GOING ON
RIGHT NOW.
