'A whole new person': Alberta-made clinical trial leaves patient cancer-free

The Alberta Cancer Foundation marked World Cancer Day 2022 in part with the recognition of a life-saving, made-in-Alberta clinical trial.

Donato Bernardo was diagnosed with leukemia at age 27. He would eventually undergo chemotherapy, radiation, and a stem cell transplant over five years before doctors informed him he was out of treatment options in 2020.

Shortly after, Bernardo would become the second person in Alberta to participate in a clinical trial at the Cross Cancer Institute – and the first to go into remission following the treatment.

“This was a hail Mary,” he said. “But I had nothing to lose.”

A LOCAL OPTION

CAR T-Cell therapy involves removing a patient's T-Cells, genetically altering them, and replacing them.

“Essentially, we’re harnessing the patient’s own immune system to be able to fight against their cancer again,” oncologist Dr. Michael Chu said.

CAR T-Cell therapy is normally available through pharmaceutical companies. The cells must be removed, sent to the company (sometimes across the border), and manipulated. They are then frozen and sent back, which can not only take weeks, but may erode the quality of the cells.

“Think of the grocery analogy,” Chu said. “Fresh is usually better than frozen.”

The Cross Cancer trial undertakes every part of the procedure, meaning patients are able to have their cells replaced within 14 days, never frozen. Cutting out the middleman also ensures that all of the data used in the process belongs to local doctors, so even if the treatment is not successful, they can learn from it.

“What we’re starting to find out is that there are indicators and signs before we even treat patients to see who’s going to have a good outcome, and who’s not,” said Chu, “These are things we would not have had access to had we been doing it the more traditional route.”

For Bernardo, the outcome was not only good, it was the best he could have hoped for – in the spring of 2021, he was declared cancer-free.

“I just felt like a whole new person,” Bernardo said. “I knew I had a long road ahead, but it’s a road that I’m going to be alive for.”

A PROVINCE-WIDE PROGRAM

Currently, the localized version of the therapy is still in a clinical phase. It has been used to treat eight Edmonton patients, and only as a last resort. The doctors involved hope to change that by expanding the program to Calgary, as well as treat pediatric patients by the end of 2022.

Doctors are optimistic that the treatment could be effective in treating many common forms of cancer, and could be used sooner after a diagnosis. This would not only spare patients the side effects of other treatments, it could increase the likelihood of having their story end like Bernardo’s.

 “Without any other therapy, all of these patients are expected to die very quickly of their disease,” Chu said. “So to be able to provide them a treatment … a treatment that has a cure potential, obviously is very rewarding.”

“We won’t be able to cure everybody, but at the same time if we can even save some of those folks, that’s obviously already a win.”

The Alberta Cancer Foundation is a fundraising partner of the 17 Alberta Health Services cancer centres across the province, including the Cross Cancer Institute.