Client Story
How PHM helped Kathy with innovative treatment built around other health factors.
Kathy, an active woman in her 60s, was battling an aggressive form of thyroid cancer that had spread to her lungs.
The typical treatment for thyroid cancer is radioactive iodine. The thyroid absorbs nearly all the iodine in the body and radioactive iodine works as a targeted therapy. For most patients, iodine is not overly abundant in the body and is present at safe levels.
But Kathy had excessive iodine in her system, which meant she needed to find another therapy quickly. She called PHM.
An important first step was to address why Kathy’s body was accumulating iodine. PHM identified that a medication called amiodarone was the cause. The medication was adjusted to reduce the iodine levels, but her PHM Personal Care Team knew that the change would take time. Kathy needed immediate action to treat her aggressive cancer.
PHM worked with her physician to find an innovative treatment for her cancer and helped enroll her in a promising clinical trial combining two drugs. This combination was supported by molecular diagnostics performed on Kathy’s tumor tissue.
Kathy also has Lynch syndrome — an inherited genetic condition which increases cancer risk, but also increases the effectiveness of some immunotherapy treatments. This not only supported her clinical trial combination but also helped point to additional options, ranging from new combinations of therapies to the use of cancer.
Kathy’s case shows the importance of staying ahead of disease while exploring options beyond typical care. PHM built a bridge that allows her to continue effective treatments, circle back to standard therapies, and unlock new alternatives.
Throughout her treatment, Kathy has faced obstacles, but she has maintained a positive outlook and has been a strong advocate for herself and her health.
To learn more from PHM experts about clinical trials, download our information guide.
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