Category: Hallwang Clinic Reviews

As you know, triple negative breast cancer is hard to treat and prognosis is often poor. But luckily, new advances have been made in cancer immunotherapy to help people with this diagnosis. Unfortunately, not everybody meets the criteria to enter clinical trials using new immunotherapeutics. We are happy to share Isabelle‘s encouraging experience at our clinic and we are so happy she is doing so well! In France she could only be offered palliative chemo and now she has achieved complete remission after 5 months of combined treatments Congratulations!

Isabelle, France:
“I was diagnosed at age 40 with a stage II triple negative cancer in both breasts, with BRACA mutation. Despite the heavy treatments I received successively (neoadjuvant chemotherapy, mastectomy and lumpectomy, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy), my cancer continued to progress very rapidly and metastasized to different parts of the body (liver, bones and ganglions). At this stage, I was proposed a palliative chemotherapy to slowdown the evolution of the disease, provided that my body was responsive to it. I had heard of a promising treatment with immunotherapy for triple negative breast cancer. But the only way to obtain this treatment in France was to integrate one of the clinical trials. Unfortunately they were refused because I did not fit the criteria of the studies. Thus, after launching a crowdfunding campaign, I decided to go to Germany in november 2018 for new treatment options. Indeed, I knew a french patient with a diagnosis very close of mine who was successfully treated there. After less than 5 months of targeted immunotherapy and personalised treatment in Hallwang combined with a chemotherapy in France, I am now in complete remission. Youpi !”

Here an open letter from one of our patients about her experience at our clinic. Vicki, thank you so much for your encouraging and uplifting letter! It is for patients like you that we go all the way and continue our work!

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Hello there I have seen some bad press lately about the clinic and just thought I would send a message of thanks and appreciation to all of you. Not only have I had healing from my treatments at Hallwang but I have met some of the most amazing people – Drs, nurses, and office staff. I feel so loved and supported there I think that could be enough to heal someone. I am so blessed to be able to have been given the opportunity for treatment at Hallwang.

I just wanted to say thank you for all you have done for me. When I arrived back in Dec I had so much bone pain I couldn’t stand up straight or take a deep breath. I was weak and needed help to walk a distance. I was thin and had lost a lot of weight. I was doing so poorly the family had flown my kids out to Germany to spend Christmas with me because I wasn’t sure we would have another to spend together. After receiving treatment at Hallwang that has changed. I feel very well. My pain is gone. My weight is back to normal and I am much stronger. I saw my US doctor last week and he said I look better than he has ever seen me look (he has been my doctor for 10 + years). Thank you for putting up with all my crazy philosophies on health and the questioning I do. You are always understanding and open to what I ask and say. I appreciate that so much. There are not many doctors that are as kind and understanding as you (or have such a great sense of humor).

Many doctors are too scared of what others might think to offer treatments that go beyond the conventional “standard of care” Many heroic doctors and scientist in history – that have achieved outstanding things in this world – had to go against the conventions of society and ignore what the ignorant say and continue on with their life’s work. Know you are a hero to me with the work you are doing.

I am sorry to hear of the negative press the clinic has gotten. These are the times when the tough stay strong and show what they are made of.

Looking forward to seeing again you soon!
Victoria

We came to the Hallwang oncology clinic because Alice was treated in France for a very aggressive relapse of a triple negative breast cancer in April 2016. Unfortunately the chemotherapy treatment given in France gave no result and it was impossible to have an immunotherapy in France either in a clinical trial or directly. After 8 weeks of targeted immunotherapy treatment in Hallwang combined with a chemotherapy in France, Alice has been in a almost complete remission in august 2016. Targeted immunotherapy is continued and Alice is in complete remission at the date of may 6 2019 since 17 months.

Nous sommes venus à la clinique d’oncologie Hallwang car Alice était traitée en France pour une récidive très agressive d’un cancer du sein triple négatif en Avril 2016. Malheureusement le traitement de chimiothérapie entrepris en France n’a donné aucun résultat et il était impossible d’entreprendre une immunothérapie en France soit dans un essai clinique soit directement.

Après 8 semaines de traitement d’immunothérapie jointe à un vaccin à Hallwang, combiné avec une chimiothérapie en France, Alice s’est trouvée en rémission presque complète en Août 2016. L’immunothérapie et le vaccin sont poursuivis et Alice est en rémission complète au 6 mai 2019 depuis 17 mois.

In 2016, we posted very encouraging results from one of our breast cancer patients – S. (wants to stay anonymous). She arrived first in June 2016 in our clinic, after having received the devastating diagnosis of left-sided breast cancer with lymph node metastases.

Already in October 2016, a tumor mass could not be identified anymore and S. achieved complete remission. She underwent breast-conserving surgical treatment with axillary lymphadenectomy and continued maintenance immunotherapy including antibody treatment every 3 to 6 months with one day of treatment. Her latest PET-CT-Scan results from last month revealed no evidence of metastasizing or secondary tumor, and S. remains in complete remission status. S. is happy to share the results, and we are so happy for you S.!

*4 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF COMPLETE REMISSION*

We would like to share the wonderful news with you that Minkara, who was diagnosed with refractory relapsed Stage IV ovarian cancer, is now 4 years in complete remission under immunotherapy. Minkara N., was diagnosed with metastatic ovarian cancer, and after surgery she received chemotherapy – Taxol, Avastin, Gemcitabine and Caelyx. Unfortunately, MRI showed persistent pelvic metastasis and so Minkara came to the Hallwang Clinic for further treatment. Initially, in 2013, a transarterial chemoembolization was performed and she received antibody treatment, whereupon remission status was reached. Treatment was escalated to different checkpoints on several occasions together with further specific immunotherapy (tumor tissue was analyzed thoroughly before treatment). Minkara reached complete remission in 2015, and four! years later we are happy to confirm that she is still in complete remission. We are so happy that targeted cancer immunotherapy has been working for you, Minkara!

We already reported about Minkara early this year and are happy to share the updated news with you that she is still in complete remission thanks to a combined immunotherapeutic treatment strategy.

We received good news for one of our patients and are happy to share these with you on Bruce’s behalf.

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Bruce was diagnosed in May 2013 with stage IIIC malignant melanoma of his right foot with a micrometastastic disease in 1/7 lymph nodes from the right popliteal and groin area. In July of the same year, a dissection took place and Bruce decided to not receive the adjuvant interferon treatment, before he underwent a new biopsy in October 2013, confirming progressive disease. A few of the skin metastases were resected, and he underwent hyperthermic limb perfusion therapy. Unfortunately, in February 2014, the disease progressed even further. Analysis of Bruce’s tumor biopsy showed a BRAF-V600E mutation.

So he started on the BRAF/MEK inhibitor dabrafenib and trametinib, which he took for nearly a year and a half. In July 2015, a restaging scan was unfortunately suggestive of disease progression, so Bruce started checkpoint-antibody treatment with nivolumab. Unfortunately, three months under this treatment, Bruce developed a grade III colitis (inflammation of the colon), that needed to be treated with corticosteroids. Disappointingly, Bruce was no longer able to continue the treatment. Once he fully recovered, he started on vemurafenib and cobimetinib (a different BRAF/MEK-inhibitor) treatment in January 2016, and searched for further options – and contacted our team at the Hallwang clinic.

At the Hallwang Clinic, we started with a thorough diagnostic approach and first screened Bruce’s tumor tissue for tumor associated antigens in order to identify potential therapeutic targets. Bruce’s tumor tissue was tested positive for expression of Melan-A and Survivin. When Bruce visited us in April 2016 for the first time, we discussed a treatment with a so called trifunctional antibody approach – targeting anti-GD2. GD2 is a marker which is expressed on tumors of neuroectodermal origin, and thus often found in melanoma patients, as well as in patients with neuroblastoma and different kinds of sarcomas. To evaluate Bruce’s eligibility for this treatment, a blood analysis for circulating-GD2 positive cells was performed, showing that his tumor was highly GD2-positive (3+). Having completed all diagnostic steps and after careful evaluation, Bruce started on a combined immunotherapeutic approach targeting TAA’s in combination with anti-GD2 treatment and the BRAF/MEK-inhibitor. Since then, Bruce is visiting us every three months for three days, continuing his treatment strategy. Bruce has now achieved and maintained a “no evidence of disease“ status (NED) for about 2 and 1/2 years now, and 5 years since diagnosis!! We are so happy for you, Bruce! Continue on this path!

Mark, a 45-year old patient at our clinic, has been diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer with metastases in the liver and lung. Mark was first diagnosed in 2016 and after chemotherapy and antibody treatment in the UK, he came to the Hallwang clinic in 2018 with progressive disease. At Hallwang, a combined immunotherapeutic strategy was initiated – with success. His recent CT scan showed significant tumor burden reduction and Mark is now being evaluated for local ablation of the residual tumor

We would like to share with you Jayden’s story.

Jayden was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme just last year, one month before his 17th birthday. He had to undergo surgery and combined radiotherapy with temozolomide. Temozolomide was then discontinued, as the tumor reocurred, and another surgery was performed followed by chemotherapy. In the last months, Jayden´s condition worsened rapidly with increased immobility and loss of vision. He was unable to open his left eye. That is when Jayden first came to the Hallwang Clinic, and was started on a combined immunotherapeutic strategy.

Now, 2 months later, Jayden’s condition has improved, he has started moving his legs and arms again, and is able to open his left eye occasionally. It is still a way to go, but we are happy Jayden is gaining more strength every day now.

Refractory relapsed Stage IV ovarian cancer now 3 years in complete remission under immunotherapy

The hope and aim behind cancer immunotherapy is that it induces a durable, long-lasting immune response. One of our patients, Minkara N., was diagnosed with metastatic ovarian cancer in 2012, and after surgery she received chemotherapy – Taxol, Avastin, Gemcitabine and Caelyx. Unfortunately, MRI showed persistent pelvic metastasis and so Minkara came to Hallwang Clinic for further treatment. Initially, in 2013, a transarterial chemoembolization was performed and she received antibody treatment, whereupon remission status was reached. Treatment was escalated to different checkpoints on several occasions together with further specific immunotherapy (tumor tissue was analyzed thoroughly before treatment). Minkara reached complete remission in 2015, and three years later we are happy to confirm that she is still in complete remission. For maintenance treatment she now receives solely immunotherapy 3 times per year. We are so happy that targeted cancer immunotherapy has been working for you, Minkara and wish you all the best for the coming years!

Your Hallwang Clinic Team