November 15, 2011
Dear Friends,
UPDATE: Michael will be starting a new clinical trial called ATOMIC, which stands for Allogeneic Tumor Cell Vaccination with Oral Metronomic Cytoxan. This trial is designed specifically for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. The trial is at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, which has some of the top neuroblastoma doctors in the country. Alison and the kids will be in Houston for a few days this week for scans and labs and then begin the vaccination treatment the week of November 21st. After the initial treatment, Michael will be treated in Houston two days every two weeks until April. After the first four treatments, they will do scans to monitor his progress.
Once this trial is complete next spring, if Michael does not clear, the Malones will consider the 3F8 treatment at Sloan Kettering in NYC. This trial can last anywhere from six months to two years.
The family will be in Dallas for Thanksgiving. They will travel to Houston for Christmas to be with friends and family. Michael is doing well and in good spirits. Thanks to a dear friend, he got to go to the World Series with his dad. He has recently taken up a career in politics as he has just been elected his Kindergarten Class President! Emory celebrated her 3rd birthday this month and both kids are looking forward to the holidays.
Thank you all for your support and prayers. Please pray for the family as they enter this new clinical trial and travel to Houston over the next five months. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call on me.
We will continue to post updates on Michael’s website, www.team-michael.org.
Blessings,
Evelyn E. Costolo
214.683.8511