“I knew this clinical trial was my best shot at survival.”
Jen Pogue was a young, vibrant actor and producer, busy developing her debut television TV series, when she found a lump in her breast.It was the only symptom of stage 4, triple-negative breast cancer – a rare and aggressive form that came with limited treatment options and only two to five years life expectancy. “My entire world collapsed,” Jen recalls.
She was quickly referred to Dr. Eitan Amir, Head of the Solid Tumour Oncology Program at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. “When I met Dr. Amir, he told me exactly what I needed to hear, which was, ‘We have an option for you.”
For Jen, he proposed a new clinical trial involving a unique combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. “I knew this clinical trial was my best shot at survival,” she said. After just one treatment, Jen’s tumour shrunk by 50%. Within six months, her scans were clean, and her lesions were either benign or had dissolved. For Jen it meant living in a world free from the fear of cancer.
Dr. Amir believes the immunotherapy, a newer cancer treatment, only available at that time at world-leading cancer centres such as The Princess Margaret, taught Jen’s body to fight the cancer on its own. “As a doctor, I’m always impressed by the culture of innovation here at The Princess Margaret. It really helps us find new ways of treating cancer.”
“Philanthropy plays a critical role in advancing cancer research. It allows us to identify new ways to diagnose and treat patients and help people like Jen live free from the fear of cancer. We are so grateful for the support of donors to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation”.
"As a doctor, I’m always impressed by the culture of innovation here at The Princess Margaret.”
Dr. Eitan Amir
Head of the Solid Tumour Oncology Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre