The Soruce
Janurary 21, 2005

Traveling around the world for cancer treatment

By JOCELYN MARINO

Gina Aprea Lisica has been battling cancer for more than three years, and is hoping a new treatment will help slow the progression of the disease.

Aprea Lisica, 34, was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in August 2001. At the time of her diagnosis, Aprea Lisica's cancer had already advanced to Stage 3.

She said that she knew something was wrong because she had itching around her nipple, which is one of the symptoms, and she felt as though she had pulled a muscle in her breast area.

"They took a biopsy and one week later I found out it was cancer," Aprea Lisica said. "The doctors told me there was a good possibility the cancer would come back, but they cold not tell me where or when."

According to the National Cancer institute, only 1 to 4 percent of breast cancer patients have inflammatory breast cancer.

Aprea Lisica underwent a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation from William Beaumont hospitals in Royal Oak and Troy, but Aprea Lisica said that her cancer still spread.

"The cancer has spread to the area near the top of my neck, to my left and right hip and to my right shoulder," Aprea Lisica said. "I know there is no cure, but I am hoping this new treatment will slow down the tumor growth."

Aprea Lisica is traveling to Germany to undergo a treatment called whole body hyperthermia chemotherapy, which she heard about from a family friend.

During hyperthermia chemotherapy, a patient's whole body is heated to 106 degrees, and a low dosage of chemotherapy is then administered.

The only comparable treatment in the United States, according to Aprea Lisica, is localized hyperthermia chemotherapy, which only heats certain area of the body, not the whole body. This treatment is available in California, but Aprea Lisica believes the whole body treatment is better for her type of cancer.

"I asked my oncologist if he had heard of the hyperthermia treatments and he said that he had heard that it works in specific individuals," Aprea Lisica said.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology supports what Aprea Lisica and her oncologist have heard about hyperthermia treatment.

According to the study, 75 patients with bladder cancer were involved in the study. Half were treated with hyperthermia plus chemotherapy and half were treated with chemotherapy alone.

In the 24 months following the completion of the study, only 17 percent of the patients treated with the hyperthermia chemotherapy had a recurrence, while 57.5 percent of the patients treated chemotherapy only had a recurrence.

Aprea Lisica will be in Germany receiving treatment from Feb. 6 to March 5, with the preparation beginning Jan. 24 in Grand Rapids.

"I will be in Grand Rapids for two weeks where I will be receiving IV treatments of Vitamin C and selenium, which will boost my immune system to make my body able to handle chemotherapy," Aprea Lisica said.

During her four weeks in Germany, Aprea Lisica will receive more vitamins though IV during the first week, one week will be spent on localized hyperthermia and the last two weeks will be focused on the whole body hyperthermia.

Aprea Lisica's treatment will cost more than $50,000, which had to be paid up front.

"Although my insurance will cover a portion of the treatment, I had to pay up front for the entire treatment and then submit claims to my insurance company," Aprea Lisica said.

She said her main goal in receiving the treatment is to help slow down the cancer, since there is no cure.
"I want to slow the progression and to feel better," Aprea Lisica said. "Right now I feel sluggish and tired all the time and I am uncomfortable where the tumors are."

Aprea Lisica said that her sister-in-law will be staying with her in Germany, because they cannot afford for her husband to take off work.

"My family is my rock and my husband has been extremely supportive," Aprea Lisica said. "I have my mother, my sister and my three brothers who have been amazing."

Aprea Lisica said that she is grateful that this treatment came along when it did.

"I almost wanted to give up on treatment because it seemed like every time I had an ache or pain, the cancer was back, so I almost said enough is enough, Aprea Lisica said."

Aprea Lisica offers advice to people who feel hopeless when it comes to cancer

"Even when you think there is no hope, keep looking for treatment, Aprea Lisica said. "Even when the doctors say there is nothing you can do keep researching because you may just find the treatment that will work for you."