Ukusinda Xa Kunzima: Uhambo Lweminyaka Eli-14 Lokuqina Ekulweni NeMelanoma Yesigaba Sesine
Ngowama-2010, eneminyaka engama-48 ubudala, uJennifer Ficko wafumana uxilongo olutshintshe ubomi bakhe: i-stage IV melanoma. Oko kwaqala njengeqhubu elibonakala lingenabungozi entlokweni yakhe ekugqibeleni kwakhokelela ekuthini uThanksgiving wothuke xa oogqirha bamqinisekisa ukuba uyoyika kakhulu. Ihlabathi likaJennifer, nelosapho lwakhe, latshintsha ngobusuku obunye njengoko babejongene nenyaniso enzima yomhlaza okwinqanaba lokugqibela. Ngenxa yokhetho oluncinci, uJennifer kunye nabantu abathandayo bafuna ulwalathiso kwaye ekugqibeleni badibana neengcali eziphambili kwiSibhedlele iSmilow Cancer eYale.
Ekuqaleni, uJennifer wenziwa utyando lokususa ithumba kunye nee-lymph nodes ezichaphazelekileyo. Ukwathathe inxaxheba kwizilingo zeklinikhi ezihlola izithinteli zokujonga amajoni omzimba ezifana neYervoy (ipilimumab) kwaye kamva wathatha unyango oludibeneyo neNivolumab. Nangona wayefumana impendulo ethile, uJennifer wajongana neziphumo ebezingalindelekanga, kubandakanya ukuvaleka kwe-retina kunye nokulahlekelwa kukuva, kodwa waqhubeka nokulwa.
Inguqu yafika ngo-2017 xa ugqirha wakhe we-oncologist, uGqr. Harriet Kluger, wamcebisa ukuba enze uvavanyo olutsha lweklinikhi kwiYale Cancer Center, egxile kunyango lweTumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL). Ngale ndlela intsha, abaphandi bakhupha baza bandisa ii-T-cells zakhe, ezathi emva koko zabuyiselwa emzimbeni wakhe ukuze zikhulise impendulo yakhe yomzimba yokulwa nomhlaza. Unyango oluqatha lwabangela iimpendulo ezinamandla zomzimba kodwa ekugqibeleni lwaqala ukunciphisa ii-tumor zakhe.
Inkqubo kaJennifer yokuchacha yayinde kwaye inzima. Amandla akhe kunye nokuqina kwakhe, kunye nenkxaso engapheliyo yosapho lwakhe, kwamnceda ukuba oyise eli xesha linzima. Namhlanje, uJennifer akanayo isifo somhlaza kwaye ebekho kangangeminyaka engaphezu kwesixhenxe. Kwiminyaka engama-61 ubudala, ucamngca ngohambo lwakhe ngombulelo nenjongo, egxininisa ukuba ukuba nethemba kunye nokuqina kubalulekile ekulweni nomhlaza. Abantwana bakhe, bephefumlelwe luhambo lukanina, ngoku balandela imisebenzi yezonyango.
Ibali likaJennifer ligxininisa amandla okuguqula unyango lwe-TIL, oluye lwafumana imvume ye-FDA ekhawulezileyo, kwaye lunika ithemba kwizigulana ezininzi ezijongene nemingeni enzima efanayo. Ukuqina kwakhe nokuzimisela kwakhe ukuphila ngokupheleleyo kusebenza njengesibane sethemba, kubonisa ukuba ngenkxaso yosapho, ukuqhubela phambili Unyango lomhlaza, kwaye xa kukho umbono olungileyo, imimangaliso inokwenzeka.