Patient Stories

Howard Peterson

Nothing alters your outlook on life more than serving three-and-a-half tours in Vietnam. "I'm one of those rare individuals who doesn't feel their age," says Howard Peterson, a combat engineer during the war, who openly admits his 60th birthday is approaching. "I just enjoy life so much. I have seen death – it is a natural part of living. I'm not ready yet."

Mr. Peterson's life, however, changed the instant he sought treatment for painful kidney stones. As a precautionary measure, he underwent a full body scan to assess any damage his kidneys may have suffered due to the stones. The outcome was shocking. X-rays revealed an abnormally large kidney, which meant only one thing – a diagnosis of one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of cancer.

Over the next few weeks, Mr. Peterson underwent surgery to remove the cancerous organ. With the likelihood of a metastasis slim and the diseased organ now gone, the Petersons remained hopeful for a good prognosis. Five months later their worst fears were confirmed. During Mr. Peterson's first follow-up scan, abnormalities appeared on the x-rays, showing two lesions on his lungs. Immediately, physicians scheduled Mr. Peterson for a biopsy. "We just couldn't take not knowing anymore," he says.

Mr. Peterson's kidney cancer had spread. "I was told there was nothing anyone could do for me. Essentially, my life was over," he recalls, sobered by the thought of impending death. "I wasn't done living." The only option available to Mr. Peterson was to enroll in a clinical trial and try the newest, most experimental drugs. With the assistance of local oncologists, the Petersons began their search, which led them directly to The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center's New Therapeutics Program, which conducts clinical trials of new cancer drugs.

Wasting absolutely no time due to the aggressiveness of his cancer, the oncologists immediately put Mr. Peterson through a battery of tests to determine if he was eligible to participate in the study. Once his eligibility was established, Mr. Peterson began a twice-daily regimen of injections, accompanied by bi-monthly office visits and body scans. "My cancer simply stopped growing," says Mr. Peterson, who has been participating in this study for over a year. "These treatments have made, and will continue to make, a difference in the quality of my life. I'm convinced it will do the same for others, too."

It is Mr. Peterson's hope to one day educate other cancer patients about the alternative therapies available to them. "These drugs are prolonging my life," he says. "Cancer can strike absolutely anyone – your mother, your father, your sibling. If these drugs can improve the quality of my life, think of what it could do for future generations." Mr. Peterson also cannot say enough about the staff at The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center. "These are very special people. They take the time to listen you. They're just a wonderful group of people."

Within the walls of The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center, the New Therapeutics Program currently has 12 Phase I and Phase II clinical trials open for enrollment. This program, which plans to open six additional clinical trials in the first half of 2005, has nearly tripled in size since its inception in 2002. Today, 300 to 400 patients walk through the front doors of the cancer center daily. The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center is "dedicated to all the courageous people who are fighting cancer and it is our hope that patients and their families will find inspiration, caring, healing, and hope within its walls."

For more information on how you can help support Scottsdale Healthcare's programs and services, please contact Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation at 480-882-4517.

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