PORTLAND, Ore. — Many cancer patients suffer difficult symptoms and toxic side effects while going through chemotherapy. Now, researchers at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute are studying how to ease the burden of those treatments.
One of those participating in the study is cancer patient Cliff Alexander. He says he experiences all types of symptoms.
"Typical things like nausea, sleeplessness, and all these others, some pain and things like that," Cliff said.
His wife said it all began when he went to the doctor for some stomach issues.
"He started having some stomach discomfort in October of 2022. It hadn't gone on for very long, but I took him to the ER because it was just weird. It made him throw up," said Nicole Alexander.
During surgery to help with his pain, doctors discovered something more serious.
"He had surgery that week to remove a bowel obstruction, and he had colon cancer, and it had spread, so it's stage 4 colon cancer," Nicole recalled.
Cliff began chemotherapy that would cause numbness and tingling in his hands and feet. He would then start a clinical trial to help ease his symptoms as part of the symptom science program.
"At the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, we have a very unique program that is dedicated to helping people feel better, improving their quality of life, and really try to minimize toxicity as they're going through treatment," said medical oncologist Dr. Eric Roeland.
According to the American Cancer Society, there have been an estimated 26,200 new cases of cancer and 8,670 deaths from cancer in Oregon this year. Doctors say those statistics prove why the symptom science program is so important.
"This type of management focuses on patients as people and not just tumors, and trying to balance being as aggressive as we can so that cancer is treated and doesn't come back," said Dr. Roeland.
By participating in the clinical trials, Cliff wants to help others fighting cancer.
"That would be my hope is just better treatment for the future because there's going to be many, many other people that are going to go through this, and the better we can find better treatment is helpful for everyone," Cliff said.
He also says that even though he's battling colon cancer, he's full of hope.
"I might have worse symptoms tomorrow or surgery, but not today. Today, it's work, today is kids, life is normal. Today means a lot more," Cliff proclaimed.