Laurie Adami has a great story. After a 12-year battle with Stage IV Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Laurie found her path to recession through an innovative T-cell treatment test. In this interview, she shares her journey from the patient to support her ideas for the potential that changes Car-T’s life and her mission to empower others who face similar battles. Laurie’s story is a survival, defense and steadfast commitment to raising awareness of transformative therapies for cancer.
Could you share a little bit about yourself, your background and what has drew you to raise awareness of the treatment of car T-cells?
I’m Laurie Adami. I had a long career in financial services, growing up in the northeast and finally moved to Los Angeles. I worked for a launch of economic software for over 24 years and became president in the 1990s. Life was busy – I managed a company, I traveled extensively and set my son, born in 2000.
In 2006, when I was 46 years old, I was diagnosed with the non-Hodgkin Stadium IV, which is the second most commonly diagnosed non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is considered therapeutic but incurable. At that time, there was only one approved treatment, R-chop, which I underwent. My oncologist thought I was in recession, but unfortunately, I retreated a few months later, starting a 12 -year journey, submitting a total of seven treatment series, including three clinical trials.
In 2018, a T -cell treatment test opened in UCLA – I would be the first of five patients in the first group. I had heard of the car t six years earlier at an event of leukemia society and lymphoma I watched, but was not available for the lymphoma pocket until 2018. Within a month of treatment, I was in complete recession after 12 years of treatments that , At best, stabilize my disease. This experience has caused a passion for me to raise awareness of the treatment of car T-cells, because too many patients do not know it is an option.
Could you explain what is the treatment of Cell T-cells and how it differs from traditional cancer treatments?
The treatment of T-cell cars is unique because it is personalized. Unlike traditional therapies such as chemotherapy, which comes from a factory production line, as a size fits everyone, the car t starts with the cells of its immune patient.
The removal center harvested the patient’s T-cells, modifies them to the laboratory to target the patient’s cancer and then inspires them to the patient. These modified T cells called CAR-T (chemical antigen T cells) act as a PAC-Man, hunting down and destroying cancer cells wherever they are, even in the brain. The car-t cell production process took about 18 days from when my cells harvest when they were ready to be injected. Over 6 years later, the production process has been reduced.
What is amazing is how effective the car-t is. My millions of T-cells were transformed into a billion T-cells to the working, and then multiplied again in my body to about 18 billion cells. It is an incredible example of what science can do. The Car T test I participated in with a total response rate of 95% and a full recession of over 80% for patients with follicles. This amazing result was much superior to any other approved therapeutic option. As a result, the FDA moved quickly to approve the treatment.
How did your diagnosis come about and what symptoms led to it?
Like most patients with non -Hodgkin lymphoma, I was diagnosed with Stage IV. Usually, there are no symptoms early – over 90% of NHL patients are diagnosed in Stage IV. This is what I have, I have symptoms that started in 2003 – the resistant infections of the vagina, the dry eyes, a swollen knot in my throat, a piece in my belly and extreme fatigue.
I went to many doctors, but they rejected me, saying that they were probably allergies, hormones or just stress. Eventually I found an internal medicine specialist who took me seriously. He ordered a CT scan, which showed a mass of grapefruit in my belly. A biopsy confirmed that I had a non-Hodgkin lymphatic.
Common symptoms of non -Hodgkin lymphoma: Recognize signs for early diagnosis and treatment. Credit Picture: AHK/Shutterstock.com
It took me three years to diagnose, but in the aftermath, this delay worked for me. By the time I started treatment, the younger, more targeted treatments became available.
What was your experience such as the treatment of car T-cells?
At night I got the T-cells of my car, I felt stinging everywhere. I had tumors everywhere – my oncologist estimates that I had about eight pounds of tumors, including a massive belly in my belly pushing my kidney. Within a few days, my kidney enzymes returned to normal. This is how quickly the car-t treatment works.
My journey wasn’t just for me. He was deeply aware of my family, especially my son, who grew up with a cancer mom. He went through the whole school years of K-12 with me in the treatment. On the night before I received the T-cells of my car, he broke and said, “Mom, what if that doesn’t work?” But I told him, “This treatment is different.” And it was. I never left hope.
Now, over six years later, I am still in complete recession and live my life again. If my story can inspire someone to push for better care or explore a clinical trial, then it is shared it is worth it.
A week before the infusion, the basic pet scanning me showed me that the tumors are illuminated throughout my body. Just 29 days later, tracking detection showed no indication of illness. I was finally in a complete recession. No one could believe it. It was amazing how quickly and effectively it worked.
What advice would you give patients to navigate the journey of cancer?
Prosecutor for yourself. No one cares about your health as much as you – you have the most to lose: your life. If something does not feel right, push for answers. The doctors of fire who do not hear and find those who will do it. Consult the oncologists specializing in your diagnosis. Be careful if you see general oncologists, as they often do not know new and improved cancer treatments, such as Car-T. If you feel overwhelmed, take a family member or a friend to help you support.
I always encourage patients to examine clinical trials. Tests can provide free access to cutting -edge treatments. Three of my seven rows were clinical trials. My clinical trials were more targeted and thus had fewer side effects than traditional choices. Non -profit organisms for your diagnosis can often help find clinical trials. Leukemia & Lymphoma has free detection of clinical trials for patients. Call the 800 number.
You mentioned being a patient lawyer. What does this project include?
It is incredibly rewarding. I help patients understand their choices, link them to experts and guide them to non -profit organizations that can provide financial and emotional support. Many patients do not know where to start, especially when they have just been diagnosed or relapsed. I am not a doctor and we do not provide medical advice, of course, but I am on the way in front of them and I can help them navigate the challenges facing cancer patients.
For example, I recently supported a woman with no local caregiver options for the treatment of her car. Eventually it found a program through a non -profit character where nursing students were voluntarily offered to be its carers. This type of problem solving can make all the difference.
What excites You more about the future of cancer research?
I am excited to see T-cell therapy used earlier in treatment and for other diseases, such as autoimmune conditions and compact tumors. There is a promising research on Lupus and pancreatic cancer and I believe we are on the brink of discoveries in these areas. Personalized cell and gene treatments have now been approved for the treatment of multiple blood cancers, sickle cell anemia and mucosa.
I am also optimistic that the T car will become more accessible and less expensive. Foreign patient treatments are becoming more and more common, which saves hospital costs and improves the patient’s experience. I think we will continue to see incredible developments in medical science that will change lives.
For Laurie Adami
Laurie had a 25 -year career in Financial Services and was president of the Los Angeles -based fixed income company. It was diagnosed with incurable stage IV non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 46 in 2006, Laurie spent 12 years in continuous cancer treatment.
Had seven different lines of treatment, including 3 clinical trial
s, but the first 6 treatments failed to cause complete recession. In 2018, as the seventh treatment, she received a Car-T in a clinical trial and eventually achieved a complete recession, where she remains today.
Laurie spends significant time helping patients with cancer in navigation in the challenges of cancer diagnosis. He is the first Leukemia & Lymphoma SociaTY (LLS) volunteer, volunteer LLS volunteer, a member of the LLS Board of Directors in Los Angeles, LRF Ambassador and CRI Immunoadvocate.
Laurie specialized in Russian language and international relations at Colgate University. She lives on Hollywood hills in Los Angeles with her husband, Ben. They have a son in August, who graduated from the College in Washington, DC, in May 2022. August was in kindergarten when Laurie was diagnosed and passed through his entire elementary, middle and gymnasiums with a mom in cancer treatment.
