Charlie Vadala Cancer Trust Fund

Charlie Vadala and his Fight Against Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

(Picture left:  Charlie with Duke after his surgery at Duke University Medical Center)

In 1999, three months after moving to South Carolina, my husband, Charlie became very sick.  He couldn't hold down his food, he was losing weight quickly, and he was in a lot of pain.  He was referred to Duke University Medical Center where Charlie was diagnose with pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma or islet cell tumor. He had 2/3rds of his pancreas removed (the body and the tail), his spleen was taken out, and his bowel was resected.

He was placed on a special diet and medications to help him digest his food. It took Charlie six months to recover from the operation, particularly the significant weight loss.  After the operation, I bought Charlie a new companion and friend named Duke.  Duke turned out to be a very sickly puppy. Charlie discovered that he loved dogs. He nurtured and cared for Duke while he recovered. They became constant companions.  Charlie's cancer went into remission for five years.  We assumed our battle with cancer was over.  We were wrong!

In July 2005, Charlie started having problems with his pancreas and we followed up with a gastroenterologist.  We had just moved to Florida.  All the tests came back normal, except Charlie had a hepatoma on the left lobe of his liver.  A biopsy showed that it was benign and there was nothing to worry about.

On August 15, 2006, almost one year later, the hepatoma had tripled in size and a new gastroenterologist told us it

 (Picture right: Charlie with one of our foster dogs from the local SPCA - Humane Society)

needed to be removed immediately.  During the operation to remove a benign hepatoma from Charlie’s liver, the surgeon discovered four malignant tumors inside the hepatoma.  The four malignant tumors were metastatic islet cell tumor.  However, at that time, the cancer had been completely removed and Charlie was cancer free. By November 2006, Charlie’s cancer had spread throughout the right lobe of the liver.  It was considered inoperable and incurable. He now had 10-12 tumors in his liver. We began our search for an oncologist who could help us.

fter consultations with MD Anderson and Johns Hopkins, we found a team of oncologists who specialize in the treatment of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the pancreas at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. While this oncologist gave us the same prognosis, Charlie's cancer is inoperable and terminal, he thought he could buy Charlie some more time. Charlie began taking a cancer medication, Sandostatin, which the oncologist hoped would slow the growth of the tumors.  So every twenty-eight days, I would mix the Sandostatin medication and give Charlie his injection.  At the same time, Charlie was diagnosed with diabetes. While he was frustrated by this news, Charlie accepted it and remained optimistic.  The Sandostatin bought us another year. (Picture below:  Charlie makes it to his 52nd Birthday)

In April 2008, we were told that Charlie’s tumors were growing. The oncologist suggested a new treatment (not FDA approved), Zeloda and Temodar. After a two week battle with the insurance company, we were able to get coverage for the chemotherapy drugs. Charlie's tumors stopped growing again for almost a year and a half.  We then tried hepatic embolization and finally a new medication called Affinitor.  Neither were successful in helping to shrink the tumors or stabilize them. (Picture below:  One of Charlie's bucket list items, to have a team in the Apopka Relay For Life, Charlie with his two Angels, Shaelin and Tessie)

Charlie now has two tumors in his lymph nodes behind his stomach and his most recent scan shows that they are growing rapidly.  His only option is a treatment call PRRT, which is not available in the United States.  Charlie needs to go to Holland and I need help to get him there.

Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT)
University Medical Center at Rotterdam Erasmus MC

The University Medical Center at Rotterdam, Holland, has a treatment called PRRT which can help to extend Charlie's life another five years.  This treatment is not available in the United States.  It is only available in Europe.  The link below explains this treatment and why it is so important to Charlie.

Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Holland