Our world is filled with acronyms, that list of long words that turn into what we know the item or company by. Organizations are also good at making their name based on the acronym. So let’s see how you do in the first-ever BAGS (Bruns Acronym Game Show) See if you can identify the following acronyms. Answers will be listed below

• AARP
• NPR
• BMW
• CVS
• ZIP Code
• TCBY
• GEICO
• PATHWay

OK, the last one is a ringer. PATHWay is the acronym for the cancer trial Suzanne is embarking on. Now a regular part of our vocabulary, PATHWay stands for:

PembrolizumAb in the Treatment of Head and neck cancer With high risk (treatment for 1 year)

Pembrolizumab is better know as KEYTRUDA. You may have seen commercials on television for it. KEYTRUDA is not chemotherapy or radiation therapy—it is an immunotherapy and it will work with Suzanne’s immune system to help fight her cancer. Although the risk is small, KEYTRUDA can cause her immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of her body and can affect the way those organs work. These problems can sometimes become severe or even life-threatening.

Yesterday, Suzanne had her first infusion for the trial, considered a blind study, she has a 50/50 chance of receiving either KEYTRUDA or a placebo. We will never know which one until either the end of the study (1 year) or her cancer re-occurs. If her cancer does re-occur during the year, she will be un-masked; at which point if she is getting the placebo they will begin administering KEYTRUDA to her for 1 year.

The mechanics of the study are: She will have a half-hour infusion every three weeks at Rush for one year; Blood work will be performed every visit, as well as a visit with her Chemo Dr. A CAT scan, will be conducted every twelve weeks. The Study is being conducted by the University of Chicago and Suzanne is just one of fifteen individuals who are participating at the Rush Medical Center. There will be a total of 100 individuals involved nationwide.

For the next year, our calendar revolves around a three-week period, based on Wednesdays. We chose Wednesdays because the infusion can occur three days on either side of the scheduled day so if something we want to do occurred on the trial schedule, we could move it to a different day of that same week.

So our PATHWay is clear, live our life in joy, seek out the pleasures of friendship and cherish every moment we have together sharing our love for the lord.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11

• AARP = American Association of Retired Persons
• NPR = National Public Radio
• BMW = Bayerische Motoren Werke
• CVS = Consumer Value Stores
• ZIP code = Zone Improvement Plan
• TCBY = The Country’s Best Yogurt
• GEICO = Government Employees Insurance Company