August
2001
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Debbie Williams, R.N. Scheuring Plough -- Aug 15

Treating Hepatitis C with interferon +

Meeting Agenda:
6:30 p.m. (sharp) - Theme Song: I Will Survive
6:35 - 6:45 announcements
6:45 - 8:00 Debbie Williams
8:00 - 8:30 (or earlier) questions/answers 'til we adjourn
Upcoming Agendas:


Sep 19 - SCC Classrm 3&4, Dr. Pimstone
Oct 17 - NOTE! Room Change and topic TBA
Nov 21 - SCC Classrm 3&4, To Be Announced
Dec 19 - SCC Classrm 3&4, To Be Announced
More News
Our Meetings: 3rd Wednesday of every month at SCC (Sutter Cancer Center), 2800 L St (kitty corner across from the 2-story parking structure that is located at 28th & L Streets which is across 28th Street from Sutter Hospital).
Contact Us: Phone number: (916) 491-4942
Our Web Site> www.sacmall.net/transplant/hepc.html
Email: dck@innercite.com (include "I Will Survive" in subject line or your message might be delected before being read).

* Time to Renew your subscription to I Will Survive. Members who could not contribute last year want to thank those of you whose paid subscriptions made it possible for them to receive our newsletter. Hopefully, some more of you will be able to provide support for 2001.

If you want to be included on our mailing/emailing list and you can afford to include a check, make it to Eve Cragen, Treasurer I Will Survive, P.O. Bx 2180, Loomis, CA 95650, for:
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From the July/August 2001 Hep C Connections:
...What is a Virus?...Unlike a human cell , which contains complex biological machines to digest food, produce energy and perform other functions, a virus exists mainly to reproduce...which it does by...invading living cells. Once inside a cell it takes over the normal functions and uses the cell and its machinery just to produce more virus...Because the virus takes the cell's energy away from its own needs to survive and uses it to make more virus instead, the life span of an infected cell is much shorter than normal...The entire process (from the moment the virus attaches to the cell to the moment that the cell dies and releases new virus) can be completed in a matter of hours. Because you have so many cells in your body, the process has to happen many times before you feel any symptoms.
...A possible cure may be found by combining drug therapy with immune therapy. What's hopeful in HCV, and one way in which it differs from HIV, is that there's actually a natural immune mechanism for recovery...Since some patients can get over the infection on their own, researchers have to learn how to tap into normal natural immunity...However, Dr. Alter predicts that improvement in drug therapy will come first. Interferon (whether or not enhanced by Ribavirin) works not directly on the virus but in other ways. What's needed now are some specific inhibitors of enzymes produced by the virus.
...Researchers think that, in addition to the damage to liver cells done by HCV virus, that they may also spur an immune attack that mistakenly targets liver cells rather than the virus.
...Durability of Sustained Viral Response was tested in a recent study conducted in France. Among 311 subjects who remained virus free 6 months after withdrawal of interferon + Ribavirin, during 3 years follow up 7 patients had a late relapse distributed as follows: 3 patients among naive treated 24 weeks (none after 2 years), 1 among naive treated 48 weeks (none after 2 years), 2 among relapsers so that the corresponding percentages at 3 years of patients without late relapse among early SR were 97 +/- 1.7%, 99 +/- 1%, 93 +/- 5.1%, respectively.
...A new study finds that among 2348 HCV screening tests ordered by primary care physicians, only 1/4 were ordered because the patient had an identified risk factor such as IV drug use or blood transfusion before 1992. 65% had the test because of prior liver problems or because routine blood tests showed elevated liver enzymes. Almost half the 57 patients who tested positive had significant liver scarring. Primary care doctors are the gatekeepers of the health care system...since primary care is a two way street, patients need to know whether they might be at risk and volunteer that information to their doctor...Work is underway to explore the use of questionnaires or to find ways to use technology for this purpose.
If you have no money or insurance call:
Sacramento Clinical Trials
Schering's Commitment to Care 1-800-521-7157
Infergen's Safety Net Program 1-888-508-8088
Roche's Patient Assistance 1-800-443-6676
Dr. Gish, et al, call: Pacific Hepatology, (916) 443-0503
Dr. Pimstone UCD Med Center, (916) 734-1557
Dr. Rossaro UCD Med Cntr, call: Katherine Suggett (916) 734-8696



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