Doug Britton has an unusual take when it comes to cancer; in some ways, he says, his life is actually better as a result of his battle with colon cancer.
The 51-year-old retired hospital x-ray technician, who formerly worked at HonorHealth’s Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, is now back on his old stomping grounds under the care of Dr. Sunil Sharma, Chief of Translational Oncology and Drug Development for the HonorHealth Research Institute.
Doug was originally diagnosed in March 2017 with late-stage colon cancer, which is estimated to kill nearly 53,000 Americans this year, making it the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., after lung cancer.
For months, the Fountain Hills resident had suffered from pain in his upper abdomen, a pain he only felt at night when he was laying down. A series of tests were inconclusive. But one day, disturbingly, he said something “popped out” of his belly button, a long dormant connection to his digestive system. A biopsy showed it was a late stage colon cancer tumor.
He was immediately put on chemotherapy, and he felt better. It was important for him at the time to live long enough to see his daughter, Madeline, graduate from high school.
Like many conventional cancer therapies, Doug’s treatment eventually ran its course. But hope is here! He was seen as a good candidate for two clinical trials at the research institute: one sponsored by Agenus, employing botensilimab and balstilimab, two new immunotherapy anti-cancer drugs; and another sponsored by Fate Therapeutics involving a combination of 11 anti-cancer drugs.
“I was very fortunate that Dr. Sharma got me right in on this treatment,” he said. “Three years later, here I am and still going. The treatment has kept me healthy enough this whole time.”
Clinical trial opens window to passions
Because he took an early medical retirement, he now has the time to pursue passions with his wife, Honey, who also works at Shea in interventional radiology:
Camping in and around his hometown of Grand Junction, in southwest Colorado;
Sailing on cruise ships across the globe, including trips to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Alaska, and the Mexican Riviera.
Visiting daughter Madeline, now 19, at Northern Arizona University, where she plays violin and trombone, while majoring in pre-med.
“In some ways, having cancer has improved my life. That sounds kind of funny, but it’s just opened up avenues for me that I never would have expected,” Doug explained.
“It (the cancer diagnosis) gives me so much freedom to do the things that always wanted to do,” he added, describing his usual routines as leading a normal life. “Having cancer has not slowed my life down.”
His only constraint, he said, is needing to show up for treatment every two weeks.
After spending his adult working life in medicine, Doug said he is enthusiastic about the notion that he is not only benefiting from the clinical trials, but that future generations also will benefit, and he encourages others to participate in such experimental trials.
“Trying to make other people better has always been part of my life. It’s important to me,” he said. “This excites me. If something can be learned from my condition, it not only helps me, but also could be beneficial for others.”
And Doug praised the research institute staff, top to bottom.
“I know that Dr. Sharma has my best interests in mind,” he said, adding that everyone at the institute try to make the patients happy and comfortable, and it brightens Doug’s spirit just to hear them say hello: “It does make all the difference in the world.”
