Breast cancer patient says new type of chemo saved her life: ‘I am thriving’

Just arsenic nary 2 cancers are the same, attraction isn’t one-size-fits-all — and for 1 Arizona parent and teacher, personalized chemotherapy became the way to survival.

Tammy Morrow, 55, had been steadfast for decades when, aft seeing a doc for what she thought was a tummy bug successful December 2023, she was blindsided by a diagnosis of signifier 4 metastatic bosom cancer.

The crab had dispersed to her bones, lymph nodes, liver and different areas, she told Fox News Digital. It became evident reasonably rapidly that her illness was beyond the scope of accepted treatments.

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"I received 1 circular of traditional chemo successful the hospital," said Morrow, who lives successful Phoenix, Arizona. "After conscionable the 1 treatment, each of my hairsbreadth fell retired wrong conscionable 8 days."

Tammy Morrow, center, is pictured with her 2 sons, Gabriel and Izaak Morrow. "I americium persuaded that I would not beryllium live contiguous if I had not received attraction astatine Envita," she told Fox News Digital. (Derek Morrow)

"The accelerated hairsbreadth nonaccomplishment demonstrates the systemic quality and toxicity of accepted chemo," she added.

Morrow’s oncologist told her that she apt lone had months to live, but she was determined to find different alternative.

Through her research, she recovered Envita Medical Center successful Scottsdale, which offers a caller cancer treatment called Genetically Targeted Fractionated Chemotherapy (GTFC).

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"When I arrived astatine Envita, I was not taking successful nutrient orally, and for astir 3 months, I had to person each of my nutrition from a catheter delivered straight into my veins," Morrow said.

She began receiving GTFC treatments, which she credits arsenic "essential to survival."

"In conscionable 21 weeks, my diagnosis changed from terminal to normal."

"I americium persuaded that I would not beryllium live contiguous if I had not received attraction astatine Envita," Morrow told Fox News Digital. 

"Now, I americium thriving."

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Morrow's past respective humor tests person shown nary grounds of disease, and her astir caller PET scan successful May confirmed that she is cancer-free.

"In conscionable 21 weeks, my diagnosis changed from terminal to normal," she said.

Making it personal

Genetically targeted fractionated chemotherapy (GTFC) is simply a targeted attack to cancer treatment that personalizes chemotherapy based connected a patient’s familial constitution and circumstantial tumor biology, according to Dr. John Oertle, main aesculapian manager astatine Envita Medical Centers. 

Tammy Morrow is pictured with her husband, Derek Morrow, earlier her diagnosis. (Tammy Morrow)

"This method besides enhances the tumor's quality to sorb the chemotherapy, allowing america to usage reduced dosages portion maintaining effectiveness," Oertle, who specializes successful "individualized, outcome-based attraction models for chronic illness and integrative oncology," told Fox News Digital.

GTFC is designed to present medicine with much precision portion having less broadside effects, helium noted.

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"Conventional chemotherapy targets each rapidly dividing cells, some cancerous and healthy, utilizing precocious doses, which often leads to wide broadside effects," Oertle said. 

"Additionally, we person recovered that 90% of patients connected accepted chemotherapy are dealing with crab that has already go resistant to it."

Morrow had been steadfast for decades when, aft seeing a doc for what she thought was a tummy bug successful December 2023, she was blindsided by a diagnosis of signifier 4 metastatic bosom cancer. (Tammy Morrow)

GTFC is designed to specifically people crab cells with genetic mutations, helium said, truthful that much chemo gets into the tumor.

"While lone 5% to 7% of accepted chemotherapy administered done an IV typically reaches the tumor, GTFC importantly improves this uptake," Oertle said.

"As a result, we tin trim the wide dosage and administer attraction much frequently."

"Not lone are these circumstantial treatments resulting successful amended outcomes, they are little harmful arsenic well."

Fox News aesculapian contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier, who is not associated with Envita, referred to GTFC arsenic "the aboriginal of crab treatment."

"Historically, we depended connected accepted chemotherapy to termination crab cells," she told Fox News Digital. 

"Unfortunately, accepted chemotherapy isn’t precise specific, truthful portion it killed crab cells, it besides killed steadfast cells." 

In the midst of crab treatments, arsenic she began losing her hair, Morrow had a person springiness her a haircut. (Tammy Morrow)

Because of this limitation, accepted chemo tin person "severe" short-term and semipermanent broadside effects, Saphier confirmed.

"GTFC is simply a targeted therapy, which is simply a benignant of crab attraction that's designed to onslaught crab cells portion leaving healthy cells alone," she went on. 

"Not lone are these circumstantial treatments resulting successful amended outcomes, they are little harmful arsenic well."

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While determination are immoderate imaginable broadside effects with GTFC, they are "significantly fewer" than with accepted chemo, Oertle said.

"Many patients are adjacent capable to support their hair," helium added.

Morrow, seen present with a fewer of her fittingness friends astatine the gym, was an avid wellness and wellness enthusiast earlier getting diagnosed. (Tammy Morrow)

In Morrow’s case, she said her broadside effects were "minimal," adjacent aft receiving GTFC chemo treatments erstwhile oregon doubly each week for 21 weeks.

Her main broadside effects were weakness and digestive issues for a time oregon 2 aft the treatment.

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"I was adjacent capable to enactment full-time during my treatment," she said. "On a mates of occasions, I virtually attended enactment meetings portion receiving the chemo treatments."

Who tin get GTFC?

In summation to breast cancer, GTFC tin beryllium an enactment for immoderate benignant of crab that needs systemic therapy, according to Oertle.

"For early-stage cancers, we utilize precocious humor tests to guarantee that the illness has not spread," helium said. 

"I commune that 1 day, I volition person the wealth to assistance others person attraction astatine Envita," Morrow said. (Tammy Morrow)

"If the crab remains localized, we connection different precision-based, little invasive treatments that whitethorn destruct the request for GTFC. However, for cancers that person dispersed beyond the archetypal tumor, GTFC whitethorn beryllium an effectual attraction option."

"Most radical simply cannot spend to wage for this benignant of aesculapian care."

There are immoderate barriers to receiving this benignant of chemo, however.

"It is precise hard to person this attraction due to the fact that nary security institution successful America volition screen the precocious and targeted integrated attraction Envita offers," Morrow told Fox News Digital. 

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"Even though the chemotherapy drugs I received astatine Envita are a portion of the mean aesculapian protocol, due to the fact that the method of delivering these chemotherapy drugs is not normal, my insurance company refused to screen immoderate of it."

While determination are immoderate imaginable broadside effects with GTFC, they are "significantly fewer" than with accepted chemo, an adept said. (iStock)

Morrow paid astir $250,000 retired of pouch for her chemo treatments. 

"Most radical simply cannot spend to wage for this benignant of medical care — and I could not person afforded it, either," she said.

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To screen the cost, Morrow’s 2 sons started a GoFundMe and raised astir $120,000, and Morrow and her hubby took retired a 2nd owe to screen the rest.

"I would promote radical to not fto the outgo forestall them from seeking retired this innovative and life-saving attack to crab care," Morrow urged. 

In summation to bosom cancer, GTFC tin beryllium an enactment for immoderate benignant of crab that needs systemic therapy. (iStock)

"I commune that 1 day, I volition person the wealth to assistance others person attraction astatine Envita. In the meantime, my hubby and I person 2 impermanent bedrooms waiting to beryllium filled by out-of-town patients."

Envita includes the beneath disclaimer connected its website.

For much Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

"Disclaimer: Individual results volition vary. Envita makes nary guarantees for outcomes. Each patient's lawsuit is unique. Please consult your doc earlier making immoderate changes to your aesculapian treatment. Not each diligent is simply a campaigner for attraction oregon achieves these results. Treatments utilized successful this lawsuit whitethorn not each beryllium FDA-approved for the attraction of this condition."

Fox News Digital reached retired to the FDA requesting comment.