Prior to 1977, a diagnosis of metastatic testicular cancer was, in essence, a death sentence. Testicular cancer was nearly uniformly fatal in patients with advanced disease. Nearly 90% of all patients diagnosed with testicular cancer would die within a year. It was a disease that primarily struck young men in the prime of their life, robbing them of their future. It left in its wake scores of bereft families and loved ones.
Today, testicular cancer is one of the most curable of cancers. In fact, close to 95% of the patients diagnosed with testicular cancer will survive. These patients go on to live active, productive lives. They raise families. They participate in their communities. They live life. And, they are able put their disease behind them. The cure of testicular cancer is, without doubt, one of the greatest achievements in all of medicine.
Yet, the story behind this remarkable cure has gone largely untold over the years. It is a story that came about as the result of team science, collective efforts, international collaborations, and drug discovery. It’s the story of a chemical agent that was all but discarded only to be resurrected as an essential part of a miracle cure. It is a story of perseverance, scientific investigation and even happenstance. It is a story that has evolved over time. It is a story that continues today. And, at the heart of this story is Dr. Larry Einhorn.
Dr. Einhorn, more than any other single individual, has pioneered the cure of testicular cancer. Dr. Einhorn and his colleagues first reported a revolutionary new chemotherapy regimen – combining cisplatin, vinblastine and bleomycin – in 1977. It produced complete remissions for almost three in four men with aggressive testicular cancer whereas prior treatments worked only about 5 percent of the time. Today the survival rate has been increased to nearly 98%.
The treatment developed by Dr. Einhorn and his associates was so dramatically successful that, at the time, there were many who simply did not believe it was possible. Yet, that was only the beginning and, over time, the treatment was further enhanced, streamlined and refined. Over the ensuing years, the survival rate continued to increase.
“Defeat Of A Killer” will tell the many interwoven stories that led to a milestone discovery in medical science. It will portray the somewhat serendipitous discovery of drug called cisplatin and Dr. Einhorn’s early interest in the potential of this drug even in the face of its daunting toxicity. It will describe the tragic loss of so many young men killed by testicular cancer including one of Dr. Einhorn’s closest colleagues in his early days at M.D. Anderson. The story will be told, in large part, through the first-hand accounts of patients, families, researchers and physicians. And, it will show how Dr. Einhorn’s achievements have inspired physicians and researchers the world over in their pursuit of efficacious treatments for other cancers, laying the groundwork for many subsequent breakthroughs.
“Defeat Of A Killer” will be a documentary of approximately one hour in length. It will be designed to reach a wide audience, telling the fascinating story of scientific discovery as well as the moving and emotional story of lives saved the the world over. Altogether, “Defeat Of A Killer” tells an utterly captivating documentary story ideally suited for broadcast and online outlets alike.
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