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American Morning

Fighting Myeloma Cancer

Aired June 19, 2001 - 10:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: One of our top stories this morning, former Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro revealing that she has been fighting a type of blood cancer. Joining us now to talk about the specific disease and Ferraro's fight against it is Kathy Giusti. She is president of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Giusti herself has been diagnosed with the same condition.

Kathy, good morning. Thanks for joining us.

KATHY GIUSTI, MULTIPLE MYELOMA FOUNDATION: Good morning. Thanks for having me.

KAGAN: First of all, give us a quick little education. What is multiple myeloma?

GIUSTI: Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer. It's similar to leukemia and lymphoma, but it's actually a cancer of the plasma cell, one of the cells of your immune system.

KAGAN: And you were diagnosed with this when, at a relatively young age of 38.

GIUSTI: Yeah, I was diagnosed in 1996, about five years ago and at that time there were really no good treatment options for multiple myeloma patients. Now, I was told, just like Geraldine Ferraro was, that the cancer is incurable and the average life span is about three to four years.

KAGAN: And yet you beat that and you're here with us.

GIUSTI: Yes.

KAGAN: So how have you beaten it so far?

GIUSTI: Well, I've beaten it from the fact that I was diagnosed as an early stage patient and I think also the fact that we started a foundation that is truly dedicated to raising awareness in research funding for multiple myeloma. So there are a host of new treatment options now available.

I myself am now on a drug called Iridia (ph), which is a bisphosphonate, which helps build bone density and keep my bones strong. But I have just really been one of the fortunate ones where my disease has not gone active yet. KAGAN: Now, the other thing that's newsworthy about Ms. Ferraro's fight is that she has chosen to take thalidomide...

GIUSTI: Right.

KAGAN: ... which most of us associate as a morning sickness drug that had terrible effects some years ago and yet it does look like it's been very effective in cases like this.

GIUSTI: That's absolutely true. We all have certain images of thalidomide. But the truth is that in myeloma, about 30 percent of patients who haven't responded to other therapies are responding to thalidomide and Geraldine happens to be one of them.

KAGAN: And doing well on it, as I understand?

GIUSTI: She's doing very well on it and I think the main effect is that there are other new compounds like the next generation of thalidomide in the laboratories and the clinics right now. And our focus as a foundation is to make sure those products make it to market as soon as possible.

KAGAN: Because one part of your fight hasn't just been medical. You got kind of angry about this and you've taken on, you started your foundation. You said darn it, we're going to find a cure for this thing.

GIUSTI: Well, I had worked in the pharmaceutical industry for a decade and I think for me, I was concerned as a young mom. I wanted to have a chance for a cure and to be told there was none, I knew somebody had to take action. So by starting the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and running it very strictly as a venture capital company, we have funded some tremendous research and made some great findings in the field.

KAGAN: And your organization has a Web site so people can get more information?

GIUSTI: Yes. Our Web site is www.multiplemyeloma.org.

KAGAN: Back to Ms. Ferraro, most of us are just learning of her condition today. But as I understand it, you've been familiar with her condition and with her for some time now.

GIUSTI: That's right. She has been, she was diagnosed with the disease several years ago. But that's a very personal decision of how to keep it quiet. I think really what happened was once we had scheduled a Congressional hearing and Geraldine started working with us on that, that was a wonderful opportunity for her to go public and truly make a difference to the 50,000 patients that have this disease.

KAGAN: Can you give us any insight on her fight or how she's doing?

GIUSTI: She, like me, she was diagnosed early. Like me, she has the best medical care and she is one of the fortunate patients that has responded beautifully to thalidomide. I think the big question for Geraldine is should she relapse or the thalidomide stop working, what is going to be her next option? Would it be a stem cell transplant or would it be one of these compounds that's in the clinic right now?

KAGAN: Some of the questions that might be answered. We expect to hear from her doctors in the next hour, a news conference from a hospital in New York City. And Kathy, you're doing well, too?

GIUSTI: Yes, I am. Thank you.

KAGAN: Very good. Well, congratulations on that and also congratulations on the good work that your foundation is doing.

GIUSTI: Thanks very much.

KAGAN: Kathy Giusti, thanks so much for joining us. And once again, we do expect a news conference in the next hour with Geraldine Ferraro's doctors on her condition and her fight against multiple myeloma.

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