Mike Potthoff

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What was believed to be a small injury to his left thumb nail sustained when bumping against the pool wall while swimming ending up being a rare form of Melanoma. After diagnosis part of the left thumb was amputated to prevent the spreading of the disease. Unfortunately the cancer did spread and was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma in October of 2014. In 2015 participated in a clinical at Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville, TN that had moderate success reducing and eliminating tumors throughout the body but did cause his body to stip producing insulin so now has Type 1 Diabetes. The clinical trial in Nashville was a combination of immunotherapy drugs which were FDA approved the following year. New tumors resurfaced the end of 2015 and began getting care at MD Anderson in Houston. In 2016 had surgeries in January and November both remove tumors in lungs. In July 2017 had surgeries to remove tumors in abdomen, intestines and shoulder area. September 2017 scan results showed 13 new tumors so participated in another clinical trial at MD Anderson which was the 8th person to ever receive. Was in hospital in October and November where they wiped out immune system and replaced with cancer fighting cells that were harvested from Mikes tumors, multiplied and put back in his body. For the last year Mike’s tumors have been going away or reduced in size.