Two years after being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, Dana Hanshaw was running out of options and running low on hope. She had tried a half-dozen different medications to combat the disease, with no positive results. A bone marrow transplant loomed as a last-ditch possibility.

“I was frustrated with myself because my body wasn’t responding to the normal regimen of medications,” Hanshaw said. “I started getting depressed. You begin thinking about whether you should start making plans for a terminal illness and all those morbid things.”

Dr. Vachhani is fantastic. […] He’s always available when I come to the clinic. If I hadn’t had that type of relationship with him, I would have been more skeptical. I can’t say enough good things about him. It’s obvious that he truly cares.

Dana Hanshaw

Under the guidance of oncologist Pankit Vachhani, M.D., an associate scientist at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hanshaw agreed to enroll in a clinical trial. It was a step she’d resisted for several months.

“She was very hesitant initially to go on anything that was experimental in nature,” Dr. Vachhani said. “We explained that there is still a research process to this and that it’s done in a very safe manner. It took a couple of months for her to become convinced that this would be a good and reasonable thing for her to do.”

The results have been remarkable. Hanshaw began taking the clinical trial medication in March 2022, and her tumor marker numbers quickly started coming down. Barely a year later, her blood work showed no signs of cancer.

“Without going on the clinical study, she very likely would have required a stem cell transplant,” Dr. Vachhani said. “This drug has allowed her to continue her life without any limitations and achieve one of the best responses possible.”

In addition to being overjoyed about the results of the trial, Hanshaw was pleased by the relative ease of the process. After a few days of bloodwork and an initially strict regimen for taking the medication, she says things “settled down,” and the only requirements were periodic visits with Dr. Vachhani and a biopsy every six months. Best of all, she experienced only mild side effects.

“I’ve never missed a day of work during all of this, except for the days I had to do the testing and the biopsy,” Hanshaw said. “I’ve just kept on going, doing my normal activities. Other than when I have to take my two little pills, most of the time I don’t even think about it.”

As a result, Hanshaw has become a firm believer in the value of clinical trials. She credits Dr. Vachhani’s calm, caring approach to the situation for helping convince her that it was indeed a safe, viable option.

“Dr. Vachhani is fantastic. He made me feel comfortable about going through the trial and taking the medication,” Hanshaw said. “I don’t know if I would have done it otherwise. But I felt so comfortable with him and knew he wouldn’t suggest something he didn’t feel was worth a try. He gave me his cell phone number. He texts me and calls to check on me. He’s always available when I come to the clinic. If I hadn’t had that type of relationship with him, I would have been more skeptical. I can’t say enough good things about him. It’s obvious that he truly cares.”