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Ralph Hauke, M.D. |
Ralph Hauke, M.D., director of urologic oncology in the oncology/hematology division at UNMC, is administering the breakthrough treatment. He has been treating patients with various forms of urological cancer for almost six years and was a practitioner of internal medicine for two years prior.
“I have been treating patients with cancer for quite some time and feel strongly about the potential Proleukin has to impact on the course of these two diseases,” Dr. Hauke said. “Effective treatments for both melanoma and renal cell carcinoma are lacking and this treatment is the main one that has been associated with long-term remissions in patients with widely metastatic disease.”
PROLEUKIN IL-2 therapy is an immunotherapy that uses the body’s natural immune system to fight cancer. It is the only therapy FDA-approved for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) and the first therapy approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma (skin cancer) in 20 years.
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a protein that occurs naturally in the body and plays an important role in activating a person’s immune system, which protects the body from foreign substances, cells, and tissues by responding and resisting diseases. PROLEUKIN IL-2 is a genetically engineered or recombinant version of IL-2.PROLEUKIN IL-2 possesses the same properties as naturally occurring IL-2 and activates the immune system to recognize and eliminate certain kinds of cancer cells.
Dr. Hauke has treated patients from Iowa and Nebraska by bringing research studies and treatments that are not available elsewhere in the region. Dr. Hauke recently treated a patient from Omaha with Proleukin. That same patient is now enjoying a cancer free life.
Mark Lang, a local police officer, was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) more than three years ago. After his kidney was removed, Lang’s urologist and oncologist at Methodist Hospital discovered that the cancer from his kidney had metastasized (spread) to his lungs. Lang was introduced to a few options for his treatment, but nothing he felt confident enough to try.
Lang’s search led him to UNMC and Dr. Hauke, who educated him about Proleukin and the possibilities it offered for fighting the cancer and bringing him into remission. Lang elected to undergo the series of treatments and because of his otherwise healthy physical-state, he qualified to receive the treatment in the form of high-dose IL-2 (dosage for treatments vary depending on the overall health of the patients).
Lang’s high-dose IL-2 treatment began in January of 2003. The series of treatments ended in April of 2003. A year and a half has passed and Lang is feeling great. His tumors have disappeared, with no signs of cancer in other organs. Lang reports to Dr. Hauke twice a year and is looking forward to the day he hits the five-year mark of being cancer free.