Cancer a Chronic Rather than Fatal Disease for N.Y. Lawyer
New York patent lawyer Barry Cooper is one of a growing number of patients who are treating their cancer as a chronic disease rather than a fatal diagnosis.
Cooper was diagnosed in 2005 with chronic myelogenous leukemia, the New York Times reports. The disease was once considered a killer, but he was told a new drug known as Gleevec could be used to fight the cancer. When it failed or caused damaging side effects, Cooper could switch to one of the drugs that was then awaiting approval.
The story says Cooper did not miss any days at work for his treatment, but he did take time for travel abroad with his wife and visits with their grandchildren. “Gleevec is a wonder drug, making the disease something like diabetes—controllable even if not curable,” he told the Times.
The story says Cooper’s experience is becoming more common as cancers that would have been fatal 10 years ago are now being controlled for years with one treatment after another.
