In 2018, Dante was working as the general manager of a printing production facility in Richmond, BC, when he began noticing subtle, nagging issues with his prostate. At first, it seemed like nothing serious, just something to mention during a routine check-up. However, that appointment led to more tests, more referrals, and mounting concerns. By January 2019, Dante heard the words that would change everything: Prostate Cancer.
Dante was looking forward to 2019 as the start of a new chapter: Retirement! After years of hard work, he was ready to slow down, travel and spend more time on the golf course. However, those plans were quickly put on hold. Following his diagnosis, Dante was faced with a life-altering decision: undergo radiation therapy or have a surgical prostatectomy. Dante chose surgery, hopeful that removing the prostate would rid his body of the cancer.
The surgery went well, but it wasn't the end of the road. Traces of cancer remained and by early 2020, Dante's rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels brought a sobering realization that the cancer had returned.
Dante’s next course of treatment involved six weeks of chemotherapy. It was a challenging period, marked by weakness, fatigue, and hair loss, but he stayed hopeful. Despite the physical and mental toll it took on his body, the cancer continued to advance. Turning to new possibilities, Dante enrolled in a clinical trial, only to find that it, too, was unsuccessful. Undeterred, he tried a second trial, holding on to hope, but again, the results were disappointing.
Around this time, Dante’s doctors introduced him to the Genitourinary (GU) Biobank. By contributing to the biobank, Dante saw an opportunity to support something larger than himself, advancing cancer research and helping future patients benefit from improved treatments and a deeper understanding of the disease.
“I didn’t see any downside to providing a blood sample that could be used to study the effects of immunotherapy or other treatments,” says Dante. “It just made sense.”
While the GU Biobank’s primary goal is to advance cancer research and improve future treatments, Dante’s doctors were also able to use the biobank’s data to review his blood work more closely. Through this process, they discovered that Dante might benefit from a novel immunotherapy treatment. His doctors estimated there was a 50 percent chance this approach could be effective against his particular type of prostate cancer, a hopeful glimmer amid his challenging journey.
“We tried immunotherapy, and lo and behold after the first month my PSA levels were undetectable, blood work was stable, and all scans showed that metastases had stabilized,” Dante recalls. “For the last 52 months, I’ve been doing an immunotherapy infusion for one hour a week at BC Cancer and every few months I’ve had scans and so far it’s all good!”
For Dante, joining the GU Biobank was simple and reassuring. His doctor took the time to explain how the biobank worked and gave him materials to learn more at his own pace. To protect his privacy, Dante’s blood sample was assigned a number rather than his name, ensuring confidentiality while still contributing valuable information to cancer research.
“Biobanks can look at patient samples and share information with physicians about which treatments work and which don’t work,” said Dante. “This is a bonus for everyone, and I think the benefit is huge.”
Dante understands that the more blood samples scientists can study, the deeper their insights into how cancers behave. He sees the biobank as just one more powerful tool in the fight against cancer, offering researchers new ways to target the disease. “It’s a win-win for everybody,” he says simply, reflecting his belief in the collective effort to find better treatments.