Cancer and Clinical Services Patient Stories

Garry Puckett had struggled with a range of urinary issues for several months before a urologist near his home discovered a tumor that was taking up 90 percent of Garry’s bladder. “My doctor referred me to The James that day and communicated the seriousness of my condition,” he says. “I got a call the very next day to schedule an appointment for the end of the same week; that’s how fast Ohio State reacted.”

“Garry’s tumor was the size of a honeydew melon, so it really was impacting his quality of life,” his girlfriend Meena says. “He wasn’t sleeping, and because he had been losing blood for several months, his hemoglobin levels were half what they were supposed to be. It was devastating to see all that happen to someone you love.” The seriousness of Garry’s case was compounded by the fact that the cancer had also attached to nearby organs and spread to his lungs, making it difficult to breathe.

“We were on a race against time,” Garry says.

His first appointment at the OSUCCC – James was with urologist Akshay Sood, MD, who performed a bladder tumor resection to remove as much of the growth as possible. “He was determined to get more than just a sample to help with a treatment plan. He wanted to improve Garry’s quality of life right away, so he could weather what was coming ahead,” Meena says.

“I will always be grateful that The James didn’t wait,” Garry says. “They got the biopsy, but they also made my life immediately better. Just one or two days after surgery, I wasn’t suffering anymore, and I gained the strength to want to fight.”

The initial surgery provided important information about Garry’s cancer. “It was time to find out what kind of monster we had in the house,” Meena says. To plan a path forward, she and Garry met with Fuat Bicer, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist specializing in genitourinary cancers. The news was not what they wanted to hear – Garry had what’s known as giant cell cancer. “His tumor type was rare, fast growing and capable of bypassing many of the body’s natural defenses,” Meena says. It was the kind of advanced cancer that’s routinely discussed at a monthly tumor board where experts from different medical specialties review diagnoses and discuss the best treatment, including new and experimental options.

The next tumor board was still a couple of weeks away, but Dr. Bicer wanted to move things forward more quickly, so he called each member of the board individually to review Garry’s case. “That’s advocacy,” Meena says. “We were lost and scared, but Dr. Bicer gave us a voice.”

The eventual care plan developed for Garry includes a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy given in three-week cycles over a two-year period. For each cycle, Garry receives both medications one week, just one medication the following, and then has a week off for recovery. It’s a new generation of treatment that Garry has found to be remarkably tolerable – he continues to work and returned to the gym just five months after his first appointment at the OSUCCC – James.

“The report we received from the first scan Garry received after only four cycles of medication showed an 'exceptional response,' Meena says. "His bladder capacity has been restored, and there is just a one-centimeter superficial tumor in his bladder. In his lungs, the 2-4 centimeter masses are now down to single-digit millimeters.”

Garry emphasizes the permanent improvement from symptoms and the support he continues to receive at the OSUCCC – James. “Every member of my team has remained involved, and every doctor and nurse there has been so caring. They really do treat you like family.”

“They’ve given Garry a whole new lease on life,” Meena says. “Even as the companion, they’ve given me so much love and hope. I really want everyone to know that this kind of journey doesn’t have to be traumatizing. We started with a serious storm, and everything has changed. They just give you so much strength, kindness and love.”