Katie Doble – Uveal Melanoma Patient Story

In 2013, Katie Doble was 31 years old and living in Denver when she was first diagnosed with uveal melanoma (cancer of the eye).

One year later, the rare form of cancer had spread from her eye to her liver — and Katie was told she had 16 months to live.

Her father, an internist, asked if there were any clinical trials and started calling doctors across the country to find available options. Katie spent most of her 30s in clinical trials at multiple health care facilities across the country.

In July 2020, Katie participated in a clinical trial at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center — her fourth clinical trial.

The clinical trial involved tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) infusion therapy, an advanced type of cancer immunotherapy that uses cancer-fighting T cells from a patient’s own tumor to create a treatment to eliminate the cancer.

Cutting-Edge Cancer Clinical Trial

Udai S. Kammula, MD, director, Solid Tumor Cell Therapy Program, and surgical oncologist, UPMC Hillman, and his team confirmed Katie’s eligibility for the trial and admitted her as a patient at UPMC Hillman in Shadyside.

“My dad and I flew out, and Dr. Kammula comes into the room, and he says, ‘Katie, it's so nice to finally meet you. I've been following your case for years.’ I loved that he knew who I was and that he had this interest in my case,” says Katie.

Dr. Kammula and his team began their work removing a cancerous liver tumor that contained fewer than a million of Katie’s T cells. The team took them back to their lab, where they multiplied the TILs to reach 111 billion.

“Dr. Kammula’s nurse said to me, “Dr. Kammula is tending to your cells like they’re his little babies.’ I loved that. I knew I was getting the best care possible,” Katie says.

The team then infused the multiplied TILs back into Katie's body and monitored her as the T cells began to work.

For the next year, the team witnessed Katie’s tumors disappear.

The treatment shrank all but one of her tumors. Then, a final surgery by Dr. Kammula at UPMC Shadyside to remove her most stubborn tumor revealed that it was largely dead on the inside, leaving Katie with no evidence of disease.

Cancer Free

Five years after her treatment, Katie, now 43, remains cancer-free.

Dr. Kammula and his team will continue to monitor Katie, but he remains confident and inspired by the promising results they’ve achieved thus far.

“We watch her like a hawk,” says Dr. Kammula. “Thus far, she is doing great.”

Reflecting on her treatment at countless health care facilities, Katie says UPMC and its experts stand out as delivering top-notch care.

“I received world-class care,” she says. “Something that very much stood out to both my husband, Nick, and me is that they really saw the caregiver. Nick was traveling there with me and putting his life on hold. Dr. Kammula would ask us, ‘How are you both?’ And that really meant a lot. It says a lot about UPMC as an institution.”

Katie says she also appreciates how accessible Dr. Kammula has been.

“His bedside manner is incredible,” she adds. “He knows how to explain things in a way that I understand. He is clearly a leader in his field. It was a very rewarding experience for me to be under his care.”

The Impact of Clinical Trials

Katie is now a patient advocate for cancer clinical trials and has created multiple resources for TIL therapy patients on her blog, such as a guide on what to expect.

Her story has been featured in numerous national media outlets, including The Washington Post, National Public Radio, and Huffington Post.

“I want people to know that if you’re faced with a disease or a cancer, clinical trials can be a great option for treatment,” Katie says. “Clinical trials continued to buy me more time. They bought me more than my 16 months.”