In an operating room at Haukeland University packages surgeons out a new machine. The first of its kind in Norway. Cryocare stands on the side of the device, which simply is a nedfrysingsmaskin.
– With this ultrasound we keep an eye on the freezing process, explains Alfred Honoré and picks a rod out of the suitcase accessories.
Along with colleague Bjarte Almaas has Honoré been in Los Angeles and trained to use the device, which kills cells by freezing them down to 180 degrees below zero. Cell Death starts at minus 40, and it comes to proceed with caution in order not to damage the surrounding tissue. Keeping an eye on the growing block of ice inside there.
– It’s like when you add by boat. You must turn the engine a little before, otherwise crashes in the dock, explains Honoré eagerly.
Freezing treatment is an important part of cancer treatment developed by Norwegian American Haakon Ragde. It is about to trigger the body to fight the cancer.
Just over New Year, the first patients on the bench. Men with incurable prostate cancer.
Haukeland becomes the first hospital in the world that tests ragda method fully.
Alone to USA
87 years old Haakon Ragde have long discontinued medical practice, but keeping alive the dream of getting recognized cancer treatment his.
– If I do not earn a cent on this, I am satisfied, if the results are so we hope. I think the treatment will prove effective against all forms of cancer, he says on the phone from his home in Seattle, where he has settled in a Norwegian neighborhoods.
87-year-old originally from Odda. 18 years old he emigrated to the United States, utterly alone. There he was quite immediately stocked up and sent to South Korea as a soldier for their new country.
Back in the United States got the soldier scholarship at the university as thanks for the effort. But not a cent to live on. Ragde toured three additional jobs alongside their studies to raise money for school books and food.
In 1957 he was graduated doctor, married and had two sons.
Now Ragde signs but shares a house with one of his sons. He maintains good contacts with the family in Norway, but have largely lost their mother tongue in these 70 years.
Around the World
Medical Life brought him around the world. From health care in rural parts of Brazil and Uzbekistan to be surgeon during the Vietnam War. He has driven political work for the Democrats, he has represented parties in committees for developmental of the fishing fleet and trade with China. Among other.
But first and foremost has been Ragde physician and researcher. In 1965 he participated in the first successful kidney transplant in Washington state. In the 1960s he was a member of a medical team that developed a method for bone marrow transplantation. The leader of the team received the Nobel Prize in medicine.
Ragde vividly remember an episode from this work. A meeting with a cancer stricken dog.
– The dog was so ill that it barely managed to lift his head. We injected into immune cells from a stranger dog. In no time the cancer gone. But the foreign immune system killed the dog, so there was not much to success, says 87-year-old.
Still, it must be something with the immune cells, he thought at the time.
20 years would elapse before Ragde resumed work with immune therapy of cancer.
For a period he ran a clinic in the Philippines, where the doomed American cancer patients went to immune therapy. In the United States it was complicated to get test treatment on humans. Results in the Philippines were good, but it documented experiment was missing.
Several proposals were made to get done proper tests. Five years ago was Ragde in establishing clinic in Spain, when the financial crisis broke project. Ragde had also written to cancer doctors at Haukeland and proposed cooperation.
– I did not answer immediately, he says and laughs.
Connected by Bergenser
Now are thus freezing machine at Haukeland, ready to use. To explain how it happened, we need two years back in time, to a stately brick villa on the outskirts of Seattle. The home of Per-Odd Keul, another Norwegian American.
Bergenser Keul went to the US in the 60s, but never let touch with old country. He commuted back and forth and for a period was CEO of Vesta. House Kalfaret he has retained, likewise his many influential friends in their home country.
One Saturday just before Christmas in 2012 invited Keul for lunch. Guests were carefully selected. The table sat his old friend, the then 85 year old Haakon Ragde. On the other side of the table the couple Karl-Henning Kalland and Anne Margrete Archipelago. The two were on sabbatical at the University of Washington. Normally works the couple together in Bergen.
Keul had a plan. He would connect Kalland and Ragde.
New direction
Ten years before this lunch meeting had life Keul taken a dramatic turn. In 2003, he was hit by acute leukemia and went immediately to the leading experts in Norway.
– They could do nothing, I was told that I had three weeks to three months to live, says Keul by phone from Florida, where he has now settled.
In the United States got Keul bone marrow transplantation and were healthy. The cure was grueling, but he survived.
– It changed my way of thinking. I had driven by finance throughout my life, got a new mission in life. I would ensure that Norwegian cancer patients previously were able to try new methods, he said.
Keuls project this time was to get Kalland interested in ragda method.
Kalland allowed himself eventually convince . Not least after having been on the biggest cancer conference in the US, where much focused on this promising new treatment – immune therapy.
Similar to vaccines
It’s a way to vaccinate patients against cancer. Finding the right active ingredient to awaken the immune system and get it to attack cancer cells. Modern genetic engineering has made the pursuit of right active substance or antigen as it is called, faster and cheaper.
Around the world now being tested immunotherapy with different methods and against various cancers. Ragda method is also immunotherapy, but has a slightly different and simpler approach than many others.
Ragde decided namely early on that it was no use to hunt one antigen. Cancer splits sudden and mutates the genetic material all the time. Both within the tumor and between tumor and cancer cells spread in the body. Finding all the variations that simply can not do.
The solution to Ragde is freezing. When cancer cells burst of frost, simultaneously released antigens.
In advance have a team at the blood bank tapped the patient blood, isolated immune cells and prepared them for attack. When the tumor is frozen, sprayed the battle-ready cells into the tumor. Here they discover antigens and take action.
Cryoimmunterapi called ragda method.
– No technology works just as effectively as the body’s own systems, says Kalland, who, like his wife and colleague Anne Margrete Archipelago looking anxiously forward to winter attempt.
Meanwhile conjures Kalland to sobriety. Immunotherapy has until now proved gentle for patients, but without much effect. Though miracle stories there.
– I will not sell the skin before the bear is shot, he said.
Keul raised money
Two years it took from luncheon at home Keul to freeze the machine is ready at Haukeland.
Keul took responsibility for money and appointments. Kalland went home and established Alden Cancer Therapy which has been licensed ragda method Europe and Asia.
The license they got free, it ensured Keul for.
“Haakon, this should be our gift to the old country, “said Keul to his old friend.
Ragde see it the same way:
– I like to think that this is my gift to Norway
So mobilized Keul everything he has good friends. A lawyer friend did the paperwork. Per Grieg Sr., bought me a million for purchasing freeze machine through Grieg Foundation. Herman Friele spitting in 300,000 crowns. The shipping industry in Haugesund has provided over a million. Helse Bergen also helps.
The first round of trials costing six million dollars. Spleiselaget well on your way.
Along went Kalland and Keul to top boss at Haukeland and got the green light to involve urologists, radiologists and doctors blood oncologists. All the professionals who need to.
Patients are picked out by urologists and oncologists at Haukeland, says Christian Beisland, experimenter.
– We understand well despairing people who will try all opportunities, but here there are strict criteria for who gets to participate, he stressed.
The first answers will team a few months. Holder ragda method that all involved hope?
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