4/18/01

LC010418

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> NOW YOU CAN GET A BODY SCAN, A KIND OF HIGH-TECH SNAPSHOT, THAT CAN PINPOINT PROBLEMS WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME TO FIX THEM.

PHILIP BRUCE>> WELCOME TO THE BRAVE NEW WORLD OF 21ST CENTURY MEDICINE WHERE A MACHINE LIKE THIS CAN GO WHERE NO DOCTOR HAS GONE BEFORE, AT LEAST NOT WITHOUT CRACKING YOU OPEN AND POKING AROUND INSIDE.

DR. STEVEN SHAPIRO>> IF A PATIENT HAS A VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY AND A TOTAL BODY SCREENING AND IT PICKS UP A COLON CANCER, HAS A TEN-YEAR SURVIVAL OF 95 PERCENT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE VALUE OF THAT IS FOR THAT PERSON. THAT PERSON WOULD HAVE TO DEFINE THAT.

VAL>> AND ON TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS, COULD A PILL HELP CURE A COMMON FORM OF ADULT LEUKEMIA? WE'LL MEET A DOCTOR AND A PATIENT WITH A REMARKABLE STORY TO TELL.

JESS>> AND HE HAS SPENT MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY IN CHORAL MUSIC.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> NOW MASTER CHORAL CONDUCTOR, PAUL SALAMUNOVICH, IS RETIRING AS DIRECTOR OF THE LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE. WE TALK WITH THE MAESTRO ABOUT HIS 50 YEARS OF MAKING MUSIC IN L.A.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION
WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFORMED CALIFORNIA CITIZENRY.

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
UNDERWRITING THE SPANISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW. TONIGHT'S TOP STORY, BODY SCANS. THEY'RE THE HOTTEST NEW TREND IN MEDICINE, A PAINLESS WAY TO LOOK INSIDE A PERSON'S BODY IN A SEARCH FOR EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESSES SUCH AS CANCER OR HEART DISEASE.

VAL>> A GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAY THE MACHINES HAVE SAVED THEIR LIVES, BUT CRITICS SAY BODY SCANS ARE EXPENSIVE, NOT ESPECIALLY USEFUL AND MAYBE EVEN DANGEROUS IF THEY PROMPT A PERSON TO OVERREACT TO THE FINDINGS. TONIGHT PHILIP BRUCE TAKES US TO BEVERLY HILLS, ONE OF THE NEW BODY SCAN CAPITALS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

PHILIP>> IF YOU BELIEVE THE EXPERTS, 30 MINUTES IN THIS HIGH-TECH CHAMBER CAN UNLOCK MYSTERIES THAT HAVE STAYED HIDDEN FOR A LIFETIME.

>> TAKING A BREATH, HOLD IT.

PHILIP>> 68-YEAR-OLD FRANK PETRILLI HAS COME HERE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HIS INNER SELF, BUT IT'S NOT A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. IT'S A PHYSICAL ONE. THE VEHICLE IS A NEW MACHINE THAT SCANS HIS INSIDES AND PROVIDES REAL TIME PICTURES OF FRANK'S BONES AND ORGANS.

>> TAKING A BREATH.

PHILIP>> PETRILLI USED TO BE A FOUR-PACK-A-DAY SMOKER. THAT AND HIS RUGGED LIFESTYLE AS A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR IN THE VALLEY HAVE CAUSED HIM TO WONDER ABOUT HIS HEALTH, SO HE'S COME HERE TO THIS DIAGNOSTIC CENTER IN BEVERLY HILLS TO GET THE WORKS, A FULL BODY SCAN PLUS A VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY, A SEPARATE PROCEDURE THAT WILL PROVIDE A 3-D VIEW OF HIS LARGE INTESTINE.

FRANK PETRILLI>> THE FIRST PART, YOU CAN SLEEP. IT WAS VERY MILD. THEN THEY DO THE COLONOSCOPY. THEY INJECT AIR INTO YOU AND THAT'S A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE, A LITTLE CRAMPY, BUT NOT UNBEARABLE.

PHILIP>> FRANK WON'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG FOR THE RESULTS. SOON AFTER HE'S OFF THE TABLE AND DRESSED, THE DOCTOR WILL HAVE THE PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS.

PHILIP>> DO YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR HEALTH WORRY THAT BROUGHT YOU HERE?

FRANK PETRILLI>> UH, NO, I'M GETTING OLDER, FOR ONE THING, AND I DID SMOKE FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE, SO I HAVE A LITTLE EMPHYSEMA, I'M SURE.

PHILIP>> WELCOME TO THE BRAVE NEW WORLD OF 21ST CENTURY MEDICINE WHERE A MACHINE LIKE THIS CAN GO WHERE NO DOCTOR HAS GONE BEFORE, AT LEAST NOT WITHOUT CRACKING YOU OPEN AND POKING AROUND INSIDE. IT'S A CAT SCAN, SIMILAR TO THE DEVICES HOSPITALS HAVE USED FOR YEARS, EXCEPT THIS ONE WORKS FAST, REALLY FAST, SCANNING THE BODY WITH BURSTS OF RADIATION AND PRODUCING LAYER AFTER LAYER OF HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGES. THE RESULT IS A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE HEART, LUNGS AND ALL THE ARTERIES AND ORGANS THAT KEEP US TICKING.

>> WE TAKE A LOT OF PICTURES, A LOT OF PICTURES, VERY QUICKLY, BUT IT'S MINIMAL RADIATION.

PHILIP>> THERE ARE ONLY A FEW MACHINES LIKE THIS IN ALL OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. JUDGING FROM THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LINING UP TO GET SCANNED, THIS ONE'S A REAL MONEYMAKER. IT'S OWNED AND OPERATED BY A BEVERLY HILLS COMPANY CALLED INSIDE TRAC. THE CEO IS DR. STEVEN SHAPIRO, THE FORMER CHIEF OF SURGERY AT CEDAR SINAI MEDICAL CENTER. SHAPIRO SAYS, WITHOUT QUESTION, HIS COMPANY IS SAVING LIVES BY GIVING PEOPLE A GREATER KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR BODIES.

DR. STEVEN SHAPIRO>> WE HAVE TWO, I THINK, TWO CATEGORIES OF PATIENTS, ONE IN WHICH WE FIND AN EARLY LESION AND THE INTERVENTION IS LIFE-SAVING.

PHILIP>> AND THEN THERE ARE THE PATIENTS WHO DON'T GET HIT WITH A BOMBSHELL, BUT DO GET A PICTURE OF HOW THEIR HEALTH MAY SUFFER IF THEY DON'T EXERCISE MORE OR CHANGE THEIR DIETS.

DR. STEVEN SHAPIRO>> FOR EXAMPLE, LAST NIGHT WE FOUND A COUPLE OF MEN WHO HAD BORDERLINE OSTEOPOROSIS AT AGE 50. WELL, THEY NOW HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CORRECT THAT AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CORRECT THAT.

PHILIP>> AT BEST, INSIDE TRAC IS AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM, A NON-INVASIVE WAY OF LOOKING INSIDE THE BODY TO DETECT PROBLEMS SUCH AS CANCER OR HEART BLOCKAGE EVEN BEFORE SYMPTOMS DEVELOP. RICHARD STONE, A 58-YEAR-OLD REAL ESTATE CONSULTANT FROM SANTA MONICA, SAYS THAT'S WHAT SAVED HIM. HE WENT FOR A CARDIAC SCAN BECAUSE HIS FAMILY HAS A HISTORY OF HEART DISEASE. AS IT TURNED OUT, RICHARD'S HEART WAS JUST FINE, BUT THE SCAN TURNED UP SOMETHING ELSE. A CANCEROUS TUMOR ON ONE OF HIS KIDNEYS.

RICHARD STONE>> AND I SUBSEQUENTLY HAD SOME TESTS AND HAD THAT KIDNEY REMOVED AND MY VIEW IS THAT THIS SAVED MY LIFE.

PHILIP>> AND THEN THERE'S THE CASE OF DAVID MAHONEY OF CORONA. HE GOT SCANNED SHORTLY AFTER HIS 55TH BIRTHDAY. DAVID FELT FINE, BUT HE AND HIS WIFE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO CHECK HIS HEALTH CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT HIS MOM HAD DIED WHEN SHE WAS 55. MUCH TO THE COUPLE'S SURPRISE, INSIDE TRAC FOUND SOME TROUBLING SIGNS IN DAVID'S HEART.

DAVID MAHONEY>> FINALLY, I HAD A STRESS ECHO. THAT INDICATED I SHOULD HAVE AN ANGIOGRAM. THE ANGIOGRAM INDICATED THAT I HAD SIX BLOCKAGES IN THE CORONARY ARTERIES. FOUR OF THEM WERE 90 PERCENT, ONE WAS 80 AND ONE WAS 50. FIVE DAYS AFTER THAT, I HAD THREE STINTS PUT IN ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE HEART.

PHILIP>> BUT FOR ALL THE TIMES THE BODY SCAN SAVES SOMEBODY'S LIFE, CRITICS SAY THERE ARE MANY MORE OCCASIONS WHEN IT SERVES NO REAL PURPOSE AT ALL. A GOOD-SIZE CHUNK OF THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY BELIEVES THESE SCANS ARE MORE MARKETING THAN SCIENCE AND THAT THEY CAN CAUSE UNNECESSARY ANXIETY BY TURNING UP SOME SMALL BLIP ON AN ORGAN THAT WILL NEVER BE LIFE-THREATENING.

DR. ROBERT DETRANO>> INDEED, IF I SCAN YOU FOR LUNG CANCER, I MIGHT POSSIBLY FIND A LUNG CANCER THAT I WOULDN'T OTHERWISE KNOW. HOWEVER, I MIGHT FIND -- MUCH MORE LIKELY THAT I WOULD FIND -- A SMALL NODULE WHICH IS NOT CANCEROUS WHICH YOU DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT, WHICH IS GOING TO LEAD TO ANXIETY ON YOUR PART, POSSIBLY BIOPSIES, OPENING UP YOUR CHEST AND TAKING IT OUT, WHICH WASN'T NECESSARY AT ALL.

PHILIP>> DR. ROBERT DETRANO IS A CARDIOLOGIST AT THE HIGHLY-REGARDED HARBOR UCLA RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INSTITUTE IN TORRANCE, A LEADER IN NEW TYPES OF CAT SCAN RESEARCH. DETRANO SAYS THE TECHNOLOGY HAS GREAT PROMISE, BUT HE CLAIMS IT SHOULD BE DISPENSED BY PHYSICIANS, NOT ORDERED UP LIKE FAST FOOD BY CONSUMERS.

DR. ROBERT DETRANO>> THE HARM IS ONLY IN THE HARM TO MY POCKETBOOK, ASSUMING THAT I'M PAYING FOR IT, AND THE HARM IN THAT I MAY NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RESULTS MEAN.

>> THIS IS YOUR LIVER. THIS IS THE SPLEEN....

PHILIP>> BACK AT INSIDE TRAC, BOTH FRANK PETRILLI AND HIS WIFE, SANDRA, HAVE JUST FINISHED FULL BODY SCANS AND ARE GETTING THE INITIAL FINDINGS. IN SANDRA'S CASE, THE SCAN FINDS A SMALL TUMOR ON HER UTERUS.

>> INSIDE THE UTERUS, THERE IS SOME HOMOGENOUS AREA. MAYBE THERE IS A SMALL FIBROID THERE.

SANDRA PETRILLI>> IT APPEARS I'M HAVING A HYSTERECTOMY NEXT WEEK.

PHILIP>> BUT IN FRANK'S CASE, THE SCAN TURNS UP SOME MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. AN ENLARGED LIVER AND CALCIFICATION IN HIS ARTERIES, POSSIBLE EVIDENCE OF HEART DISEASE.

>> THE NEXT STEP THAT YOU NEED TO DO IS TO COME TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR, CARDIOLOGIST, WHOEVER TAKES CARE OF YOU, AND TO ADDRESS IS MY CHOLESTEROL LEVEL OKAY? WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

PHILIP>> THE PRICE TAG FOR TWO FULL BODY SCANS FOR FRANK AND SANDRA? ALMOST $3,000. INSURANCE DOESN'T PAY FOR IT, BUT THEY FEEL THEY GOT THEIR MONEY'S WORTH.

FRANK PETRILLI>> THEY FOUND A FEW THINGS. I DO DRINK A FEW DRINKS ONCE IN A WHILE. I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT. IT IS VERY THOROUGH. I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE IT DONE.

JESS>> YOU SAY THAT THE ACCUSATION IS THAT IT'S MORE MARKETING THAN IT IS SCIENCE. IS THE PROBLEM THAT THE TRADITIONALISTS IN MEDICINE ARE OFFENDED BY THE MARKETING?

PHILIP>> THEY ARE. THEY DON'T THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE MARKETED DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC. THEY THINK THE TECHNOLOGY IS FINE AND NO ONE IS DISCOUNTING THE POSSIBLE VALUE OF THIS. BUT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS, WHEN YOU SELL IT DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC, THEN THEY'RE BUYING SOMETHING THAT THEY MAY NOT KNOW FULLY WHAT THEY'RE GETTING WHEN THEY GET IT. PERFECT EXAMPLE, WHEN THEY FIND A SMALL NODULE, AS YOU HEARD THAT CARDIOLOGIST POINT OUT, IS IT SOMETHING THEY SHOULD PURSUE OR IS IT SOMETHING THEY SHOULD LEAVE ALONE? AND IF THEY PURSUE IT, WAS IT WORTH IT?

VAL>> WELL, HOW ACCURATE IS IT? IS IT PRETTY ACCURATE OVERALL?

PHILIP>> IT'S GENERALLY PRETTY ACCURATE. IT'S NOT A PANACEA. IT DOESN'T FIND EVERYTHING AND EVEN THE VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY DOESN'T FIND EVERYTHING. IN FACT, THE TRADITIONAL METHOD THERE IS STILL MORE EFFECTIVE AT FINDING SMALL POLYPS IN THE INTESTINE. WHAT IT CAN DO, THOUGH, IS EXPLORE THE COLON A LOT BETTER IN SOME WAYS THAN THE PHYSICAL INSPECTION BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF FLYING THROUGH.

JESS>> AND, AGAIN, MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES WON'T PAY FOR IT?

PHILIP>> THEY DON'T DO IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT PRESCRIBED.

VAL>> AND, OF COURSE, STILL NEW. I MEAN, MAMMOGRAPHY WAS NEW AT ONE POINT.

PHILIP>> THAT'S A PERFECT ANALOGY. WHAT THE SUPPORTERS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY SAY IS THAT 40 YEARS AGO MAMMOGRAPHY WAS NOT AN ACCEPTED PRACTICE BY SOME PARTS OF THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND NOW IT IS.

VAL>> PHILIP BRUCE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WANTING TO GO GET THOSE, I KNOW.

OUR TOP STORY TOMORROW NIGHT, THE ENERGY CRISIS IS FORCING SOME WORKING POOR TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PAYING FOR ELECTRICITY OR BUYING GROCERIES AND NOW THE AGENCIES THAT HELP OUT SAY THEY'RE TAPPED OUT. THE NEW UTILITY POOR. THAT'S TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT AT 7:00 P.M.

JESS>> IN TONIGHT'S THINKERS, SHAKERS & NEWSMAKERS, THERE'S A PROMISING NEW DRUG IN THE WAR AGAINST CANCER, THE PILL THAT SEEMS TO DEAL WITH THE COMMON KIND OF ADULT LEUKEMIA. THE CANCER IS CALLED CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA, BUT NOW A DRUG CALLED GLIVEK HAS PRODUCED REMISSIONS IN AS MANY AS 98 PERCENT OF THE PATIENTS WHO TOOK IT.

VAL>> EXPERIMENTS HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE ON HUMANS AT THREE INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING UCLA'S JOHNSON CANCER CENTER, AND JOINING US NOW ARE DOCTOR CHARLES SAWYERS, THE LEAD INVESTIGATOR IN THE UCLA STUDY, AND A LEUKEMIA SURVIVOR, BOB FERBER, WHO HAS SHOWN A REMARKABLE RESPONSE TO THE PILL. WELCOME, BOTH OF YOU, TO LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

JESS>> DOCTOR, WE'RE ALWAYS RELUCTANT TO TALK ABOUT A CURE FOR ANY TYPE OF CANCER. IS THIS A CURE?

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> IT'S TOO EARLY TO CALL IT A CURE. IT TAKES ABOUT FIVE YEARS OF FOLLOW-UP BEFORE YOU CAN REALLY USE THAT WORD.

JESS>> REMISSION IS NOT CURE?

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> REMISSION -- THIS DEFINITELY CAUSES REMISSIONS IN A LOT OF PATIENTS AND VERY DRAMATIC REMISSIONS, SO I'M VERY COMFORTABLE USING THAT WORD.

JESS>> NO SIDE EFFECTS?

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> THERE ARE --

JESS>> -- NO SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS. I GUESS THAT'S ALWAYS THE DISCLAIMER.

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> THERE ARE VERY MILD SIDE EFFECTS. I MEAN, WE'RE COMPARING THIS TO CHEMOTHERAPY, WHICH IS THE STANDARD TREATMENT FOR LEUKEMIA. AS WE ALL KNOW, CHEMOTHERAPY HAS A LOT OF SIDE EFFECTS. THE SIDE EFFECTS WITH GLIVEK ARE VERY MILD IN COMPARISON. THEY'RE GENERALLY MUSCLE ACHES, SOME NAUSEA IF YOU DON'T TAKE IT WITH --

JESS>> -- AND THE PATIENT IS NODDING IN AGREEMENT. (LAUGHTER)

BOB FERBER>> IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

VAL>> TELL US YOUR STORY. HOW SERIOUS WAS YOUR LEUKEMIA? HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE STUDY? HOW DID ALL THIS COME ABOUT?

BOB FERBER>> OKAY. FIRSTLY, IT'S BOB FERBER.

VAL>> I'M SORRY. BOB FERBER.

BOB FERBER>> THAT'S OKAY, THAT'S OKAY. WELL, I GOT DIAGNOSED IN JULY OF '99 AND I BEGAN SOME CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS, SOME CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENTS, WHICH MADE ME VERY SICK. I ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL. I HAD SOME REACTIONS TO EITHER THE DRUG OR THE DISEASE AND WENT ON SUCH THINGS AS MORPHINE FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND HALLUCINATED AND WATCHED THE WALLS MOVE AND WAS IN EXCRUCIATING PAIN. I WENT THROUGH MANY OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT TRADITIONALLY CANCER PATIENTS GO THROUGH, THE FEARS THAT WE ALL HAVE, NOT JUST NAUSEA, BUT THROWING UP, VOMITING INCESSANTLY AND TERRIBLE PAIN SO BAD THAT, IF I TOUCHED MY SKIN JUST LIKE THAT, IT WAS JUST LIKE SOMEBODY WAS TAKING A RAZOR BLADE --

JESS>> -- THOSE WERE SIDE EFFECTS.

BOB FERBER>> MOUTH SORES WHERE I COULDN'T DRINK WATER FOR A WEEK. IF YOU CAN IMAGINE A CANKER SORE AND MULTIPLY IT A HUNDRED TIMES AND THEN FILL YOUR MOUTH UP WITH IT WHERE YOU CAN'T EAT OR DRINK AND YOU'RE CRAWLING TO THE BATHROOM. OH, IT WAS JUST AWFUL. YOU'VE HEARD WHEN PEOPLE SOMETIMES QUESTION WHICH IS WORSE, THE CURE OR THE TREATMENT OF THE DISEASE. ANYWAY, AFTER ABOUT A YEAR OF GOING THROUGH SEVERAL CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS, WE WERE RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS. I HAD HEARD ABOUT THIS DRUG AND MY FAMILY CONTACTED UCLA, WHICH WAS NO EASY THING BECAUSE IT HAD SORT OF BEEN IN THE PAPERS A LITTLE BIT, SO DR. SAWYERS WAS INUNDATED WITH PHONE CALLS. BUT HE WAS ABLE TO MEET MY FAMILY AND I AND SAID HE WAS GOING TO DO HIS BEST TO GET US IN TO THE TRIAL, A CLINICAL TRIAL.

THE REALLY WONDERFUL STORY ABOUT THIS, WHICH WE TALK ABOUT, IS I'M APPARENTLY THE LAST PERSON IN THE COUNTRY TO GET ON IT. I WAS ACTUALLY ON A FREEWAY AND GOT A PHONE CALL SAYING YOU MUST GET HERE BY FIVE O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY AND I SAID YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING. THE 405 IS BETWEEN YOU AND ME AND IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK. AND HE SAID, WELL, WE'LL WAIT, AND I'M SITTING IN THE CAR IN TRAFFIC WITH TEARS ROLLING DOWN AND FINALLY I GOT IN THERE. HE WAS STILL THERE AND MY HAND WAS SHAKING.

THEY GAVE ME THE FIRST DOSE THE NEXT DAY AND A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER AND, WITHIN WEEKS, MY SYMPTOMS STARTED TO GO AWAY. AND TO SHOW YOU HOW DRAMATIC IT IS, A NORMAL WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT FOR AN AVERAGE PERSON IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 6 AND 11, SOMETHING LIKE THAT -- I'LL CHECK WITH MY EXPERT -- MINE WAS NEARLY 300,000. MY DISEASE PRODUCES EXCESS NUMBERS OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS THAT CLOG UP THE SYSTEM BASICALLY SO THAT YOU HAVE THIS GOOPY BLOOD WITH USELESS WHITE BLOOD CELLS THAT CROWD OUT THE HEALTHY RED AND WHITE BLOOD CELLS AND --

JESS>> -- BUT IS HIS CIRCUMSTANCE TYPICAL?

BOB FERBER>> THE POINT NOW, I HAVE A PERFECT BLOOD TEST --

VAL>> --WOW, THAT'S AMAZING. AND IS HE TYPICAL OF THE --

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> -- HE'S A TYPICAL PATIENT WITH THIS CML, CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA, WHO'S WHITE COUNT GETS THAT HIGH. WHEN WE USE CHEMOTHERAPY, WE CAN BRING THE WHITE COUNT DOWN, BUT WHAT'S REALLY DRAMATIC ABOUT THIS DRUG IS IT'S TARGETED SPECIFICALLY TO INHIBIT THE PROTEIN THAT CAUSES THE LEUKEMIA. THAT'S WHY IT DOESN'T HAVE SIDE EFFECTS. CHEMOTHERAPY INHIBITS OR KILLS CELLS THAT JUST GROW RAPIDLY WITHOUT DISCRIMINATING NORMAL FROM LEUKEMIA.

JESS>> THIS TARGETS A GENE?

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> IT'S ACTUALLY A PROTEIN MADE BY A MUTANT GENE.

VAL>> I SEE. SO BY TARGETING THE PROTEIN, THE PROTEIN DOESN'T HAVE THE CHAIN -- DOESN'T CAUSE THE CHAIN REACTION THAT EVENTUALLY --

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> -- CORRECT, AND ALL THE CELLS THAT EXPRESS THE MUTANT PROTEIN, WHICH ARE THE LEUKEMIA CELLS, STOP GROWING, GRADUALLY DISAPPEAR, AND WE SEE THE WHITE BLOOD COUNTS COME DOWN TO NORMAL WITHOUT ALL THE SIDE EFFECTS.

BOB FERBER>> AND, IN FACT, THE MARKER OF THE DISEASE, WHAT THEY CALL THE PHILADELPHIA CHROMOSOME -- I JUST GOT A BIOPSY RESULT BACK YESTERDAY BECAUSE WE DO ROUTINE BONE MARROW BIOPSIES. NO EVIDENCE OF THE DISEASE.

JESS>> A KEY QUESTION FOR ANYBODY WHO SUFFERS THIS DISEASE OR HAS FAMILY SUFFERING THE DISEASE IS HOW DO WE GET THIS DRUG?

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS, THIS IS ON FAST-TRACK STATUS AT THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION.

JESS>> MEANING SIX MONTHS?

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> I THINK LESS THAN SIX MONTHS. THIS IS RECEIVING THE FASTEST --

VAL>> -- FOR THEM TO APPROVE IT?

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> FOR IT TO BE ON THE MARKET.

JESS>> AND THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH HUMAN TESTING FOR THAT TO BE APPROPRIATE?

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> CORRECT. AS OF NOW, THERE ARE SEVERAL THOUSAND PATIENTS IN THE WORLD WITH CML WHO'VE RECEIVED THE DRUG. THE ORIGINAL TEST WAS ON ABOUT 60 TO 70 PATIENTS JUST A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.

JESS>> WHEN YOU BEGAN HEADING UP THIS PROJECT, DID YOU REALIZE IT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE THIS RESULT?

DR. CHARLES SAWYERS>> NO. (LAUGHTER) NOW I CAN SAY, IN RETROSPECT, IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS, I'VE WORKED ON THIS LEUKEMIA IN THE LABORATORY FOR OVER 12 YEARS AND WE UNDERSTAND BETTER, PERHAPS THAN ANY OTHER CANCER, EXACTLY HOW THIS GENE WORKS, HOW IT MAKES THIS MUTANT PROTEIN, AND NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE A GOOD DRUG AND IT WORKS.

JESS>> THAT'S WONDERFUL.

VAL>> THAT'S FANTASTIC. SO SORRY TO HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. CHARLES SAWYERS FROM UCLA, AND BOB FERBER. CONGRATULATIONS, AND MAY YOU LIVE A VERY LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE.

BOB FERBER>> THANKS TO DR. SAWYERS AND A LOT OF OTHER GREAT PEOPLE, I WILL.

VAL>> WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS PROMISING NEW PILL? HERE ARE THE WAYS YOU CAN REACH US:

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG.
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

VAL>> IN TONIGHT'S PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS, RENOWNED CHORAL CONDUCTOR, PAUL SALAMUNOVICH, OVER MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF HIS CAREER HAS DEVELOPED A STYLE AND SOUND THAT HAS MADE HIM ONE OF THE NATION'S LEADING CONDUCTORS AND HIS CHOIR, THE LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE, ONE OF THE WORLD'S FINEST CHORUSES.

JESS>> NOW AT THE AGE OF 73, SALAMUNOVICH IS RETIRING AFTER TEN YEARS AT THE HELM OF THE MASTER CHORALE AND SAYING FAREWELL WITH A FINAL PERFORMANCE AT THE DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION. PATT MORRISON TELLS US ABOUT HIS LIFE, HIS WORK AND HALF A CENTURY OF MUSIC IN LOS ANGELES.

[FILM CLIP]

PATT>> IT WAS THE FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. THE HUMAN VOICE RAISED IN SONG FROM THE STONE AGE TO THE NEW AGE AND ONE OF ITS MOST LOYAL DEVOTEES IS PAUL SALAMUNOVICH. IN THE CHORAL MUSIC WORLD, SALAMUNOVICH'S NAME BRINGS FORTH ITS OWN CHORUS OF PRAISE: "ICON", "FINEST CHORAL MAN AROUND", "VIRTUALLY UNBEATABLE". HIS WORK HAS LEFT ITS MARK ON LOS ANGELES AND THAT, OF COURSE, MEANS THE WORLD.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> I DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING MORE GLORIOUS THAN THE CHOIR. IT HAS BEEN MOLDED INTO A SINGLE INSTRUMENT, THINKING THE SAME WAY.

PATT>> LIKE THE UNITED STATES MOTTO, E PLURIBUS UNUM, "OUT OF MANY, ONE", SALAMUNOVICH ACCOMPLISHES THE SAME BY MAKING MANY VOICES INTO THAT SINGLE INSTRUMENT.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> IT'S NOT ENOUGH THAT THEY JUST PLAY OR SING PERFECTLY. I HAVE TO INSTILL IN THEM WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT THEY WILL MAKE IT A PART OF THEM SO THAT, WHEN I CONDUCT THEM IN THE FINISHED PRODUCT, I BASICALLY JUST GUIDE THEM. THEY ARE FEELING THE SAME THING. I DON'T HAVE TO WORK ANYMORE.

PATT>> THE MAN WHO HAS BROUGHT THE CELESTIAL VOICE TO THE STAGE AND SCREEN FELL IN LOVE WITH ITS SOUNDS AS A BOY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND HE STARTED SINGING IN EARNEST IN 1937 IN THE BOY'S CHOIR AT ST. JAMES CHURCH IN REDONDO BEACH.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> AND I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ONE PICKED FOR THIS AND, LORD, I GOT HOOKED BY THIS WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE OF SINGING.

PATT>> BUT IT WAS AS A FAN, NOT A PERFORMER, THAT SALAMUNOVICH WOULD FIND HIS LIFE CHANGED AFTER ANOTHER BOY'S CHOIR CAME TO HIS CHURCH TO SING IN THE PREMIER CONCERT BY THE LEGENDARY CHORAL DIRECTOR, ROGER WAGNER. SALAMUNOVICH HAD MET THE MAN WHO WOULD BECOME HIS MUSE AND HIS MENTOR.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> AND I WAS IN THE FRONT ROW AND I CAN'T TELL YOU -- I WAS 11 ELEVEN YEARS OLD BY THAT TIME AND I WAS OVERWHELMED BY WHAT I HEARD AND I COULD FEEL THE CHARISMA OF THAT CONDUCTOR.

PATT>> SALAMUNOVICH WAS 13 WHEN HIS FAMILY MOVED TO A NEW TOWN, HOLLYWOOD, AND HE MOVED TO A NEW CHURCH CHOIR, ST. JOSEPH'S IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES WHERE WAGNER WAS DIRECTOR.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> AND I WAS THRILLED TO DEATH TO BE SINGING FOR THE MAN THAT I NOTED A FEW YEARS EARLIER.

PATT>> SALAMUNOVICH GRADUATED FROM HOLLYWOOD HIGH IN 1945, JUST BEFORE THE END OF WORLD WAR II, AND ENLISTED IN THE NAVY. HE CAME BACK TO LOS ANGELES TO ENLIST AGAIN, THIS TIME IN WAGNER'S NEW LOS ANGELES CONCERT YOUTH CHORUS. HE MIXED HIS VOICE WITH THOSE OF MARILYN HORN AND MARNIE NIXON. THE GROUP SOON BECAME THE ROGER WAGNER CHORUS, MUCH IN DEMAND FOR LIVE PERFORMANCES AS WELL AS TELEVISION AND FILM.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> IT WAS A GOLDEN TIME FOR CHORAL MUSIC AND WE WERE GOING IN EVERY WHICH DIRECTION MUSICALLY, HAVING A GOOD TIME, LEARNING TO BE GOOD MUSICIANS AND BEING ABLE TO COPE WITH ANY STYLE. YOU CAN'T BUY THAT EXPERIENCE TODAY AND THIS IS WHAT, I IMAGINE, WOULD SERVE ME IN LATER YEARS AS A WELL-ROUNDED CHORAL CONDUCTOR IN ALL STYLES.

PATT>> THE GROWING DEMANDS ON ROGER WAGNER MADE DEMANDS ON SALAMUNOVICH AS THE OLDER MAN TURNED TO THE YOUNGER TO LIGHTEN HIS LOAD. SALAMUNOVICH BECAME HIS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND, AT THE MERE AGE OF 21, HE REPLACED WAGNER AS MUSIC DIRECTOR AT ST. CHARLES BORROMEO CHURCH IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD. FIFTY YEARS LATER, HE IS STILL THERE.

BY 1964, THE CHORUS HAD BECOME THE LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE, A RESIDENT COMPANY AT THE BRAND NEW LOS ANGELES MUSIC CENTER. SALAMUNOVICH FOLLOWED HIS MENTOR AND STAYED ON AS THE CHORALE'S ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR UNTIL 1977 WHEN HE TOOK UP TEACHING AT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY. HE SERVED ON THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY FOR 27 YEARS. BUT WHEN HIS MUSICAL ALMA MATER NEEDED A NEW CONDUCTOR IN 1991, SALAMUNOVICH CAME BACK TO THE LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> IT WAS A SCARY SITUATION. IT REALLY WAS BECAUSE I KNEW OF THE HISTORY OF THIS GROUP'S ABILITIES. I HAD FELT THAT BASICALLY, IN MY OWN MIND, THERE WAS AN IMPROVEMENT FACTOR, BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL. I GOT SOMETHING RIGHT.

PATT>> IN SALAMUNOVICH'S TEN YEARS AT THE TOP, THE MASTER CHORALE HAS RECORDED THREE CD'S AND ONE OF THEM, "LUX AETERNA", MEANING ETERNAL LIGHT, WAS NOMINATED FOR A GRAMMY.

THE VOICES UNDER MAESTRO SALAMUNOVICH'S BATON ARE HEARD FAR BEYOND LOS ANGELES. IN MORE THAN TWO DOZEN FILMS FROM "INDEPENDENCE DAY" TO "MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING", SALAMUNOVICH HAS SERVED AS CHORAL DIRECTOR. HE HAS MORE SPIRITUAL AUDIENCES TOO, INCLUDING POPE JOHN PAUL II FOR WHOM SALAMUNOVICH HAS PERFORMED THREE TIMES. THE VATICAN HAS HONORED HIM FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO SACRED MUSIC. WHATEVER THE WORK OR THE GROUP, SACRED OR POPULAR, SALAMUNOVICH'S SIGNATURE SOUND ALWAYS MAKES ITSELF KNOWN AND HEARD.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> I THINK IT WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR A VERY PERSONALIZED SOUND. I HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE NO MATTER WHO THE DIRECTOR IS, THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THAT SOUND EVEN IF THEY WANT TO. NO CONDUCTOR CAN BECAUSE EACH CONDUCTOR PHYSICALLY LOOKS DIFFERENT AS THEY STAND IN FRONT OF THE CHORUS.

PATT>> AND NOW, AFTER HIS HALF-CENTURY THROUGH THE MASTER CHORALE'S INCARNATIONS, TEN YEARS OF IT AT THE HELM, HE IS HANDING OVER THE BATON TO A NEW MUSIC DIRECTOR.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> AND SO THE SOUND WILL BE DIFFERENT AND I HOPE IT WILL BE WITH THE NEW CONDUCTOR AND, THANK GOD, IT WILL NOT BE THE SAME BECAUSE THAT'S THE REFRESHMENT IN THE MUSICAL LIFE.

PATT>> IN TIDYING UP LOOSE ENDS BEFORE HIS RETIREMENT, SALAMUNOVICH CAME ACROSS A LETTER FROM HIS OLD MENTOR, ROGER WAGNER, CONGRATULATING HIM ON THAT LONG-AGO DAY WHEN HE FIRST TOOK UP THE JOB.

ROBERT WAGNER>> "WHEN I FOUNDED THE MASTER CHORALE IN 1964, IT WAS MY HOPE THAT YOU WOULD ULTIMATELY SUCCEED ME AS DIRECTOR. THE SOUND OF THE MASTER CHORALE AT THE PRESENT TIME NOT ONLY PROVES YOUR QUALIFICATION, BUT MAKES YOUR OLD TEACHER OF MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY A VERY HAPPY MAN. WITH MUCH LOVE, ROGER."

PATT>> SUCH WORDS ARE MUSIC TO HIS EARS, BUT AS HE LOOKS BACK ON HIS CAREER, SALAMUNOVICH TREASURES MORE THAN THE PLAUDITS OF HIS COLLEAGUES AND CRITICS.

PAUL SALAMUNOVICH>> I THINK WHAT PLEASES ME MORE THAN ANYTHING IS THAT PEOPLE WILL WRITE AND WILL SAY THAT THE CD WAS GIVEN TO THEM AS A GIFT AND IT OVERWHELMED THEM AND THEY PLAY IT CONSTANTLY. AND WHEN YOU REACH THE COMMON PERSON AND NOT JUST THE MUSIC EXPERT, THIS MEANS MORE TO ME. I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.

JESS>> YOU CAN CHECK THE NUMBER AND WEB SITE ON YOUR SCREEN FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PAUL SALAMUNOVICH'S FAREWELL CONCERT WITH THE LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE. IT IS THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 20, AT THE DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION.

213-972-7282
WWW.LAMC.ORG

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