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In the last year of his life, Frank Parrillo underwent four craniotomies and several grueling rounds of radiation to treat melanoma that had spread to his brain.

It wasn鈥檛 until his wife, Catherine, found a clinical trial at 网红黑料 that the family discovered what had been in short supply as they navigated the deadliest skin cancer: hope.

Bently Doonan, MD, a 网红黑料 oncologist whose research focuses on novel immunotherapy treatments for advanced-stage melanoma, worked rapidly to enroll Frank in a clinical trial that provided personalized support.

"Dr. Doonan gave me hope that the clinical trial would give Frank a better chance of enjoying whatever time he had left,鈥� Catherine said. 鈥淚 wish it didn鈥檛 take 11 months to find him.鈥�

Frank, who moved to DeBary, Florida, from New Jersey in 2022, was diagnosed with melanoma on his face in 2018 at age 49. The spot was removed, and he continued to get routine skin checks. Two years later, a cancerous spot was found on his arm. However, the cancer had not spread to his lymph nodes, meaning the disease had not moved beyond his arm.

Then, in fall 2022, Frank began getting severe headaches and dizziness. Catherine鈥檚 worry grew, peaking one Saturday in December as they headed to dog training for their corgi, Moose.

鈥淗e asked me to drive, and that never happens,鈥� Catherine said.

As soon as they got home, Frank threw up. She drove him straight to the hospital.

The next day, a CAT scan revealed four brain lesions. Frank underwent brain surgery the next day, the first of four over the next eight months. By May, after targeted radiation and one round of immunotherapy treatment, Frank was experiencing liver complications and jaundice. By the summer, the cancer was in his bones and liver. Doctors told the family that treatment options were limited.

Always a meticulous researcher, Catherine set out to find her own answers. She scoured the internet using every keyword she could think of: NRAS mutation. Stage 4. Metastatic melanoma. To the brain. Florida.

鈥淭hroughout this whole experience, I kept telling myself that knowledge is power,鈥� Catherine said. 鈥淲e weren鈥檛 ready for hospice.鈥�

For patients like Frank, Dr. Doonan says clinical trials should be considered the standard of care, highlighting the importance of enrolling as soon as possible.

鈥淭he most important message I have for anybody in the brain metastasis space is to take part in a clinical trial because that is our only hope to get more information to advance better treatments for our patients,鈥� he said.

Dr. Doonan leads several clinical trials at 网红黑料. how University of Florida-developed mRNA technology may enhance patients鈥� responses to immunotherapy through personalized vaccines. This year, Dr. Doonan took the helm of a new Translational Research Council at the . The council aims to speed the flow of homegrown discoveries from UF labs into well-designed, high-quality clinical trials.

When Catherine鈥檚 search turned up Dr. Doonan鈥檚 clinical trial for patients with Frank鈥檚 genetic mutation, she understood the statistics: Of the patients with melanoma that has spread to the brain, which occurs in almost half of patients with the disease, few survive more than a year. It was the personal connection with Dr. Doonan that encouraged her to move forward.

鈥淩ight away, I felt like he saw Frank. He saw who he was,鈥� Catherine said. 鈥淔rank still had this zest for living.鈥�

The clinical trial team was a life raft. Research coordinators jumped through every hoop to enroll Frank as quickly as possible, even making a same-day appointment for a required eye exam.

鈥淚 never felt like there was anything I couldn鈥檛 ask,鈥� Catherine said. 鈥淔rom the valet guy at the entrance to the dining people to the nurses to the blood draws 鈥� it was a beautiful, kind, and well-oiled machine. I never felt lost.鈥�

By December, Frank鈥檚 health was declining, though his love for life鈥檚 simplicity, for more time with his wife and daughter, for watching his beloved New York Giants, and for finding humor despite the anguish was very much intact. So was their crew of supporters 鈥� affectionately called the 鈥淧arrillo Posse鈥� 鈥� who rallied from New Jersey and ensured the family never felt alone.

In late December, when Frank fell while getting out of his wheelchair during an appointment with Dr. Doonan, Catherine remembers a knowing look passing between her and the doctor: They were nearing the end.

鈥淔rank asked me what we were doing for New Year鈥檚, and I said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 know about you, but we鈥檙e staying home and watching football,鈥欌�� Catherine said. 鈥淥ur friends came, we stayed up until midnight, he had his (party) hat, we toasted at midnight. Three days later, he had Chipotle, and his whole left side went numb. I rushed him to the local hospital.鈥�

Doctors found a severe brain bleed, and Frank went home to hospice care on Jan. 5. Even then, Dr. Doonan鈥檚 support was unwavering. He spent more than an hour on the phone with Catherine, easing her anxiety about giving him morphine.

鈥淒r. Doonan gave me an avenue and a mode to take care of Frank at the end, in his house, surrounded by tons of people, without fear, even though he was no longer his doctor,鈥� Catherine said.

Five days later, Frank passed away at age 55.

As she navigates the fog of grief, Catherine works to tell others about the importance of early cancer detection and monitoring. She wants to refute the idea that clinical trials are a last-ditch effort or something to fear. Now, she鈥檚 for Dr. Doonan鈥檚 research to keep Frank鈥檚 buoyant spirit alive by paying forward the hope she found.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want clinical trials to be a last resort,鈥� she said.