Professor Emerita @AmericanU / Specialist in Theatre History & Performance Studies/ New books with @Ardenpublisher and @CUP_LitPerform

Middleburg, VA
Joined August 2007
Deborah C. Payne retweeted
BREAKING: Palantir’s CTO says some AI researchers are now smoking cigarettes because they expect AI to eventually cure cancer.
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Deborah C. Payne retweeted
In March 2024, at the age of 35, I was diagnosed with stage IV rectal cancer with a metastasis in my liver. This was a shock: I had no family history, and none of the doctors suspected it. After two years of chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries, I'm still not cured. Now I'm asking for help to get a personalized cancer vaccine. This is my story so far. Following diagnosis, I was treated with total neoadjuvant therapy at UCLA. I had 6 weeks of radiation and chemotherapy (Xeloda). This was followed by 6 rounds of oxaliplatin infusions and Xeloda. I tolerated this unusually well. During this period, I managed to hike up to over 11,000ft multiple times in the Sierras, and I wrote the main text of a 72 author meta-analysis paper and submitted it to Nature where it is still in review. I showed a good clinical response, and at the end of October I had surgery: I was under for 9 hours, and they cut out a bit of my rectum, 1/3rd of my liver, and gave me a temporary ileostomy. Waking up from this was probably the strangest experience of my life: I felt more machine than man, and I had wild hallucinations form such a large dose of anesthesia. It took a while to feel OK after that surgery. However, I still had the ostomy. I had that reversed at the end of January in another surgery, which took a greater toll on me than I expected. I only just started to feel OK again and I got bad news: I got a positive circulating tumor DNA test (ctDNA), the signatera test from natera. Unfortunately, the ctDNA carried on rising, and in July 2025 a new lesion appeared in a lymph node near my liver (periportal). I was treated with irinotecan and panitumumab infusions, which showed a good response, followed by live MRI guided SBRT radiation treatment to the lesion. However, after finishing this treatment, the ctDNA remained positive and began rising again. I restarted irinotecan and panitumumab infusions, which brought ctDNA back to negative (signatera), although it remained positive on the more sensitive Personalis assay. During this period I had begun to develop stomach pain and digestive symptoms. Then I collapsed vomiting blood while out in Santa Monica and was rushed to the ER. They found out I had a duodenal ulcer that had bled. I had some blood transfused, and I was sent home to complete an intensive course of antibiotics for H. Pylori infection. However, after about a week, I started to get very weak. I collapsed again and went back to the ER in an ambulance. They found my hemoglobin was 5g/dL, a dangerously low level (normal is over 13.5). Multiple blood transfusions didn't bring it up and I collapsed again in the night after passing a large amount of blood. They took me to intensive care and performed an emergency endoscopy where they clipped and sprayed the ulcer. Thankfully this worked and I was discharged after another 3 nights in hospital. Unsurprisingly, nearly bleeding to death wasn't good for me, and my ctDNA began to spike rapidly. I had a PET-CT and it revealed 3 new disease sites in abdominal lymph nodes. I restarted irinotecan and panitumumab infusions after barely recovering from the ulcer incident. This showed an excellent response, with the sites resolving on imaging, although ctDNA remained positive. I've now started bot/bal immunotherapy, a not yet approved immunotherapy treatment that is the first of its kind to show strong results in my kind of cancer, micro-satellite stable colorectal cancer. This was possible thanks to a donation from an anonymous benefactor and supporter of free and open inquiry in science. Hopefully this treatment will be effective, but it is unlikely to be enough on its own to prevent future disease recurrence. I am asking for help to get a personalized neoantigen cancer vaccine, which could substantially increase my chances of surviving this deadly disease that is likely incurable under standard care. While cancer vaccines have shown promising results, they are not yet approved, meaning one has to pay for the design, manufacture, and administration of the vaccine. The total cost of which is $104,133, beyond my means or those of my family. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I've started a GoFundMe here: gofundme.com/f/cancer-vaccin…. Please donate and share with anyone who might be interested in helping. I've carried on working throughout this period and I'm still running a research group in statistical genetics at UCLA. I'm hoping to continue making contributions to science for as long as I can, hopefully longer with your help.
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I just donated to 15/10 Foundation! Will you join me in supporting their cause? secure.qgiv.com/for/becomame…
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Deborah C. Payne retweeted
Lovely people, I’m having to ask for your help again and though I know it’s ok to ask for help when you need it, it still leaves me feeling embarrassed and ashamed. Sales are at an all time low and my basic outgoings keep skyrocketing (1/4)
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This made my day. How can you not swoon over a golden retriever accompanying Pavarotti?
Watch the wonderful reaction of the dog to the notes of “Nessun dorma” Sung by the legendary Italian 🇮🇹 tenor Luciano Pavarotti Lovely 🐶 xitter.cf/Alexalvz12/status/2007…
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The British Theatre Consortium arrived at this painfully self-evident conclusion, namely that ‘[t]here is compelling evidence that theatre programming has shifted emphasis towards shows with some already familiar element: adaptations and well-known plays, perhaps also big-name casting.’
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A fitting end to a horrible 24 hours of travel, courtesy of @united. Finally made it back to IAD, but our luggage has seemingly disappeared.
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Deborah C. Payne retweeted
Replying to @united
@united We’re still sitting in this godforsaken airport. I just got the tenth—and I’m not exaggerating—new time for our supposed departure, which was originally scheduled for last night at 7:15 pm. We were lied to about compensation and told United wouldn’t cover a hotel voucher since it was weather related. It wasn’t. Even our pilot told us it was mechanical. So we’re out of pocket for hotels and taxis that were pricing gouging because of the snow: some people paid $100 to get to a hotel 1.5 miles away.
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The only decent thing so far about this @united debacle is the therapy dog (who is making his rounds courtesy of his owner, not the airline I hasten to add)
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I am beyond furious: United Airlines has us stranded now for 20 hours at Albany Airport due to “mechanical issues.” Every hour or so, we get another delay and a formulaic apology on the United app. There is no excuse for this incompetence.
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Celebrating 200 years since the publication of Samuel Pepys’s Diary! 📜 Author @KateLoveman shares what inspired her to write ‘Strange History of Samuel Pepys's Diary’. 📖 Read more 🔗 cup.org/4pfU2uK
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"Shakespeare Theatre Company" is now available on Drama Online! dramaonlinelibrary.com/encyc…
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What is going on with London theatre? I have shelled out a king's ransom on tickets for several shows in September, when I will be doing research at the V&A and the BL. I only hope the productions justify the cost, which I cannot say for many of the shows I've seen of late.
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On sale until May 18th! Read about why Shakespeare has always been the favorite dramatist of politicos and presidents. bloomsbury.com/us/shakespear…
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📚 The Business of English Restoration Theatre, 1660–1700 has won the Bevington Award for Best New Book from the Medieval & Renaissance Drama Society! Congratulations to @debcpayne on this well-deserved recognition! #RestorationTheatre #BookAward #MRDS themrds.org/award/2025-bevin…
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Hey, D.C. folks, my co-author, Drew Lichtenberg, and I will be discussing our book tomorrow night at the DC Arts Club. Wine, nibbles, and Shakespeare: what could be better on a gorgeous spring evening? artsclubofwashington.org
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Espied in Brooklyn (of course) by a friend of my son. Perhaps an indication that we’ve reached peak Substack?
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