Question about treatment for Stage 4

Good morning Clthomas2131. You were given some good advice last week from the board. I know it is very hard to go from Zero to 100 miles an hour with Melanoma. I think the best thing that you can do is read old post on the forum dealing with Ipi (Yervoy) and other Immunotherapy treatments. If you are a person that likes the numbers or % the best numbers so far how comes from combining Ipi with a Pd-1 drug called nivolumab in a Bristol Myers Squib trial. One year survival was around the mid 80% and two year falling to high 70% range. If you are being offered other combinations trials it is because the research is still going on to find the best combinations that might help. I have been on Interferon, when I was stage 3 and did not have a good reaction to the drug. It is kind of becoming old news yet some Oncologist still are using it. The best advice given is to see a Melanoma specialist. You were given names last week like Dr. Weber who is one of the best in the field. Some other names you could look up are Dr.Hamid(The Angeles Clinic), Dr. Patrick Hwu at M.D. Anderson., Dr.Mario Sznol at Yale. They all speak at different conferences and you can find them on youtube, just type in there name and Immunotherapy or Melanoma or Pd-1. Wishing you the best !!! Ed

Good morning Clthomas2131. You were given some good advice last week from the board. I know it is very hard to go from Zero to 100 miles an hour with Melanoma. I think the best thing that you can do is read old post on the forum dealing with Ipi (Yervoy) and other Immunotherapy treatments. If you are a person that likes the numbers or % the best numbers so far how comes from combining Ipi with a Pd-1 drug called nivolumab in a Bristol Myers Squib trial. One year survival was around the mid 80% and two year falling to high 70% range. If you are being offered other combinations trials it is because the research is still going on to find the best combinations that might help. I have been on Interferon, when I was stage 3 and did not have a good reaction to the drug. It is kind of becoming old news yet some Oncologist still are using it. The best advice given is to see a Melanoma specialist. You were given names last week like Dr. Weber who is one of the best in the field. Some other names you could look up are Dr.Hamid(The Angeles Clinic), Dr. Patrick Hwu at M.D. Anderson., Dr.Mario Sznol at Yale. They all speak at different conferences and you can find them on youtube, just type in there name and Immunotherapy or Melanoma or Pd-1. Wishing you the best !!! Ed

Good morning Clthomas2131. You were given some good advice last week from the board. I know it is very hard to go from Zero to 100 miles an hour with Melanoma. I think the best thing that you can do is read old post on the forum dealing with Ipi (Yervoy) and other Immunotherapy treatments. If you are a person that likes the numbers or % the best numbers so far how comes from combining Ipi with a Pd-1 drug called nivolumab in a Bristol Myers Squib trial. One year survival was around the mid 80% and two year falling to high 70% range. If you are being offered other combinations trials it is because the research is still going on to find the best combinations that might help. I have been on Interferon, when I was stage 3 and did not have a good reaction to the drug. It is kind of becoming old news yet some Oncologist still are using it. The best advice given is to see a Melanoma specialist. You were given names last week like Dr. Weber who is one of the best in the field. Some other names you could look up are Dr.Hamid(The Angeles Clinic), Dr. Patrick Hwu at M.D. Anderson., Dr.Mario Sznol at Yale. They all speak at different conferences and you can find them on youtube, just type in there name and Immunotherapy or Melanoma or Pd-1. Wishing you the best !!! Ed

If you look at the last post I made on your previous thread, you will find a link. If you click on that you will find a link to a presentation Weber made talking about all the current and coming ipi (Yervoy) combinations…he presents slides and explains them well.  Additionally, in the printed portion of that post…there is some of the data regarding the yervoy and nivo combo Ed is referencing as well as a little data out out on the ipi/interferon combo. The ipi/avastin and ipi/interferon combo's are relatively new and still in trials so there is not a great deal of data out on them yet. C

If you look at the last post I made on your previous thread, you will find a link. If you click on that you will find a link to a presentation Weber made talking about all the current and coming ipi (Yervoy) combinations…he presents slides and explains them well.  Additionally, in the printed portion of that post…there is some of the data regarding the yervoy and nivo combo Ed is referencing as well as a little data out out on the ipi/interferon combo. The ipi/avastin and ipi/interferon combo's are relatively new and still in trials so there is not a great deal of data out on them yet. C

If you look at the last post I made on your previous thread, you will find a link. If you click on that you will find a link to a presentation Weber made talking about all the current and coming ipi (Yervoy) combinations…he presents slides and explains them well.  Additionally, in the printed portion of that post…there is some of the data regarding the yervoy and nivo combo Ed is referencing as well as a little data out out on the ipi/interferon combo. The ipi/avastin and ipi/interferon combo's are relatively new and still in trials so there is not a great deal of data out on them yet. C

My neighbor (who also has stage 4!!) is about to start the ipi/ nivo trial here in Australia. I am on pembrolizumab and it is working for me, but he was diagnosed six months after me, so I am guessing that is the latest and best thing, but from reading celestes great posts I think the side effects can be more of an issue. As soon as I hear from my neighbor how his reactions are I will post so you know. 

My neighbor (who also has stage 4!!) is about to start the ipi/ nivo trial here in Australia. I am on pembrolizumab and it is working for me, but he was diagnosed six months after me, so I am guessing that is the latest and best thing, but from reading celestes great posts I think the side effects can be more of an issue. As soon as I hear from my neighbor how his reactions are I will post so you know. 

My neighbor (who also has stage 4!!) is about to start the ipi/ nivo trial here in Australia. I am on pembrolizumab and it is working for me, but he was diagnosed six months after me, so I am guessing that is the latest and best thing, but from reading celestes great posts I think the side effects can be more of an issue. As soon as I hear from my neighbor how his reactions are I will post so you know. 

My husband was on a Yervoy (Ipi) and GMCSF clinical trial and he has been NED for over 2 years.  If you want to read more go to his profile.

Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

My husband was on a Yervoy (Ipi) and GMCSF clinical trial and he has been NED for over 2 years.  If you want to read more go to his profile.

Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

My husband was on a Yervoy (Ipi) and GMCSF clinical trial and he has been NED for over 2 years.  If you want to read more go to his profile.

Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)