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Back to Keytruda?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Back to Keytruda?

  • Post
    • February 27, 2020 at 6:10 am
    Nell
    Participant
    I had good results with Keytruda for a year…Then, when we saw progression, I also was dealing with internal bleeding and anemia. So Keytruda was stopped. I have been on targeted therapy Braftovi and Mektovi for several months. I saw NED! Very temporarily. Now disease is progressing in both lungs. I have tried all that is available over the 8 years I have been fighting this. My Dr. at Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis is looking for a clinical trial, but because of side effects I have had he is dubious he can find one. He is considering going back to Keytruda… although bleeding again is a risk. Since it stopped working for me before, is there still a chance it might help me stabilize for awhile? Nervous.
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      • February 29, 2020 at 1:30 am
      Bubbles
      Participant
      Sorry for what you are dealing with, Nell. There are several on this board who have experienced responses to re-treatment with immunotherapy. Here are some reports:

      https://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2019/06/anti-pd-1-results-in-melanoma-patients.html?m=1

      Further, although it sounds like you certainly had some difficulty with your first round of keytruda, we have also learned that while patients may have difficulties at one point, later with aggressive treatment of any side effects asap if they crop up, folks can often tolerate immunotherapy (even the ipi/nivo combo). Though of course I know none of your details and that would have to be something you had a heart to heart with your doc about. When you get to this point in therapy, it makes a world of difference to be seen by a melanoma specialist. If you are, that’s great. If not, I would certainly seek a consultation with one of the melanoma big dogs to at least get their take on your treatment and potential trial options. I hope you find a workable plan soon. Celeste

      • February 29, 2020 at 5:03 am
      STL Mike
      Participant
      I go to Siteman in West county ( Olive Blvd just west of 270 ) to see my Onc. ( Jesse Keller) My Derm is on main campus at Forest Park. ( David Chen ) I started with 4 combos of Yervoy/Opdivio followed by a little over 12 months of Opdivo every 2 weeks. I showed NED and Once took me off therapy. The next scan showed a new growth in lower left lung. Biopsy came back positive for melanoma. So back on Opdivo for another 16 months. Been NED since Dec 2017.

      I don’t think Keytruda was around when I was 1st diagnosed July 2015.

      Good luck and hang in there

      Mike

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