› Forums › General Melanoma Community › How sick is too sick for Yervoy?
- This topic has 20 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 6 months ago by
nicoli.
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- May 19, 2011 at 5:26 am
A suggestion for you, if you think it is too late… possibly it is? It is hard to answer your question without knowing where you are now and where have you been? Where is the melanoma and what prior treatments (drugs) have been tried? Have you been involved in any prior trials? Ippi is getting alot of attention now but remember that it is only helping 1 in 6 patients! Also time may be a problem as ippi can take time to show results.
Below is info that I posted to a different thread that may be of interest to you if you are really a late stage patient.
It seems that PLX4032 is helping melanoma patients if nothing else to buy a little extra time to figure out their next
avenue to beat this disease.
________________________________________________________
Have you heard about PLX4032?
It is a drug that show quick response, but not long term results (yet anyway).
What you need is time right now, so do check it out.
see:
http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20110106005659/en/Plexxikon-Signs-Agreement-Genentech-Co-Promote-PLX4032
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Apart from surgical treatments, there are few therapies available for
melanoma that provide safe, reliable outcomes. According to Dr.
Weinstock, however, various threads of research shed light on the
possibility of promising agents in the future. “As we understand
more the mechanisms by which melanomas develop and grow,
agents will likely be produced that can address these specific mechanisms,”
he notes.
Two agents have generated particular interest. The first is an investigational
molecule currently known as RH7204 (PLX4032,
Genentech) that is designed to selectively inhibit a cancer-causing,
mutated form of the BRAF protein found in roughly half of metastatic
melanomas. In a recent study presented at the seventh
International Melanoma Research Congress of the Society for
Melanoma Research, people who participated in the trial lived a
median of 6.2 months without their disease getting worse (median
progression-free survival or PFS), which is significantly higher than
the typical two month progression-free survival for these patients.
The second agent, known as PV-10 (Provectus), yielded an objective
response (OR) in 49 percent of patients in a recent phase 2
trial, with 71 percent of patients achieving locoregional disease
control (stable disease or better) in their injected lesions. A mean
Progression Free Survival (PFS) of 11.7 months was observed among
subjects achieving an OR. These results were also presented at the
International Melanoma Research Congress in Sydney.
Also recently, the FDA has extended its review of ipilimumab
(Bristol-Myers Squibb) for the treatment of advanced melanoma.
The original target date for decision has been pushed back to March
26, 2011 so that the FDA can review new data about the drug’s use in
pre-treated melanoma patients. Trial results published earlier this
year showed average patient survival time was 10 months with ipilimumab
versus just over six months for patients using traditional
therapies.
——————————————————————————–
complete article at
http://bmctoday.net/practicaldermatology/pdfs/PD1210%20Skin%20Cancer%20Fea.pdf
Best Wishes,
Gene
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- May 19, 2011 at 5:26 am
A suggestion for you, if you think it is too late… possibly it is? It is hard to answer your question without knowing where you are now and where have you been? Where is the melanoma and what prior treatments (drugs) have been tried? Have you been involved in any prior trials? Ippi is getting alot of attention now but remember that it is only helping 1 in 6 patients! Also time may be a problem as ippi can take time to show results.
Below is info that I posted to a different thread that may be of interest to you if you are really a late stage patient.
It seems that PLX4032 is helping melanoma patients if nothing else to buy a little extra time to figure out their next
avenue to beat this disease.
________________________________________________________
Re: More bad news; having a rough day…
Gene_S – (5/18/2011 – 3:43pm)
Have you heard about PLX4032?
It is a drug that show quick response, but not long term results (yet anyway).
What you need is time right now, so do check it out.
see:
http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20110106005659/en/Plexxikon-Signs-Agreement-Genentech-Co-Promote-PLX4032
———————————————————————————————————————-
Apart from surgical treatments, there are few therapies available for
melanoma that provide safe, reliable outcomes. According to Dr.
Weinstock, however, various threads of research shed light on the
possibility of promising agents in the future. “As we understand
more the mechanisms by which melanomas develop and grow,
agents will likely be produced that can address these specific mechanisms,”
he notes.
Two agents have generated particular interest. The first is an investigational
molecule currently known as RH7204 (PLX4032,
Genentech) that is designed to selectively inhibit a cancer-causing,
mutated form of the BRAF protein found in roughly half of metastatic
melanomas. In a recent study presented at the seventh
International Melanoma Research Congress of the Society for
Melanoma Research, people who participated in the trial lived a
median of 6.2 months without their disease getting worse (median
progression-free survival or PFS), which is significantly higher than
the typical two month progression-free survival for these patients.
The second agent, known as PV-10 (Provectus), yielded an objective
response (OR) in 49 percent of patients in a recent phase 2
trial, with 71 percent of patients achieving locoregional disease
control (stable disease or better) in their injected lesions. A mean
Progression Free Survival (PFS) of 11.7 months was observed among
subjects achieving an OR. These results were also presented at the
International Melanoma Research Congress in Sydney.
Also recently, the FDA has extended its review of ipilimumab
(Bristol-Myers Squibb) for the treatment of advanced melanoma.
The original target date for decision has been pushed back to March
26, 2011 so that the FDA can review new data about the drug’s use in
pre-treated melanoma patients. Trial results published earlier this
year showed average patient survival time was 10 months with ipilimumab
versus just over six months for patients using traditional
therapies.
——————————————————————————–
complete article at
http://bmctoday.net/practicaldermatology/pdfs/PD1210%20Skin%20Cancer%20Fea.pdf
Best Wishes,
Gene
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- May 19, 2011 at 11:23 am
My husband progressed to Stage IV 15 months ago. He took part in the Oncovex trial for 9 months. Then 2 rounds of IL-2, then out to NIH for a TIL harvest, but was dismissed when we returned for infusion, due to left axilla tumor opening up. He has now had 2 rounds of carbo/taxol, radiation, and the axilla tumor is again opening up. He is pretty weak but still wants to receive Yervoy. We're headed down to Rush to consult with our oncology group there today. He understands the toxicity and length of response time but still wants to go for it. Hopsice is all lined up waiting.
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- May 19, 2011 at 11:23 am
My husband progressed to Stage IV 15 months ago. He took part in the Oncovex trial for 9 months. Then 2 rounds of IL-2, then out to NIH for a TIL harvest, but was dismissed when we returned for infusion, due to left axilla tumor opening up. He has now had 2 rounds of carbo/taxol, radiation, and the axilla tumor is again opening up. He is pretty weak but still wants to receive Yervoy. We're headed down to Rush to consult with our oncology group there today. He understands the toxicity and length of response time but still wants to go for it. Hopsice is all lined up waiting.
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- May 19, 2011 at 2:57 pm
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- May 19, 2011 at 2:57 pm
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- May 19, 2011 at 8:03 pm
Mimi,
I did four infusions of Ipi from December 2010 to February 2011. I started having a response that was visible after the second dose and after the four dose my cutaneous and sub q's were entirely gone from my right leg (the olny place I have had melanoma). I had really very minimal side effects…some increased fatigue and some nausea, and at one point a non itchy rash that lasted for about a month. I know there are side effects that can occur months or even years after the treatment. It is doable for sure. How sick does your husband feel at this point? Is he working? I apologize if all that is in your patnet.
I wish your husband success with this treatment!
Vermont_Donna, stage 3a
ps the tumors got bigger, more inflamed and then reabsorbed on Ipi
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- May 19, 2011 at 8:03 pm
Mimi,
I did four infusions of Ipi from December 2010 to February 2011. I started having a response that was visible after the second dose and after the four dose my cutaneous and sub q's were entirely gone from my right leg (the olny place I have had melanoma). I had really very minimal side effects…some increased fatigue and some nausea, and at one point a non itchy rash that lasted for about a month. I know there are side effects that can occur months or even years after the treatment. It is doable for sure. How sick does your husband feel at this point? Is he working? I apologize if all that is in your patnet.
I wish your husband success with this treatment!
Vermont_Donna, stage 3a
ps the tumors got bigger, more inflamed and then reabsorbed on Ipi
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- May 20, 2011 at 12:13 am
Decison made, he would not survive Yervoy. Hospice has been engaged and right now he's pain free and enjoying a nap at home in the sunshine with a cat on his lap. Man this sucks………
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Re: More bad news; having a rough day…
Gene_S – (5/18/2011 – 3:43pm)