› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Zelboraf stopped working
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Ali.
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- March 27, 2012 at 10:29 pm
First time posting , but I have been lurking on this board for months. My father, 80, was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic melanoma in Sept 2011. There were large masses in his chest and abdomen. His first treatment option was radiation therapy to shrink the tumor in his chest. He also tested BRAF+ and started Zelboraf . However after only 1 week into his Zelboraf treatment, he was hospitalized for pneumonia / radiation pneumonitis. They actually were not certain which one it was, so treated both. In December, he started his Zelboraf —
First time posting , but I have been lurking on this board for months. My father, 80, was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic melanoma in Sept 2011. There were large masses in his chest and abdomen. His first treatment option was radiation therapy to shrink the tumor in his chest. He also tested BRAF+ and started Zelboraf . However after only 1 week into his Zelboraf treatment, he was hospitalized for pneumonia / radiation pneumonitis. They actually were not certain which one it was, so treated both. In December, he started his Zelboraf — full dose, twice a day. His 6 week scan showed a great response with no new tumor growth and shrinkage of 40%. In March, he had his second scan, and the Zelboraf stopped working and his masses has increased in size.
His oncologist says there are two treatment options: Yervoy or Abraxine. She recommends Abraxine because of her concerns about the toxitity of Yervoy and my father's ability to withstand treatment. Everything I have read suggests the Yervoy to be more effective; however I am concerned about the time it takes to be effective, so perhaps the Abraxine would buy some more time.
I am interested in hearing any experience in this decision.
Thanks,
Bill
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- March 28, 2012 at 6:10 am
Have you asked the Oncologist whether he could add a MEK inhibitor to the Braf, i know of people who are having success with this combo, you may have to get into a Trial. Your Father is 80 and i can understand your concern in exposing him to Toxic treatments.
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- March 28, 2012 at 6:10 am
Have you asked the Oncologist whether he could add a MEK inhibitor to the Braf, i know of people who are having success with this combo, you may have to get into a Trial. Your Father is 80 and i can understand your concern in exposing him to Toxic treatments.
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- March 28, 2012 at 6:10 am
Have you asked the Oncologist whether he could add a MEK inhibitor to the Braf, i know of people who are having success with this combo, you may have to get into a Trial. Your Father is 80 and i can understand your concern in exposing him to Toxic treatments.
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- March 28, 2012 at 1:23 pm
How is your fathers health beside the cancer? That may be one of the factors to consider also. You can read my husbands profile and see that Yervoy has not been to bad for him with the side effects. Like all treatments it effects everyone differently. Also he noticed changes quite quickly so the time element is also different with each individual.
I pray that what they find for your dad works well for him.
Judy (loving wife and caregiver of Gene Stage IV)
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- March 28, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Judy and James,
Thank you for your replies. My father was a very active 80 year old until his diagnosis. He does not have any other major health issues, but the melanoma has really weakened him. Like most here, sometimes you are unsure if his symptoms are a result of the disease or the treatment (in his case Zelboraf). He is weak and fatigued, his appetite is poor but he eats what he can (his oncologist attributes this to his tumor adjacent to his pancreas), but his weight has been stable. He has symptoms of nausea, but no vomiting. He wants to continue to fight this. His recent blood work showed he is anemic, so he is getting a blood transfusion today in hopes this can pep him up. My thoughts now are to give the Yervoy a shot, since this seems to provide the most hope. And as you said, everyone is a statistic of one.
Bill (loving son)
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- March 28, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Judy and James,
Thank you for your replies. My father was a very active 80 year old until his diagnosis. He does not have any other major health issues, but the melanoma has really weakened him. Like most here, sometimes you are unsure if his symptoms are a result of the disease or the treatment (in his case Zelboraf). He is weak and fatigued, his appetite is poor but he eats what he can (his oncologist attributes this to his tumor adjacent to his pancreas), but his weight has been stable. He has symptoms of nausea, but no vomiting. He wants to continue to fight this. His recent blood work showed he is anemic, so he is getting a blood transfusion today in hopes this can pep him up. My thoughts now are to give the Yervoy a shot, since this seems to provide the most hope. And as you said, everyone is a statistic of one.
Bill (loving son)
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- March 28, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Judy and James,
Thank you for your replies. My father was a very active 80 year old until his diagnosis. He does not have any other major health issues, but the melanoma has really weakened him. Like most here, sometimes you are unsure if his symptoms are a result of the disease or the treatment (in his case Zelboraf). He is weak and fatigued, his appetite is poor but he eats what he can (his oncologist attributes this to his tumor adjacent to his pancreas), but his weight has been stable. He has symptoms of nausea, but no vomiting. He wants to continue to fight this. His recent blood work showed he is anemic, so he is getting a blood transfusion today in hopes this can pep him up. My thoughts now are to give the Yervoy a shot, since this seems to provide the most hope. And as you said, everyone is a statistic of one.
Bill (loving son)
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- March 28, 2012 at 1:23 pm
How is your fathers health beside the cancer? That may be one of the factors to consider also. You can read my husbands profile and see that Yervoy has not been to bad for him with the side effects. Like all treatments it effects everyone differently. Also he noticed changes quite quickly so the time element is also different with each individual.
I pray that what they find for your dad works well for him.
Judy (loving wife and caregiver of Gene Stage IV)
-
- March 28, 2012 at 1:23 pm
How is your fathers health beside the cancer? That may be one of the factors to consider also. You can read my husbands profile and see that Yervoy has not been to bad for him with the side effects. Like all treatments it effects everyone differently. Also he noticed changes quite quickly so the time element is also different with each individual.
I pray that what they find for your dad works well for him.
Judy (loving wife and caregiver of Gene Stage IV)
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