5 year Anniversary
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5 year Anniversary

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › 5 year Anniversary

  • Post
    • March 4, 2016 at 3:04 pm
    Gene_S
    Participant

    5 years ago my husband who had just became Stage IV started the Clinical Trial of (IPI) Yervoy 10mg/kg and GM-CSF.  We had the 5 year appointment yesterday with the oncologist and he has been NED for almost 3 1/2 years.

    There were 12 or 13 people in this Trial at University Hospital in Cleveland, OH and 4 of them are doing good still.

    If you would like to read about his journey with melanoma and the trial you can check out his profile.

    Judy loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED

Viewing 35 reply threads
  • Replies
      • March 4, 2016 at 3:54 pm
      BrianP
      Participant

      Thanks for sharing Judy.  Congrats. 

      Doesn't appear as though the GM-CSF had that much added benefit to Ipi alone.  Is that your takeaway as well?

      • March 4, 2016 at 3:54 pm
      BrianP
      Participant

      Thanks for sharing Judy.  Congrats. 

      Doesn't appear as though the GM-CSF had that much added benefit to Ipi alone.  Is that your takeaway as well?

        • March 4, 2016 at 8:31 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        The GM-CSF really helps build the immune system and has been used for over 25 years for some other cancers and this was I believe the first time the used it in conjunction with Ipi for Melanoma.  Also Ipi became Yervoy and was approved by the FDA on March 26, 2011 at the 3 mg/kg so in my opinion they were pushing for the Ipi alone because this they hadn't figured out if it would help and then they had so many other new drugs they were doing trials on.  He started his trial on March 3 just before FDA approved it.

        Judy

        • March 4, 2016 at 8:31 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        The GM-CSF really helps build the immune system and has been used for over 25 years for some other cancers and this was I believe the first time the used it in conjunction with Ipi for Melanoma.  Also Ipi became Yervoy and was approved by the FDA on March 26, 2011 at the 3 mg/kg so in my opinion they were pushing for the Ipi alone because this they hadn't figured out if it would help and then they had so many other new drugs they were doing trials on.  He started his trial on March 3 just before FDA approved it.

        Judy

        • March 5, 2016 at 8:52 pm
        BrianP
        Participant

        Thanks Judy.  Hope my question didn't offend.  Just for my own knowledge I was curious if the investigators thought the GM-CSF helped.  I think if you treated 12 or 13 stage IVers with Ipi alone you'd probably also have pretty close to 4 still doing well.

        Brian

        • March 6, 2016 at 3:15 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        A reply below from WITom is also NED and only took the IPI  and has been NED for over 3 years as well.  So you may be right Brian.

        Judy

        • March 6, 2016 at 3:15 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        A reply below from WITom is also NED and only took the IPI  and has been NED for over 3 years as well.  So you may be right Brian.

        Judy

        • March 6, 2016 at 3:15 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        A reply below from WITom is also NED and only took the IPI  and has been NED for over 3 years as well.  So you may be right Brian.

        Judy

        • March 5, 2016 at 8:52 pm
        BrianP
        Participant

        Thanks Judy.  Hope my question didn't offend.  Just for my own knowledge I was curious if the investigators thought the GM-CSF helped.  I think if you treated 12 or 13 stage IVers with Ipi alone you'd probably also have pretty close to 4 still doing well.

        Brian

        • March 5, 2016 at 8:52 pm
        BrianP
        Participant

        Thanks Judy.  Hope my question didn't offend.  Just for my own knowledge I was curious if the investigators thought the GM-CSF helped.  I think if you treated 12 or 13 stage IVers with Ipi alone you'd probably also have pretty close to 4 still doing well.

        Brian

        • March 4, 2016 at 8:31 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        The GM-CSF really helps build the immune system and has been used for over 25 years for some other cancers and this was I believe the first time the used it in conjunction with Ipi for Melanoma.  Also Ipi became Yervoy and was approved by the FDA on March 26, 2011 at the 3 mg/kg so in my opinion they were pushing for the Ipi alone because this they hadn't figured out if it would help and then they had so many other new drugs they were doing trials on.  He started his trial on March 3 just before FDA approved it.

        Judy

      • March 4, 2016 at 3:54 pm
      BrianP
      Participant

      Thanks for sharing Judy.  Congrats. 

      Doesn't appear as though the GM-CSF had that much added benefit to Ipi alone.  Is that your takeaway as well?

      • March 4, 2016 at 6:10 pm
      sweetaugust
      Participant

      Congrats Gene and Judy!  Great news!!!

      • March 4, 2016 at 6:10 pm
      sweetaugust
      Participant

      Congrats Gene and Judy!  Great news!!!

      • March 4, 2016 at 6:10 pm
      sweetaugust
      Participant

      Congrats Gene and Judy!  Great news!!!

      • March 4, 2016 at 8:00 pm
      Gwen in Maine
      Participant

      Congratulations to the both of you. Wonderful news!

      Gwen

      • March 4, 2016 at 8:00 pm
      Gwen in Maine
      Participant

      Congratulations to the both of you. Wonderful news!

      Gwen

      • March 4, 2016 at 8:00 pm
      Gwen in Maine
      Participant

      Congratulations to the both of you. Wonderful news!

      Gwen

      • March 4, 2016 at 8:30 pm
      DZnDef
      Participant

      I am very happy for you both!  I wish you continued success!  And thanks so much for checking in and giving us the update.  I find all updates to be valuable and informative but, of course, I absolutely love updates like this one!

      • March 4, 2016 at 8:30 pm
      DZnDef
      Participant

      I am very happy for you both!  I wish you continued success!  And thanks so much for checking in and giving us the update.  I find all updates to be valuable and informative but, of course, I absolutely love updates like this one!

      • March 4, 2016 at 8:30 pm
      DZnDef
      Participant

      I am very happy for you both!  I wish you continued success!  And thanks so much for checking in and giving us the update.  I find all updates to be valuable and informative but, of course, I absolutely love updates like this one!

      • March 5, 2016 at 1:45 am
      Eileensulliv
      Participant

      What a wonderful post! So happy for you both! Thank you for sharing!

      • March 5, 2016 at 1:45 am
      Eileensulliv
      Participant

      What a wonderful post! So happy for you both! Thank you for sharing!

      • March 5, 2016 at 1:45 am
      Eileensulliv
      Participant

      What a wonderful post! So happy for you both! Thank you for sharing!

      • March 5, 2016 at 1:48 am
      Bubbles
      Participant

      Wonderful news, Gene and Judy! Keep it going! Celeste

      • March 5, 2016 at 1:48 am
      Bubbles
      Participant

      Wonderful news, Gene and Judy! Keep it going! Celeste

      • March 5, 2016 at 1:48 am
      Bubbles
      Participant

      Wonderful news, Gene and Judy! Keep it going! Celeste

      • March 5, 2016 at 1:49 am
      jennunicorn
      Participant

      Great news, thanks for sharing!

      • March 5, 2016 at 1:49 am
      jennunicorn
      Participant

      Great news, thanks for sharing!

      • March 5, 2016 at 1:49 am
      jennunicorn
      Participant

      Great news, thanks for sharing!

      • March 5, 2016 at 11:47 am
      Teej
      Participant

      So great to hear! Happy for you both!

      Teej

      • March 5, 2016 at 11:47 am
      Teej
      Participant

      So great to hear! Happy for you both!

      Teej

      • March 5, 2016 at 11:47 am
      Teej
      Participant

      So great to hear! Happy for you both!

      Teej

        • March 5, 2016 at 5:43 pm
        Brendan
        Participant

        Congratulations!  Thanks for sharing. Wishing you continued good luck.

        Brendan

        • March 5, 2016 at 5:43 pm
        Brendan
        Participant

        Congratulations!  Thanks for sharing. Wishing you continued good luck.

        Brendan

        • March 5, 2016 at 5:43 pm
        Brendan
        Participant

        Congratulations!  Thanks for sharing. Wishing you continued good luck.

        Brendan

      • March 6, 2016 at 1:29 pm
      WITom
      Participant

      Congratulations Gene and Judy!!  I'm always interested in your posts and progress as our stories are very similar in many ways. I started the same trial shortly after becoming stage 4 in May of 11' I believe about 2 months after you did (I was ipi only arm). I too have been NED for 3.5 years. I will hopefully reach the 5 year milestone this May.  Congratulations again – we are so blessed to be ipi responders!

      Tom

      • March 6, 2016 at 1:29 pm
      WITom
      Participant

      Congratulations Gene and Judy!!  I'm always interested in your posts and progress as our stories are very similar in many ways. I started the same trial shortly after becoming stage 4 in May of 11' I believe about 2 months after you did (I was ipi only arm). I too have been NED for 3.5 years. I will hopefully reach the 5 year milestone this May.  Congratulations again – we are so blessed to be ipi responders!

      Tom

      • March 6, 2016 at 1:29 pm
      WITom
      Participant

      Congratulations Gene and Judy!!  I'm always interested in your posts and progress as our stories are very similar in many ways. I started the same trial shortly after becoming stage 4 in May of 11' I believe about 2 months after you did (I was ipi only arm). I too have been NED for 3.5 years. I will hopefully reach the 5 year milestone this May.  Congratulations again – we are so blessed to be ipi responders!

      Tom

      • March 6, 2016 at 3:13 pm
      Gene_S
      Participant

      Thank you all.  I hope and pray all  of you reach this status as well in whatever treatments you are taking.  It has sure been a blessing to us especially since after Gene's NED status our daughter was diagnosed with colon cancer and cancer of the peritoneum.  She fought for a year and passed last July.

      • March 6, 2016 at 3:13 pm
      Gene_S
      Participant

      Thank you all.  I hope and pray all  of you reach this status as well in whatever treatments you are taking.  It has sure been a blessing to us especially since after Gene's NED status our daughter was diagnosed with colon cancer and cancer of the peritoneum.  She fought for a year and passed last July.

        • March 6, 2016 at 9:38 pm
        Gwen in Maine
        Participant

        Oh, Judy. I'm so sorry. What trials your family has gone through…

        Gwen

        • March 6, 2016 at 9:38 pm
        Gwen in Maine
        Participant

        Oh, Judy. I'm so sorry. What trials your family has gone through…

        Gwen

        • March 6, 2016 at 9:38 pm
        Gwen in Maine
        Participant

        Oh, Judy. I'm so sorry. What trials your family has gone through…

        Gwen

      • March 6, 2016 at 3:13 pm
      Gene_S
      Participant

      Thank you all.  I hope and pray all  of you reach this status as well in whatever treatments you are taking.  It has sure been a blessing to us especially since after Gene's NED status our daughter was diagnosed with colon cancer and cancer of the peritoneum.  She fought for a year and passed last July.

      • March 6, 2016 at 8:28 pm
      kpcollins31
      Participant

      Great news – congratulations!

      Kevin

      • March 6, 2016 at 8:28 pm
      kpcollins31
      Participant

      Great news – congratulations!

      Kevin

      • March 6, 2016 at 8:28 pm
      kpcollins31
      Participant

      Great news – congratulations!

      Kevin

      • March 7, 2016 at 10:48 am
      Scooby123
      Participant

      Congratulations Gene S so pleased for you both. Nice to have good positive news on hope that we all will get that magic treatment that beats this disease for all.

      Scooby123

      • March 7, 2016 at 10:48 am
      Scooby123
      Participant

      Congratulations Gene S so pleased for you both. Nice to have good positive news on hope that we all will get that magic treatment that beats this disease for all.

      Scooby123

      • March 7, 2016 at 10:48 am
      Scooby123
      Participant

      Congratulations Gene S so pleased for you both. Nice to have good positive news on hope that we all will get that magic treatment that beats this disease for all.

      Scooby123

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