› Forums › General Melanoma Community › All is great – Scans after 2 years of Keytruda
- This topic has 21 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 3 months ago by sweetaugust.
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- December 11, 2014 at 3:06 pm
Just giving you all another positive update. My scans are totally stable and clean again. I just had my 37th treatment of Keytruda yesterday. I am now 2 years and 1 and a half month into Keytruda. The doctors decided to just have me stay the course as things are going so well. Merry Christmas to me!!! 🙂
All my best to all of you fighting the fight. Laurie
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- December 11, 2014 at 6:46 pm
That's really wonderful, Laurie! Congratulations. I just had my 4th infusion of Keytruda last week. I'm feeling good with minimal side effects. Scans are scheduled for the week after Christmas so we'll see. I also see Dr. Hodi at Dana Farber and feel I'm in good hands.
Gwen
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- December 12, 2014 at 12:13 am
Laurie: So happy for your good news, esp good with the challenging type of melanoma you had. Appreciate your posting. Yours is the kind of data, inc your link article, we are feeding our Kaiser gen'l oncologist who is questioning how long my husband should be on Keytruda; started 09/14 @ 3 mg/kg every 3 wks and noting only several days fatigue after infusions. Post op residual tumor remains stable in cervical spine. Are you still @ initial highest dose or now @ 3mg/kg? Do you get any side effects after 2 yrs of infusions or do they clear after a while? Will follow with interest how Dana Farber and you decide to manage your case. Have a very happy Christmas. A.L.
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- December 12, 2014 at 12:13 am
Laurie: So happy for your good news, esp good with the challenging type of melanoma you had. Appreciate your posting. Yours is the kind of data, inc your link article, we are feeding our Kaiser gen'l oncologist who is questioning how long my husband should be on Keytruda; started 09/14 @ 3 mg/kg every 3 wks and noting only several days fatigue after infusions. Post op residual tumor remains stable in cervical spine. Are you still @ initial highest dose or now @ 3mg/kg? Do you get any side effects after 2 yrs of infusions or do they clear after a while? Will follow with interest how Dana Farber and you decide to manage your case. Have a very happy Christmas. A.L.
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- December 12, 2014 at 12:13 am
Laurie: So happy for your good news, esp good with the challenging type of melanoma you had. Appreciate your posting. Yours is the kind of data, inc your link article, we are feeding our Kaiser gen'l oncologist who is questioning how long my husband should be on Keytruda; started 09/14 @ 3 mg/kg every 3 wks and noting only several days fatigue after infusions. Post op residual tumor remains stable in cervical spine. Are you still @ initial highest dose or now @ 3mg/kg? Do you get any side effects after 2 yrs of infusions or do they clear after a while? Will follow with interest how Dana Farber and you decide to manage your case. Have a very happy Christmas. A.L.
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- December 15, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Hi AnitaLoree,
The doctors haven't change anything in my treatment plan. I am still at the highest dose, every 3 weeks. If I remember correctly, that dose is 10 mg. But you make an excellent point…where it is definitely worth a conversation with the doctors to see if maybe we could lower the dose at this point…since it has been 1.5 years of clean scans and shrinking met.
As for side effects right now…I really feel fine. The summer months are easy and I really only suffered from the rash on the back of my head during those months. Now the cold months are about to start…and that seems to play a part in the nausea coming back and the joint pain. But so far so good.
Merry Christmas to you and your family and much health as well, Laurie
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- December 15, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Hi AnitaLoree,
The doctors haven't change anything in my treatment plan. I am still at the highest dose, every 3 weeks. If I remember correctly, that dose is 10 mg. But you make an excellent point…where it is definitely worth a conversation with the doctors to see if maybe we could lower the dose at this point…since it has been 1.5 years of clean scans and shrinking met.
As for side effects right now…I really feel fine. The summer months are easy and I really only suffered from the rash on the back of my head during those months. Now the cold months are about to start…and that seems to play a part in the nausea coming back and the joint pain. But so far so good.
Merry Christmas to you and your family and much health as well, Laurie
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- December 15, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Hi AnitaLoree,
The doctors haven't change anything in my treatment plan. I am still at the highest dose, every 3 weeks. If I remember correctly, that dose is 10 mg. But you make an excellent point…where it is definitely worth a conversation with the doctors to see if maybe we could lower the dose at this point…since it has been 1.5 years of clean scans and shrinking met.
As for side effects right now…I really feel fine. The summer months are easy and I really only suffered from the rash on the back of my head during those months. Now the cold months are about to start…and that seems to play a part in the nausea coming back and the joint pain. But so far so good.
Merry Christmas to you and your family and much health as well, Laurie
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- December 11, 2014 at 6:46 pm
That's really wonderful, Laurie! Congratulations. I just had my 4th infusion of Keytruda last week. I'm feeling good with minimal side effects. Scans are scheduled for the week after Christmas so we'll see. I also see Dr. Hodi at Dana Farber and feel I'm in good hands.
Gwen
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- December 11, 2014 at 6:46 pm
That's really wonderful, Laurie! Congratulations. I just had my 4th infusion of Keytruda last week. I'm feeling good with minimal side effects. Scans are scheduled for the week after Christmas so we'll see. I also see Dr. Hodi at Dana Farber and feel I'm in good hands.
Gwen
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- December 12, 2014 at 4:39 pm
Wonderful news Laurie. That certainly does make for a MERRY Christmas. I can only imagine the difference in your outlook from the Christmas two years ago and this Christmas. I hate this awful disease with all my soul but it certainly does have a way of making you appreaciate your blessings.
My next scans are on the 22nd. If all I get for Christmas are clean scans I'll be a happy camper as well.
Staying the course sounds like a good plan to me. If it ain't broke don't fix it! Congrats again.
Brian
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- December 12, 2014 at 4:39 pm
Wonderful news Laurie. That certainly does make for a MERRY Christmas. I can only imagine the difference in your outlook from the Christmas two years ago and this Christmas. I hate this awful disease with all my soul but it certainly does have a way of making you appreaciate your blessings.
My next scans are on the 22nd. If all I get for Christmas are clean scans I'll be a happy camper as well.
Staying the course sounds like a good plan to me. If it ain't broke don't fix it! Congrats again.
Brian
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- December 12, 2014 at 4:39 pm
Wonderful news Laurie. That certainly does make for a MERRY Christmas. I can only imagine the difference in your outlook from the Christmas two years ago and this Christmas. I hate this awful disease with all my soul but it certainly does have a way of making you appreaciate your blessings.
My next scans are on the 22nd. If all I get for Christmas are clean scans I'll be a happy camper as well.
Staying the course sounds like a good plan to me. If it ain't broke don't fix it! Congrats again.
Brian
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