If you've seen my last few posts you know that my latest scan, a PET done in March, revealed that Keytruda had gotten rid of my lung nodules and my skin spots, while still visible, were no longer active. But I have lymph nodes in my chest that are now positive after being confirmed by biopsy. Plan A was to start radiation, and afterward resume Keytruda.
On Wednesday we shifted to Plan B. I saw Dr. Sharfman at Johns Hopkins. We discussed whether my oncologist should resume Keytruda while I was getting radiation, to try and take advantage of the "synergy" that has been discovered between radiation and immunotherapy. But he also mentioned that he had asked his research nurse to look for trials that I would fit into.
Shortly after we got home Dr. Sharfman called. He offered me a spot in a trial comparing the effectiveness of a new immunotherapy agent, known as "anti-LAG-3" at the moment, when given alone and in combination with Opdivo. He said he thought my prospects were better in the trial than with radiation and Keytruda. So I told him that if that was his recommendation then that is what I would do. Now they're doing that time honored American tradition of waiting for my insurance to clear me, so I can
I was wondering whether anyone else here is participating in this trial, at JHU or elsewhere. If so, what have been your experience with side effects and such? And more importantly, is it working? The nurse I spoke to today told me that Dr. Sharfman recommended this because there have been several melanoma patients who have gotten good results.
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