› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Dave’s scan results…looking good!
- This topic has 42 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 10 months ago by
MeNDave.
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- June 7, 2012 at 12:17 am
Dave had his first set of scans since starting carbo/taxol. He also had a gamma knife follow up brain MRI. Brain lesions that were treated are shrinking. They did identify a 1-2 mm tiny spot on the opposite side which they are choosing to just monitor.
Dave had his first set of scans since starting carbo/taxol. He also had a gamma knife follow up brain MRI. Brain lesions that were treated are shrinking. They did identify a 1-2 mm tiny spot on the opposite side which they are choosing to just monitor.
The scans showed improvement in the liver, lungs, spleen, and sub-q's, with the exception of one node in his right axillary which increased slightly. The liver actually seen an 80% overall reduction in mets, with many not seen anymore. Same with the spleen. The down side is that they do see a new lesion in his hip bone/pelvic area. He also had lesions in his spine, but those appear to be responding to the chemo. He is having severe pain in his right hand which they believe is due to one of the tumors either in his axillary area or his spine pressing on a nerve. Pain meds (methadone, oxy, gabapantin, dilaudid) aren't helping, so he is going to start radiation next Monday to the lower spine and armpit to see if it relieves the pain. His LDH has gone from 8000 when he was in the hospital to 698 – which is just outside the upper limits of normal.
Given that we KNOW the carbo/taxol is working, he is going to do two more rounds, and then restage. He could switch to IPI then, or see if he qualifies for one of the anti-pd1 trials.
All in all, we'll take it!!
Best wishes to all of you,
Maria
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- June 7, 2012 at 2:11 am
Thank God for some good news.Keep it comming.All the best. Al
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- June 7, 2012 at 2:11 am
Thank God for some good news.Keep it comming.All the best. Al
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- June 7, 2012 at 2:11 am
Thank God for some good news.Keep it comming.All the best. Al
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- June 7, 2012 at 5:55 am
Oh, Maria, wonderful! You guys have been deserving positive news for a long time. You don't hear 80% reduction everyday 🙂 I hope they get the pain under control so both you and Dave can really celebrate. Keep the good news coming!
Hope
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- June 8, 2012 at 10:48 am
Hi Nahmi,
Actually, this chemo combo is routinely used for other cancers (such as lung). It targets the fast dividing cells in one's body. Since Dave's cancer was growing by leaps and bounds, it makes sense that it would work. It should be available in Australia – I would ask your doctor.
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- June 8, 2012 at 10:48 am
Hi Nahmi,
Actually, this chemo combo is routinely used for other cancers (such as lung). It targets the fast dividing cells in one's body. Since Dave's cancer was growing by leaps and bounds, it makes sense that it would work. It should be available in Australia – I would ask your doctor.
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- June 8, 2012 at 10:48 am
Hi Nahmi,
Actually, this chemo combo is routinely used for other cancers (such as lung). It targets the fast dividing cells in one's body. Since Dave's cancer was growing by leaps and bounds, it makes sense that it would work. It should be available in Australia – I would ask your doctor.
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- June 7, 2012 at 5:55 am
Oh, Maria, wonderful! You guys have been deserving positive news for a long time. You don't hear 80% reduction everyday 🙂 I hope they get the pain under control so both you and Dave can really celebrate. Keep the good news coming!
Hope
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- June 7, 2012 at 5:55 am
Oh, Maria, wonderful! You guys have been deserving positive news for a long time. You don't hear 80% reduction everyday 🙂 I hope they get the pain under control so both you and Dave can really celebrate. Keep the good news coming!
Hope
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- June 7, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Maria, Super good news, so happy David is having such a great response. I would also ask your doctor about the possibility of adding IPI to David’s treatment now, while his tumor burden is so much lower. My husband goes to MDAnderson, and from what I have seen combinations of immune drugs and chemo can have effective results, so sometimes the doctors there are doing chemos and IPI together. Just a thought, since IPI takes time to work. All the best, Valerie (Phil’s wife) -
- June 7, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Maria, Super good news, so happy David is having such a great response. I would also ask your doctor about the possibility of adding IPI to David’s treatment now, while his tumor burden is so much lower. My husband goes to MDAnderson, and from what I have seen combinations of immune drugs and chemo can have effective results, so sometimes the doctors there are doing chemos and IPI together. Just a thought, since IPI takes time to work. All the best, Valerie (Phil’s wife) -
- June 7, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Maria, Super good news, so happy David is having such a great response. I would also ask your doctor about the possibility of adding IPI to David’s treatment now, while his tumor burden is so much lower. My husband goes to MDAnderson, and from what I have seen combinations of immune drugs and chemo can have effective results, so sometimes the doctors there are doing chemos and IPI together. Just a thought, since IPI takes time to work. All the best, Valerie (Phil’s wife)-
- June 8, 2012 at 10:55 am
Hi Valerie,
I have not heard about giving the combo at the same time, however, the plan is to start IPI soon. Given that even his bone mets are responding to the chemo, they want to see how much lower they can reduce the tumor burden. Khushalani also mentioned that there is no guarantee that the IPI will work, so David chose to stick with the chemo (he had another round yesterday). At the first hint that it's no longer working, he is switching. We also have to be careful with the brain – because the carbo/taxol is not known to cross the brain barrier. I'm going to google the carbo/taxol IPI combo and see if anything comes up…..:)
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- June 8, 2012 at 10:55 am
Hi Valerie,
I have not heard about giving the combo at the same time, however, the plan is to start IPI soon. Given that even his bone mets are responding to the chemo, they want to see how much lower they can reduce the tumor burden. Khushalani also mentioned that there is no guarantee that the IPI will work, so David chose to stick with the chemo (he had another round yesterday). At the first hint that it's no longer working, he is switching. We also have to be careful with the brain – because the carbo/taxol is not known to cross the brain barrier. I'm going to google the carbo/taxol IPI combo and see if anything comes up…..:)
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- June 8, 2012 at 10:55 am
Hi Valerie,
I have not heard about giving the combo at the same time, however, the plan is to start IPI soon. Given that even his bone mets are responding to the chemo, they want to see how much lower they can reduce the tumor burden. Khushalani also mentioned that there is no guarantee that the IPI will work, so David chose to stick with the chemo (he had another round yesterday). At the first hint that it's no longer working, he is switching. We also have to be careful with the brain – because the carbo/taxol is not known to cross the brain barrier. I'm going to google the carbo/taxol IPI combo and see if anything comes up…..:)
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- June 7, 2012 at 3:37 pm
So happy to hear some good news, will keep him in my prayers for a complete NED!!!!
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- June 7, 2012 at 3:37 pm
So happy to hear some good news, will keep him in my prayers for a complete NED!!!!
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- June 7, 2012 at 3:37 pm
So happy to hear some good news, will keep him in my prayers for a complete NED!!!!
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- June 8, 2012 at 4:52 am
Maria, this is encouraging news! It certainly looks like carbo/taxol is a good combination for Dave. Let's hope that he will continue to respond well to the current regimen, so that his general condition can be further stabilised.
Take care
Frank from Australia
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- June 8, 2012 at 4:52 am
Maria, this is encouraging news! It certainly looks like carbo/taxol is a good combination for Dave. Let's hope that he will continue to respond well to the current regimen, so that his general condition can be further stabilised.
Take care
Frank from Australia
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- June 8, 2012 at 4:52 am
Maria, this is encouraging news! It certainly looks like carbo/taxol is a good combination for Dave. Let's hope that he will continue to respond well to the current regimen, so that his general condition can be further stabilised.
Take care
Frank from Australia
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- June 14, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Hi Maria,
I am so glad to read that your husband is having a wonderful response to his current treatment. My Mother is Stage IV Mucosal both Braf(-) and C-kit (-). We did 4 infusions of Yervoy and stayed stable for 8 months. Re-induction was only 2 treatments and develpoed colitis. After getting off of steriods she has progessed. Everyone has their only opinions on steriods and I feel that they had to have played some part in her progession. Currently she has activity in her spleen, liver,lungs and outer stomach area. Her spleen being the largest.
Tomorrow we are starting the same treatment as Dave is on. We couldn't find any openings for Anti-pd1 and our Dr was working on finding us something. I feel that we need to move forward now and hope for stable disease and even shrinking of tumors. Our clinic is getting anti-pd1L in Aug followed by Anti-pd1 in Oct and Nov.
Question? How has Dave handled the treatment? Is it very toxic? My Mom is not in any pain, but she is severely nausous and sleeps most of the day because of that. Our Dr said that she will lose all of her hair. I'm hoping that she can handle this treatment. When you have a moment can you please give me some guidance and let me know how Dave is feeling.
When I saw your post on his latest treatment I was so happy for the both of you. I don't post often, but read the board everyday and have been reading about the both of you. My Mom has been fighting since Sept of 09 her first surgery. If you add the few month on before surgery we're at about a little over 3 years.
Maria, thanks for all of your shared information.
Regards,
Wendy
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- June 18, 2012 at 11:21 am
Hi Wendy,
I'm not sure if your mom has done Interferon, but I think after his last dose of chemo, it is similar in side effects. He takes Zofran for the nausea, which really hasn't been an issue. There are some muscle aches that occur in the days following the infusion, and being tired seems to be his biggest complaint. Dave's mets are in similar areas as your mom's, but after the first two infusions, the spleen is clear and other organs look much better. Dave has lost his hair, but it has been gradual. He started radiation last week, which seems to have more of an impact than the chemo. He was able to stand up as best man in his best friend's wedding this past week, so that is good. I can also tell you that the more infusions you get, the more side effects that seem to pop up. He has had a fever after the last one with some coughing and pain, so they put him on an antibiotic.
All in all, it's manageable and he's still working.
Just an FYI, they will premedicate your mom with a high dose of steroids prior to the infusion.
I hope your mom does well, and this "bridge treatment" can keep the disease stable until the anti-pdL1/pd1 trials are available for her.
Best wishes,
Maria
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- June 18, 2012 at 11:21 am
Hi Wendy,
I'm not sure if your mom has done Interferon, but I think after his last dose of chemo, it is similar in side effects. He takes Zofran for the nausea, which really hasn't been an issue. There are some muscle aches that occur in the days following the infusion, and being tired seems to be his biggest complaint. Dave's mets are in similar areas as your mom's, but after the first two infusions, the spleen is clear and other organs look much better. Dave has lost his hair, but it has been gradual. He started radiation last week, which seems to have more of an impact than the chemo. He was able to stand up as best man in his best friend's wedding this past week, so that is good. I can also tell you that the more infusions you get, the more side effects that seem to pop up. He has had a fever after the last one with some coughing and pain, so they put him on an antibiotic.
All in all, it's manageable and he's still working.
Just an FYI, they will premedicate your mom with a high dose of steroids prior to the infusion.
I hope your mom does well, and this "bridge treatment" can keep the disease stable until the anti-pdL1/pd1 trials are available for her.
Best wishes,
Maria
-
- June 18, 2012 at 11:21 am
Hi Wendy,
I'm not sure if your mom has done Interferon, but I think after his last dose of chemo, it is similar in side effects. He takes Zofran for the nausea, which really hasn't been an issue. There are some muscle aches that occur in the days following the infusion, and being tired seems to be his biggest complaint. Dave's mets are in similar areas as your mom's, but after the first two infusions, the spleen is clear and other organs look much better. Dave has lost his hair, but it has been gradual. He started radiation last week, which seems to have more of an impact than the chemo. He was able to stand up as best man in his best friend's wedding this past week, so that is good. I can also tell you that the more infusions you get, the more side effects that seem to pop up. He has had a fever after the last one with some coughing and pain, so they put him on an antibiotic.
All in all, it's manageable and he's still working.
Just an FYI, they will premedicate your mom with a high dose of steroids prior to the infusion.
I hope your mom does well, and this "bridge treatment" can keep the disease stable until the anti-pdL1/pd1 trials are available for her.
Best wishes,
Maria
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- June 14, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Hi Maria,
I am so glad to read that your husband is having a wonderful response to his current treatment. My Mother is Stage IV Mucosal both Braf(-) and C-kit (-). We did 4 infusions of Yervoy and stayed stable for 8 months. Re-induction was only 2 treatments and develpoed colitis. After getting off of steriods she has progessed. Everyone has their only opinions on steriods and I feel that they had to have played some part in her progession. Currently she has activity in her spleen, liver,lungs and outer stomach area. Her spleen being the largest.
Tomorrow we are starting the same treatment as Dave is on. We couldn't find any openings for Anti-pd1 and our Dr was working on finding us something. I feel that we need to move forward now and hope for stable disease and even shrinking of tumors. Our clinic is getting anti-pd1L in Aug followed by Anti-pd1 in Oct and Nov.
Question? How has Dave handled the treatment? Is it very toxic? My Mom is not in any pain, but she is severely nausous and sleeps most of the day because of that. Our Dr said that she will lose all of her hair. I'm hoping that she can handle this treatment. When you have a moment can you please give me some guidance and let me know how Dave is feeling.
When I saw your post on his latest treatment I was so happy for the both of you. I don't post often, but read the board everyday and have been reading about the both of you. My Mom has been fighting since Sept of 09 her first surgery. If you add the few month on before surgery we're at about a little over 3 years.
Maria, thanks for all of your shared information.
Regards,
Wendy
-
- June 14, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Hi Maria,
I am so glad to read that your husband is having a wonderful response to his current treatment. My Mother is Stage IV Mucosal both Braf(-) and C-kit (-). We did 4 infusions of Yervoy and stayed stable for 8 months. Re-induction was only 2 treatments and develpoed colitis. After getting off of steriods she has progessed. Everyone has their only opinions on steriods and I feel that they had to have played some part in her progession. Currently she has activity in her spleen, liver,lungs and outer stomach area. Her spleen being the largest.
Tomorrow we are starting the same treatment as Dave is on. We couldn't find any openings for Anti-pd1 and our Dr was working on finding us something. I feel that we need to move forward now and hope for stable disease and even shrinking of tumors. Our clinic is getting anti-pd1L in Aug followed by Anti-pd1 in Oct and Nov.
Question? How has Dave handled the treatment? Is it very toxic? My Mom is not in any pain, but she is severely nausous and sleeps most of the day because of that. Our Dr said that she will lose all of her hair. I'm hoping that she can handle this treatment. When you have a moment can you please give me some guidance and let me know how Dave is feeling.
When I saw your post on his latest treatment I was so happy for the both of you. I don't post often, but read the board everyday and have been reading about the both of you. My Mom has been fighting since Sept of 09 her first surgery. If you add the few month on before surgery we're at about a little over 3 years.
Maria, thanks for all of your shared information.
Regards,
Wendy
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