› Forums › General Melanoma Community › I have a serious question re: ipi and dr’s
- This topic has 6 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 2 months ago by
FormerCaregiver.
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- February 4, 2012 at 1:53 am
If anyone deals/knows about ipi or those amazing U.S Dr’s who know a lot about it, I really need help.On my 16 week scan, I had 50 percent shrinkage and disappearing of my lung mets. At the end of nov, 2 weeks after gamma knife for 2 brain tumours, my lymphocytes were extremely low, as well as other blood results were out of whack and k believe this was the time the mets started to grow a bit. Now, my lymphocytes are 1900 and I have marginal growth and now 2-3 abdominal lymph nodes swelling. (which is obviously new).
how do we know this isn’t inflammation from ipi and my body is back to doing what is was doing before? Because ipi worked forme, I’m going back on it, but I wish I knew a dr. that knew everything about this drug, so we may know some answers. Even my own dr. has no way of knowing for sure. Having the brain mets removed from gamma was great and 1 is actually gone, but right after this, things changed for me, so I guess I just really need to understand.
Anway, gamma knife is on tuesday and I’m going on ipi again 1-2 weeks after gamma.
I also want to know if anti pd-1 is accepted for people who have brain mets.
lisa
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- February 4, 2012 at 4:51 am
Lisa, I am not sure if anyone can be certain that this isn't inflammation from ipi. As to what is really happening, blood tests might be able to give some clues that require a bit of interpretation.
Here is some info on lymphocyte concentration. From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocyte
"High: An increase in lymphocyte concentration is usually a sign of a viral infection … Low: A low normal to low absolute lymphocyte concentration is associated with increased rates of infection after surgery or trauma."Perhaps LDH levels give a better idea of what's occurring re melanoma?
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactate_dehydrogenase#Tissue_turnover
"Tissue turnover: Other uses are assessment of tissue breakdown in general; this is possible when there are no other indicators of hemolysis. It is used to follow-up cancer (especially lymphoma) patients, as cancer cells have a high rate of turnover with destroyed cells leading to an elevated LDH activity."Re anti pd-1
See: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01176461?term=anti+pd1&cntry1=NA%3AUS&rank=3#"Prior treated brain and meningeal metastases allowed provided the following criteria are met: No evidence of progression by MRI within the past 8 weeks. Off immunosuppressive doses of systemic steroids (> 10 mg/day prednisone or equivalent) for ≥ 2 weeks."
Hope this helps.
Take care
Frank from Australia
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- February 4, 2012 at 4:51 am
Lisa, I am not sure if anyone can be certain that this isn't inflammation from ipi. As to what is really happening, blood tests might be able to give some clues that require a bit of interpretation.
Here is some info on lymphocyte concentration. From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocyte
"High: An increase in lymphocyte concentration is usually a sign of a viral infection … Low: A low normal to low absolute lymphocyte concentration is associated with increased rates of infection after surgery or trauma."Perhaps LDH levels give a better idea of what's occurring re melanoma?
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactate_dehydrogenase#Tissue_turnover
"Tissue turnover: Other uses are assessment of tissue breakdown in general; this is possible when there are no other indicators of hemolysis. It is used to follow-up cancer (especially lymphoma) patients, as cancer cells have a high rate of turnover with destroyed cells leading to an elevated LDH activity."Re anti pd-1
See: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01176461?term=anti+pd1&cntry1=NA%3AUS&rank=3#"Prior treated brain and meningeal metastases allowed provided the following criteria are met: No evidence of progression by MRI within the past 8 weeks. Off immunosuppressive doses of systemic steroids (> 10 mg/day prednisone or equivalent) for ≥ 2 weeks."
Hope this helps.
Take care
Frank from Australia
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- February 4, 2012 at 4:51 am
Lisa, I am not sure if anyone can be certain that this isn't inflammation from ipi. As to what is really happening, blood tests might be able to give some clues that require a bit of interpretation.
Here is some info on lymphocyte concentration. From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocyte
"High: An increase in lymphocyte concentration is usually a sign of a viral infection … Low: A low normal to low absolute lymphocyte concentration is associated with increased rates of infection after surgery or trauma."Perhaps LDH levels give a better idea of what's occurring re melanoma?
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactate_dehydrogenase#Tissue_turnover
"Tissue turnover: Other uses are assessment of tissue breakdown in general; this is possible when there are no other indicators of hemolysis. It is used to follow-up cancer (especially lymphoma) patients, as cancer cells have a high rate of turnover with destroyed cells leading to an elevated LDH activity."Re anti pd-1
See: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01176461?term=anti+pd1&cntry1=NA%3AUS&rank=3#"Prior treated brain and meningeal metastases allowed provided the following criteria are met: No evidence of progression by MRI within the past 8 weeks. Off immunosuppressive doses of systemic steroids (> 10 mg/day prednisone or equivalent) for ≥ 2 weeks."
Hope this helps.
Take care
Frank from Australia
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