Keytruda treatments

Karen Sue, it took me 6 months of up and down steroid tapers to finally get grade 3 colitis under control. In my opinion some oncologist don’t give enough (1 to 2mg/kg) is recommended amount. I was about 105 kg at the time of my colitis and I was put on 60mg and then tapered down, it came back. Did same thing again, and it came back. Was put in hospital where I was given IV steroid at 150mg/kg for 3 days then pills with a 40 day taper period and I have not had any issue going on 2 year plus. Colitis was confirm via a colon scope with tissue sample taken, not a lot of fun but good to have pathology. Oct. is pretty far off, maybe have a good talk with oncologist and talk about what criteria they are using as a guide to control your situation. Liquid diet doesn’t seem like a way to get control of diarrhea, you might want to discuss that approach with your oncologist. Rice and plain food was the type of diet I was put on, I can’t remember the list but it was a lot of boring type of food. Here is a really good video link talking on management of all side effects caused by immunotherapy called IRAE’s. Dr. Weber is one of the leading experts in melanoma world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37ze8NJGFhk

Hi Karen Sue,
I’m sorry you are dealing with side effects to treatment. It is unknown how long the diarrhea will last after triggered by Keytruda. Thankfully, melanoma survivors are now living because of immunotherapy (Yay)! However, the side effects from treatment are challenging. My oncologist is seeing diarrhea as a side effect but no answers as to how long we have to deal with it.

I have dealt with diarrhea and nausea for 7 months triggered by Keytruda (and after my last infusion) and have tried many remedies with did nothing (BRAT diet, carob powder, pectin powder, eliminating coffee, probiotics). Imodium is tricky, because too much gives me constipation. So for now, I eat what I want, generally a plant-based diet which has lots of fiber. A year ago I had a routine colonoscopy which showed a beautiful colon, so my onc did not recommend a colonoscopy for now, as she thought the findings would be inflammation, which she said we already know.

Here is my intuition: Even off Keytruda for 7 months, I feel my body is still in an inflammatory state which I hope means I am still fighting off the cancer. While no cancer is seen on my scans, the body might be fighting on a cellular level, and in fact, it’s documented that immunotherapy keeps working after immunotherapy is finished, but for how long is unknown. Maybe the cancer tries to come back and my T cells remember and activate a defense again.

I do hope our guts settle down, and one day we can report when this side effect disappears.
Cindy K.