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My dad is an IPI responder!!!…. we think :)
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My dad is an IPI responder!!!…. we think :)

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › My dad is an IPI responder!!!…. we think :)

  • Post
    • May 28, 2011 at 9:51 pm
    deirgey
    Participant

      As some of you may know, my father has stage IV Melanoma. His first treatment at Arizona Cancer Center was Avastine and Abraxane and he started that some time in February. It was clearing up most of the cancer cells in his lungs and spine but the cancer in his liver was still growing so they pulled him from that. He started his 1st dose of IPI about 5 weeks ago and started having diarrhea 2 weeks ago. They did not give him his second dose of IPI and instead proceeded with a colonoscopy and found he had colitis.

      As some of you may know, my father has stage IV Melanoma. His first treatment at Arizona Cancer Center was Avastine and Abraxane and he started that some time in February. It was clearing up most of the cancer cells in his lungs and spine but the cancer in his liver was still growing so they pulled him from that. He started his 1st dose of IPI about 5 weeks ago and started having diarrhea 2 weeks ago. They did not give him his second dose of IPI and instead proceeded with a colonoscopy and found he had colitis. His doctor deemed this as a successful response to IPI and that he was 1 of 2% of people who responded so quickly to the drug!! I was surprised he was so quick to say it was successful without a scan to follow, however he is the doctor and not me 🙂 Nevertheless, we are VERY excited with this news, however we are trying to be cautiously optimistic. 🙂

      Anybody else had a quick response to IPI?? YAY for IPI!!!

      Deidre Grief (Father Stage IV)

    Viewing 3 reply threads
    • Replies
        • May 28, 2011 at 10:37 pm
        Vermont_Donna
        Participant

          Hi,

            I am stage 3a and had Ipi starting 12/1/2010….my first sign of response was a whitening of some skin patches visible to my doctor with a black light…along my face, neck and chest.This was after the first dose. After the second dose I had a melanoma start to flake off and over the course of a week or so it crusted over and flaked off. The remainders of my 50 plus tumors reabsorbed, at a rapid rate, so that my scans two weeks after my 4 dose showed inflammation and a clinical exam revealed retreating melanoma tumors (cutaneous and sub q's). I did have increased fatigue and nausea. I also had a non itchy rash for a month around dose three. 12 week PET/CT scans after my PET/CT scans 2 weeks after my fourth dose showed complete response to Ipi. I'd say thats darn fast!!

          Good luck to your dad!

          Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, NED

            • May 29, 2011 at 3:17 am
            deirgey
            Participant

              Thats great Donna!!!  Congrats to you 🙂

              • May 29, 2011 at 3:17 am
              deirgey
              Participant

                Thats great Donna!!!  Congrats to you 🙂

              • May 28, 2011 at 10:37 pm
              Vermont_Donna
              Participant

                Hi,

                  I am stage 3a and had Ipi starting 12/1/2010….my first sign of response was a whitening of some skin patches visible to my doctor with a black light…along my face, neck and chest.This was after the first dose. After the second dose I had a melanoma start to flake off and over the course of a week or so it crusted over and flaked off. The remainders of my 50 plus tumors reabsorbed, at a rapid rate, so that my scans two weeks after my 4 dose showed inflammation and a clinical exam revealed retreating melanoma tumors (cutaneous and sub q's). I did have increased fatigue and nausea. I also had a non itchy rash for a month around dose three. 12 week PET/CT scans after my PET/CT scans 2 weeks after my fourth dose showed complete response to Ipi. I'd say thats darn fast!!

                Good luck to your dad!

                Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, NED

                • May 29, 2011 at 1:03 am
                nicoli
                Participant

                  Avastine and Abraxane  ? I don't think I have heard of these. Some kind of chemo?

                  Nicki, Stage 3b

                    • May 29, 2011 at 3:23 am
                    deirgey
                    Participant

                      Nicki, my parents know more about the drugs but yes 1 of the drugs is chemo.  I noticed 1 other person on this board take that combo and they were also from Arizona Cancer Center.  It did the trick for most of the cancer in his body actually eliminating the cancer from his lungs but it didn't help the liver. 

                      Deidre

                      • May 29, 2011 at 3:23 am
                      deirgey
                      Participant

                        Nicki, my parents know more about the drugs but yes 1 of the drugs is chemo.  I noticed 1 other person on this board take that combo and they were also from Arizona Cancer Center.  It did the trick for most of the cancer in his body actually eliminating the cancer from his lungs but it didn't help the liver. 

                        Deidre

                      • May 29, 2011 at 1:03 am
                      nicoli
                      Participant

                        Avastine and Abraxane  ? I don't think I have heard of these. Some kind of chemo?

                        Nicki, Stage 3b

                    Viewing 3 reply threads
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