Re-induction IPI; Brain; options/opinions needed.
REGISTER
The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Content within the patient forum is user-generated and has not been reviewed by medical professionals. Other sections of the Melanoma Research Foundation website include information that has been reviewed by medical professionals as appropriate. All medical decisions should be made in consultation with your doctor or other qualified medical professional.

Re-induction IPI; Brain; options/opinions needed.

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Re-induction IPI; Brain; options/opinions needed.

  • Post
    • November 4, 2011 at 12:26 am
    glewis923
    Participant

    Dear ALL:

    Brief history:  Multiple Lung MMel tumors since Sept. 2010.  Started Caboplatin/Taxol/Avistan.  Seemed to hold them stable. Jan. 26th 2011: Multiple brain tumors found after "clonus" rght. leg twitching/siezures.  Had 7 SRS's and WBR all of Feb.(11 to 14 tumors present, all but 2 or three under 1 cm.)

    Dear ALL:

    Brief history:  Multiple Lung MMel tumors since Sept. 2010.  Started Caboplatin/Taxol/Avistan.  Seemed to hold them stable. Jan. 26th 2011: Multiple brain tumors found after "clonus" rght. leg twitching/siezures.  Had 7 SRS's and WBR all of Feb.(11 to 14 tumors present, all but 2 or three under 1 cm.)

    March/April/May had IPI/ Yervoy 4 infusions) May scans show stable…..Aug. scans show some slight decreases in most lung tumors and brain pretty much stable.  Mid-Aug. started Zelboraf.  Oct. 1st scan shows most small lung tumors gone, and the 3 =/- 1 cm. lung tumors regressing (shrinking).  Brain still more or less stable -possible minimal shrinkage on all but one.

    QUESTIONS:   Since "something" at least kept me stable (with some shrinkage in lungs)  from March to Aug. , common sense tells me it had to be Yervoy  that kept me that way.  I also give Yervoy some credit for brain being mostly stable, although the immediate SRS and WBR in Feb. kept me alive initiallt at least.   !)  Would re-induction of Yervoy (along with contiuation of Zelboraf) be a reasonable proactive approach?   2)  Would some other or added thing- like temodar be an option?  Being that i know i still have several brain tumors that are most likely "alive", should I seek another round of SRS targets- 3 or so more?  

    Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  I'm very lucky to still be alive now- considering the shear 3 of brain tumors initially found, but now that the Zelbofaf and remnants of Yervoy and radiation have kept me stable or regressed, shouldn't  I become as proactive as possible now and go for a "knockout punch"???

    Thanks for listening, and i'm thinking and praying for ALL of You……..I read the posts, but feel i can't add much to really help "clinically""  , but hope I help n my quiet "spiritually" .

     

    Love ALL, Grady.

Viewing 8 reply threads
  • Replies
      • November 4, 2011 at 12:32 am
      glewis923
      Participant

      …..sorry, i meant "the shear # (not 3) of brain tumors initially found- which was 11 or 12 for sure with a couple of ?-able spots.

      • November 4, 2011 at 12:32 am
      glewis923
      Participant

      …..sorry, i meant "the shear # (not 3) of brain tumors initially found- which was 11 or 12 for sure with a couple of ?-able spots.

        • November 4, 2011 at 8:19 am
        Majalist
        Participant

        Hello Grady,

        I am afraid I can be of no help concerning your treatement, but I have read your history and I just want to say I have a great admiration for what you have been going through the last 2 years. I wish you the very best and a treatment that will stabilize you for a long periode to come. I am glad to see you find help in God; your and everyone's life is in his hands.

        All the best!

        Marleen

        • November 4, 2011 at 8:19 am
        Majalist
        Participant

        Hello Grady,

        I am afraid I can be of no help concerning your treatement, but I have read your history and I just want to say I have a great admiration for what you have been going through the last 2 years. I wish you the very best and a treatment that will stabilize you for a long periode to come. I am glad to see you find help in God; your and everyone's life is in his hands.

        All the best!

        Marleen

        • November 4, 2011 at 8:19 am
        Majalist
        Participant

        Hello Grady,

        I am afraid I can be of no help concerning your treatement, but I have read your history and I just want to say I have a great admiration for what you have been going through the last 2 years. I wish you the very best and a treatment that will stabilize you for a long periode to come. I am glad to see you find help in God; your and everyone's life is in his hands.

        All the best!

        Marleen

      • November 4, 2011 at 12:32 am
      glewis923
      Participant

      …..sorry, i meant "the shear # (not 3) of brain tumors initially found- which was 11 or 12 for sure with a couple of ?-able spots.

      • November 5, 2011 at 4:14 am
      FormerCaregiver
      Participant

      Grady, I agree that it could be well be that Yervoy has kept the tumours fairly stable for a while. I wonder if IL-2, either alone or combined with more Yervoy would be beneficial to you at this point?

      Temodar is a chemotherapy drug that is far less sophisticated in what it is designed to do, compared to newer treatments such as Yervoy. However, it may be good as a short-term drug to reduce the tumour load before other treatments are introduced.

      As you know, there are no easy answers but I feel that sometimes there are glimmers of hope.

      You are in my thoughts and prayers.

      Frank from Australia

      • November 5, 2011 at 4:14 am
      FormerCaregiver
      Participant

      Grady, I agree that it could be well be that Yervoy has kept the tumours fairly stable for a while. I wonder if IL-2, either alone or combined with more Yervoy would be beneficial to you at this point?

      Temodar is a chemotherapy drug that is far less sophisticated in what it is designed to do, compared to newer treatments such as Yervoy. However, it may be good as a short-term drug to reduce the tumour load before other treatments are introduced.

      As you know, there are no easy answers but I feel that sometimes there are glimmers of hope.

      You are in my thoughts and prayers.

      Frank from Australia

        • November 5, 2011 at 12:11 pm
        Lisa13
        Participant

        Hi Grady,

        My suggestion would be to gamma knife the 3 that may be alive and get back into ipi. Your lungs became stable with ipi, it's possible it also did the same thing to your brain mets, so I would definately re-do it.   Since you've also gone ahead and killed as much cells in your brain as you could with WBR, ipi may continue to work.

        Best of luck!

        Lisa 

        • November 5, 2011 at 12:11 pm
        Lisa13
        Participant

        Hi Grady,

        My suggestion would be to gamma knife the 3 that may be alive and get back into ipi. Your lungs became stable with ipi, it's possible it also did the same thing to your brain mets, so I would definately re-do it.   Since you've also gone ahead and killed as much cells in your brain as you could with WBR, ipi may continue to work.

        Best of luck!

        Lisa 

        • November 5, 2011 at 12:11 pm
        Lisa13
        Participant

        Hi Grady,

        My suggestion would be to gamma knife the 3 that may be alive and get back into ipi. Your lungs became stable with ipi, it's possible it also did the same thing to your brain mets, so I would definately re-do it.   Since you've also gone ahead and killed as much cells in your brain as you could with WBR, ipi may continue to work.

        Best of luck!

        Lisa 

      • November 5, 2011 at 4:14 am
      FormerCaregiver
      Participant

      Grady, I agree that it could be well be that Yervoy has kept the tumours fairly stable for a while. I wonder if IL-2, either alone or combined with more Yervoy would be beneficial to you at this point?

      Temodar is a chemotherapy drug that is far less sophisticated in what it is designed to do, compared to newer treatments such as Yervoy. However, it may be good as a short-term drug to reduce the tumour load before other treatments are introduced.

      As you know, there are no easy answers but I feel that sometimes there are glimmers of hope.

      You are in my thoughts and prayers.

      Frank from Australia

      • November 5, 2011 at 2:28 pm
      nickmac56
      Participant

      you might look into Abraxane, a chemo which crosses the blood brain barrier. My wife was on it, but unfortunately has had to cease that treatment for unrelated reasons. 

      • November 5, 2011 at 2:28 pm
      nickmac56
      Participant

      you might look into Abraxane, a chemo which crosses the blood brain barrier. My wife was on it, but unfortunately has had to cease that treatment for unrelated reasons. 

      • November 5, 2011 at 2:28 pm
      nickmac56
      Participant

      you might look into Abraxane, a chemo which crosses the blood brain barrier. My wife was on it, but unfortunately has had to cease that treatment for unrelated reasons. 

Viewing 8 reply threads
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
About the MRF Patient Forum

The MRF Patient Forum is the oldest and largest online community of people affected by melanoma. It is designed to provide peer support and information to caregivers, patients, family and friends. There is no better place to discuss different parts of your journey with this cancer and find the friends and support resources to make that journey more bearable.

The information on the forum is open and accessible to everyone. To add a new topic or to post a reply, you must be a registered user. Please note that you will be able to post both topics and replies anonymously even though you are logged in. All posts must abide by MRF posting policies.