The double edge of cancer immunotherapy

There are a lot of anonymous posts and I don't think you can expect all people to be able to decipher nefarious intent in published articles.  I think it would be fair to say that many of them have motive.  You probably are mad because you want the "CURE" to be found, and one with no side effects and works for everyone.  Gee, that does sound wonderful.  If only it were true, and true about every medical problem.  But don't take your fear and anxiety out on other patients who are just as scared as you are.

Recently there was a Science mag sponsored webinar about immune therapy for cancer, and it was clear that it was not perfect.  Clear because they kept repeating that one of the challenges now was to figure out which patient would be helped by this, and which would not.  Does that tell you something?

I would not want to reduce the hope of anyone with this awful cancer, but some of us do want the whole story before we invest our time, money, and whole heart in something.  Do you read all the published articles on melanoma treatment, does anyone before they start a treatment?  I doubt it.  They go to the places that are recommended on this forum and they trust the doctors to tell them the truth about the pro's and cons of treatment.  Some of us do want to know the cons as well.  In the end we all have to make a choice about what to do, how much we want to know.  If you do not want to know, and assume everyone that does tell you the cons has an ulterior motive, then that is your choice.  It is not everyones.  If they don't want to read posts like this, they can just pass it by.

There are a lot of anonymous posts and I don't think you can expect all people to be able to decipher nefarious intent in published articles.  I think it would be fair to say that many of them have motive.  You probably are mad because you want the "CURE" to be found, and one with no side effects and works for everyone.  Gee, that does sound wonderful.  If only it were true, and true about every medical problem.  But don't take your fear and anxiety out on other patients who are just as scared as you are.

Recently there was a Science mag sponsored webinar about immune therapy for cancer, and it was clear that it was not perfect.  Clear because they kept repeating that one of the challenges now was to figure out which patient would be helped by this, and which would not.  Does that tell you something?

I would not want to reduce the hope of anyone with this awful cancer, but some of us do want the whole story before we invest our time, money, and whole heart in something.  Do you read all the published articles on melanoma treatment, does anyone before they start a treatment?  I doubt it.  They go to the places that are recommended on this forum and they trust the doctors to tell them the truth about the pro's and cons of treatment.  Some of us do want to know the cons as well.  In the end we all have to make a choice about what to do, how much we want to know.  If you do not want to know, and assume everyone that does tell you the cons has an ulterior motive, then that is your choice.  It is not everyones.  If they don't want to read posts like this, they can just pass it by.

There are a lot of anonymous posts and I don't think you can expect all people to be able to decipher nefarious intent in published articles.  I think it would be fair to say that many of them have motive.  You probably are mad because you want the "CURE" to be found, and one with no side effects and works for everyone.  Gee, that does sound wonderful.  If only it were true, and true about every medical problem.  But don't take your fear and anxiety out on other patients who are just as scared as you are.

Recently there was a Science mag sponsored webinar about immune therapy for cancer, and it was clear that it was not perfect.  Clear because they kept repeating that one of the challenges now was to figure out which patient would be helped by this, and which would not.  Does that tell you something?

I would not want to reduce the hope of anyone with this awful cancer, but some of us do want the whole story before we invest our time, money, and whole heart in something.  Do you read all the published articles on melanoma treatment, does anyone before they start a treatment?  I doubt it.  They go to the places that are recommended on this forum and they trust the doctors to tell them the truth about the pro's and cons of treatment.  Some of us do want to know the cons as well.  In the end we all have to make a choice about what to do, how much we want to know.  If you do not want to know, and assume everyone that does tell you the cons has an ulterior motive, then that is your choice.  It is not everyones.  If they don't want to read posts like this, they can just pass it by.

I am really bothered that you say this author is biased because of his field of study.  Apparently you did not read the article I posted.  Here is a quote "Concerted research efforts to understand the mechanisms of immunotherapy-triggered responses are crucial for developing better treatments."

Obviously we need to identify and deal with side effects of cancer therapies.  The article points out that almost known of the trials have as part of the research the undesirable side effects.  Wouldn't you want that to be handled better?

I know a woman who had a solid abdominal cancer, not melanoma, that was treated with a cocktail of cancer drugs.  It was apparently cured, but she was left with peripheral neuropathy and other side effects.  Because of the neuropathy, she has no feeling in her toes and it affects her balance.  So, one day this caused her to fall and break bones in her hand and wrist.  Certainly all of us would want to avoid this kind of result from cancer treatment, wouldn't we?

I am really bothered that you say this author is biased because of his field of study.  Apparently you did not read the article I posted.  Here is a quote "Concerted research efforts to understand the mechanisms of immunotherapy-triggered responses are crucial for developing better treatments."

Obviously we need to identify and deal with side effects of cancer therapies.  The article points out that almost known of the trials have as part of the research the undesirable side effects.  Wouldn't you want that to be handled better?

I know a woman who had a solid abdominal cancer, not melanoma, that was treated with a cocktail of cancer drugs.  It was apparently cured, but she was left with peripheral neuropathy and other side effects.  Because of the neuropathy, she has no feeling in her toes and it affects her balance.  So, one day this caused her to fall and break bones in her hand and wrist.  Certainly all of us would want to avoid this kind of result from cancer treatment, wouldn't we?

I am really bothered that you say this author is biased because of his field of study.  Apparently you did not read the article I posted.  Here is a quote "Concerted research efforts to understand the mechanisms of immunotherapy-triggered responses are crucial for developing better treatments."

Obviously we need to identify and deal with side effects of cancer therapies.  The article points out that almost known of the trials have as part of the research the undesirable side effects.  Wouldn't you want that to be handled better?

I know a woman who had a solid abdominal cancer, not melanoma, that was treated with a cocktail of cancer drugs.  It was apparently cured, but she was left with peripheral neuropathy and other side effects.  Because of the neuropathy, she has no feeling in her toes and it affects her balance.  So, one day this caused her to fall and break bones in her hand and wrist.  Certainly all of us would want to avoid this kind of result from cancer treatment, wouldn't we?

Sorry, I know you don't want to hear anything against immunotherapy, but not everyone feels this way.  If you want to ignore anyone who wishes for side effects to be part of research and hopefully reduced, then do that.  You have used someone's background to tarnish any effort to improve treatment.  As far as I know, there is no cancer treatment without side effects, some worse than others.  But patients should be told what they are, and improvements should be made.  Unless you think ignorance is preferable.  Choose it for yourself, not others.  Ordinarily I would not speak this way to another sick person, but you were rude and unfair, attacking me for posting what some people would think is common sense about medical treatments.  Maybe this is not a friendly place for sick people and I should leave.

Sorry, I know you don't want to hear anything against immunotherapy, but not everyone feels this way.  If you want to ignore anyone who wishes for side effects to be part of research and hopefully reduced, then do that.  You have used someone's background to tarnish any effort to improve treatment.  As far as I know, there is no cancer treatment without side effects, some worse than others.  But patients should be told what they are, and improvements should be made.  Unless you think ignorance is preferable.  Choose it for yourself, not others.  Ordinarily I would not speak this way to another sick person, but you were rude and unfair, attacking me for posting what some people would think is common sense about medical treatments.  Maybe this is not a friendly place for sick people and I should leave.

Sorry, I know you don't want to hear anything against immunotherapy, but not everyone feels this way.  If you want to ignore anyone who wishes for side effects to be part of research and hopefully reduced, then do that.  You have used someone's background to tarnish any effort to improve treatment.  As far as I know, there is no cancer treatment without side effects, some worse than others.  But patients should be told what they are, and improvements should be made.  Unless you think ignorance is preferable.  Choose it for yourself, not others.  Ordinarily I would not speak this way to another sick person, but you were rude and unfair, attacking me for posting what some people would think is common sense about medical treatments.  Maybe this is not a friendly place for sick people and I should leave.