Zelboraf, Gamma Knife
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Zelboraf, Gamma Knife

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Zelboraf, Gamma Knife

  • Post
    • December 15, 2012 at 1:10 pm
    kellygrl
    Participant

    Just a quick story from a friend  who works on a cardiac floor, she was with a patient yesterday who is on Zelboraf, had 4 brain tumors, Gamma Knife & now brain mets are gone! She continues on Zelboraf for lung and liver mets, but she is doing great and was diagnosed 7 yrs ago (primary was melanoma on leg) and is 79 yrs old!! Can you believe it!?

    My husband is going on 7 mos of Zelboraf and 13 brain tumors still shrinking as of Nov! 🙂 

    Wishing you all a holiday miracle!

    Kelly

    Just a quick story from a friend  who works on a cardiac floor, she was with a patient yesterday who is on Zelboraf, had 4 brain tumors, Gamma Knife & now brain mets are gone! She continues on Zelboraf for lung and liver mets, but she is doing great and was diagnosed 7 yrs ago (primary was melanoma on leg) and is 79 yrs old!! Can you believe it!?

    My husband is going on 7 mos of Zelboraf and 13 brain tumors still shrinking as of Nov! 🙂 

    Wishing you all a holiday miracle!

    Kelly

Viewing 8 reply threads
  • Replies
      • December 15, 2012 at 1:30 pm
      POW
      Participant

      My brother (age 65) has pretty much the same story. He developed one new brain tumor while on Zelboraf (which may have gotten started before he took the Z). It was zapped by a gamma knife and the Z shrank the tumors in the rest of his body. Unfortunately, after 5 months on Z, a met in his liver started growing again so apparently the tumor is becoming resistant to Z. He is now looking inot alternative therapies.

      What seems to be happening is that Zelboraf is great for quickly shrinking tumors with minimal side effects (for most people). However, the tumors do become resistant to Z pretty quickly. So most of us patients and caregivers are hoping that the Z will keep the melanoma at bay long enough for some of the promising new long-acting treatments (BRAF+MEK or anti-PD-1, etc) to get through the clinical trials process. Far from an ideal situation, but a lot more hopeful than things used to be. 

        • December 16, 2012 at 12:41 pm
        kellygrl
        Participant

        Oh we are well aware of the fact that he could possibly develop a resistance, (I feel like throwing up whenever we go n for MRI results) but everyone is different and there are those who have been on Z over 18 mos. We will cross that resistance bridge if we get there.

         Postive thoughts to your brother and your family. I hope he wil respond to another treatment.

        Kelly

        • December 16, 2012 at 12:41 pm
        kellygrl
        Participant

        Oh we are well aware of the fact that he could possibly develop a resistance, (I feel like throwing up whenever we go n for MRI results) but everyone is different and there are those who have been on Z over 18 mos. We will cross that resistance bridge if we get there.

         Postive thoughts to your brother and your family. I hope he wil respond to another treatment.

        Kelly

        • December 16, 2012 at 12:41 pm
        kellygrl
        Participant

        Oh we are well aware of the fact that he could possibly develop a resistance, (I feel like throwing up whenever we go n for MRI results) but everyone is different and there are those who have been on Z over 18 mos. We will cross that resistance bridge if we get there.

         Postive thoughts to your brother and your family. I hope he wil respond to another treatment.

        Kelly

      • December 15, 2012 at 1:30 pm
      POW
      Participant

      My brother (age 65) has pretty much the same story. He developed one new brain tumor while on Zelboraf (which may have gotten started before he took the Z). It was zapped by a gamma knife and the Z shrank the tumors in the rest of his body. Unfortunately, after 5 months on Z, a met in his liver started growing again so apparently the tumor is becoming resistant to Z. He is now looking inot alternative therapies.

      What seems to be happening is that Zelboraf is great for quickly shrinking tumors with minimal side effects (for most people). However, the tumors do become resistant to Z pretty quickly. So most of us patients and caregivers are hoping that the Z will keep the melanoma at bay long enough for some of the promising new long-acting treatments (BRAF+MEK or anti-PD-1, etc) to get through the clinical trials process. Far from an ideal situation, but a lot more hopeful than things used to be. 

      • December 15, 2012 at 1:30 pm
      POW
      Participant

      My brother (age 65) has pretty much the same story. He developed one new brain tumor while on Zelboraf (which may have gotten started before he took the Z). It was zapped by a gamma knife and the Z shrank the tumors in the rest of his body. Unfortunately, after 5 months on Z, a met in his liver started growing again so apparently the tumor is becoming resistant to Z. He is now looking inot alternative therapies.

      What seems to be happening is that Zelboraf is great for quickly shrinking tumors with minimal side effects (for most people). However, the tumors do become resistant to Z pretty quickly. So most of us patients and caregivers are hoping that the Z will keep the melanoma at bay long enough for some of the promising new long-acting treatments (BRAF+MEK or anti-PD-1, etc) to get through the clinical trials process. Far from an ideal situation, but a lot more hopeful than things used to be. 

      • December 15, 2012 at 1:41 pm
      aldakota22
      Participant

      Praying for a Christmas miracle for you also."Z" for me and some others does work long term.As I posted earlier on it for over 15 months now.Keep the pma (positive mind attitude) as I beleive is is partly responsible for my success on "Z".Beat theBeast.    Al

        • December 16, 2012 at 12:44 pm
        kellygrl
        Participant

        Thanks Al!! & we are all about PMA here! I usually stay off these sites, but when I have positive news, I like to share.

        We will Beat the Beast! Kelly

         

        • December 16, 2012 at 12:44 pm
        kellygrl
        Participant

        Thanks Al!! & we are all about PMA here! I usually stay off these sites, but when I have positive news, I like to share.

        We will Beat the Beast! Kelly

         

        • December 16, 2012 at 12:44 pm
        kellygrl
        Participant

        Thanks Al!! & we are all about PMA here! I usually stay off these sites, but when I have positive news, I like to share.

        We will Beat the Beast! Kelly

         

      • December 15, 2012 at 1:41 pm
      aldakota22
      Participant

      Praying for a Christmas miracle for you also."Z" for me and some others does work long term.As I posted earlier on it for over 15 months now.Keep the pma (positive mind attitude) as I beleive is is partly responsible for my success on "Z".Beat theBeast.    Al

      • December 15, 2012 at 1:41 pm
      aldakota22
      Participant

      Praying for a Christmas miracle for you also."Z" for me and some others does work long term.As I posted earlier on it for over 15 months now.Keep the pma (positive mind attitude) as I beleive is is partly responsible for my success on "Z".Beat theBeast.    Al

      • December 16, 2012 at 7:25 pm
      JerryfromFauq
      Participant

      Love these reports!

      • December 16, 2012 at 7:25 pm
      JerryfromFauq
      Participant

      Love these reports!

      • December 16, 2012 at 7:25 pm
      JerryfromFauq
      Participant

      Love these reports!

Viewing 8 reply threads
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