beans920

Hi  Jenine,  I have had stubborn sternum tumor since 2014.  Went through trial with Yervoy and Interferon for 10 months and it disappeared.  Following year it came back so we blasted it with radiation.  It disappeared again but the radiation dose wasn't strong enough.  Came back with a vengence in 2016 so my Mayo Drs. put me on Keytruda and this time blasted it over a 2 wk span with enough radiation to kill a horse.  There words not mine.  Difference here was  Mayo used a new radiation techniQue that blasts the tumor 360 degrees with very little effect to surrounding tissue and with the Keytruda addition I am 1 scan away from ending the Keytruda.  Pet scan is next week an we are all hoping for a really nice early Christmas present.  Note radiation treatments are not created equal.  Wishing your husband the best and you and your family a Merry Christmas.  God Bless. Beans

Just finished my 26th dose of Keytruda.  4 hr. drive home finds me sleeping half way.   Day after fatigue for me is always the worst.  Usually take it easy but after that I feel pretty good.  Not sure what I am supposed to feel like since I've been on this wonder drug since March 2016 but hope to find out in 3 weeks.  Hang in there and let your body tell you what you can and cannot do.  You'll figure it out.  Good luck and best wishes,  Beans

Currently being treated at Mayo with Keytruda.  Have just completed my 26th treatment and clear MRI scan of the brain.  In 3 weeks I go back for my Pet scan and if its again clear I will be done with the Keytruda.  Have  been NED since early this year but Drs. wanted to continue the Keytruda through the year.  Can't believe I am this far along and maybe feeling a little guilty that I am approaching a normal life again.  anyone else out there feeling these feelings as you get near the end of treatments.  Hoping for the Christmas present of a lifetime.   Good luck to all.  Beans

Hi,  I have received 13 since last June and will get my 14th  on March 7 along with the qtrly PET scan.  One tumor on sternum has been very stubborn but a two week blast of radiation and the 13 doses have shrunk it by 75%.  each scan I get qtrly has shown a decrees by about half of the previous scan.  Only issue i've had is some fatigue.  Drs. at  Mayo have talked about stopping treatment when tumor is gone and I get my next 3 mo. scan after.  Not sure if thats still the plan but hope to kill it all first and foremost.  Nice to hear from you and hope you do well.   Beans

Hi Toby,  I am also a Mayo Patient (stage 4) and have been going since 2012.  Currently receiving pembro since June and I have had Pet scans every 3 months since 2013.  Have had almost all of the Melanoma specialists here when I come for treatment every 3 wks. but Dr Markovic overseas my care now.  Just had treatment on Jan.3 but didn't have Markovic.   Mayo is known as one of the top Melanoma research hospitals in the WORLD for those of you not familiar with them  Currently trying to kill a large sternum tumor since 2014 and my September scans showed a 60% reduction in size and my December scan showed another reduction of 50% since Sept. so looks like were going in the right direction.Side affects of Pembro have been pretty much fatigue only.  My previous posts have been mostly titled sternum and sternum reoccurrence.  Nice to see here of some Mayo patients here.  Good luck to all and a Blessed New  Year to everyone.  Beans

Hi Toby,  I am also a Mayo Patient (stage 4) and have been going since 2012.  Currently receiving pembro since June and I have had Pet scans every 3 months since 2013.  Have had almost all of the Melanoma specialists here when I come for treatment every 3 wks. but Dr Markovic overseas my care now.  Just had treatment on Jan.3 but didn't have Markovic.   Mayo is known as one of the top Melanoma research hospitals in the WORLD for those of you not familiar with them  Currently trying to kill a large sternum tumor since 2014 and my September scans showed a 60% reduction in size and my December scan showed another reduction of 50% since Sept. so looks like were going in the right direction.Side affects of Pembro have been pretty much fatigue only.  My previous posts have been mostly titled sternum and sternum reoccurrence.  Nice to see here of some Mayo patients here.  Good luck to all and a Blessed New  Year to everyone.  Beans

Hi Toby,  I am also a Mayo Patient (stage 4) and have been going since 2012.  Currently receiving pembro since June and I have had Pet scans every 3 months since 2013.  Have had almost all of the Melanoma specialists here when I come for treatment every 3 wks. but Dr Markovic overseas my care now.  Just had treatment on Jan.3 but didn't have Markovic.   Mayo is known as one of the top Melanoma research hospitals in the WORLD for those of you not familiar with them  Currently trying to kill a large sternum tumor since 2014 and my September scans showed a 60% reduction in size and my December scan showed another reduction of 50% since Sept. so looks like were going in the right direction.Side affects of Pembro have been pretty much fatigue only.  My previous posts have been mostly titled sternum and sternum reoccurrence.  Nice to see here of some Mayo patients here.  Good luck to all and a Blessed New  Year to everyone.  Beans

Hello,  I had a treatment that resembled this but I had the Yervoy in place of Keytruda.  Interferon is a bastard of a drug and it looks to me like there trying now to pair it with Keytruda instead.  Lost 51 lbs. on it and my pituitary function.  Killed some of my tumors but not all.  I believe the Interferon is given IV evryday for the first month, and injections at home everyday thereafter for a year.  I completed 11 months. Best of luck to you.  Beans

Hello,  I had a treatment that resembled this but I had the Yervoy in place of Keytruda.  Interferon is a bastard of a drug and it looks to me like there trying now to pair it with Keytruda instead.  Lost 51 lbs. on it and my pituitary function.  Killed some of my tumors but not all.  I believe the Interferon is given IV evryday for the first month, and injections at home everyday thereafter for a year.  I completed 11 months. Best of luck to you.  Beans

Hello,  I had a treatment that resembled this but I had the Yervoy in place of Keytruda.  Interferon is a bastard of a drug and it looks to me like there trying now to pair it with Keytruda instead.  Lost 51 lbs. on it and my pituitary function.  Killed some of my tumors but not all.  I believe the Interferon is given IV evryday for the first month, and injections at home everyday thereafter for a year.  I completed 11 months. Best of luck to you.  Beans

Have had a power port since. Feb.2014.  Left side had lymph nodes removed so all blood draws  and treatments were done on right side for 2-3 weeks.  Thats all it took for me to figure it out how easy it would be with a port.  I have been off treatments for a period of over a year but still had quarterly blood draws through port.  Does need to be flushed every 4-5 weeks but My clinic does it and it takes a couple of minutes and I'm done.  Best decision I made was for a port placement.. Beans

Have had a power port since. Feb.2014.  Left side had lymph nodes removed so all blood draws  and treatments were done on right side for 2-3 weeks.  Thats all it took for me to figure it out how easy it would be with a port.  I have been off treatments for a period of over a year but still had quarterly blood draws through port.  Does need to be flushed every 4-5 weeks but My clinic does it and it takes a couple of minutes and I'm done.  Best decision I made was for a port placement.. Beans

Hi Jenine, You mentioned your husbands tumor on sternum is quite painful.  My Drs. often asked me how painful ime was and they couldn't believe me when I told them I rarely felt anything even as it grew quite large.  I could feel it with my hand but I would say very little if any pain.  Just shows what a bastard disease this is.  Just wanted to mention when I had the Yervoy it was in a trial with Interferon also given.  Made me feel like I was in another state of mind, miserable.  Prayers for you and your entire family, hang in there.  Beans

Hi Jenine, You mentioned your husbands tumor on sternum is quite painful.  My Drs. often asked me how painful ime was and they couldn't believe me when I told them I rarely felt anything even as it grew quite large.  I could feel it with my hand but I would say very little if any pain.  Just shows what a bastard disease this is.  Just wanted to mention when I had the Yervoy it was in a trial with Interferon also given.  Made me feel like I was in another state of mind, miserable.  Prayers for you and your entire family, hang in there.  Beans

Hi Jenine, You mentioned your husbands tumor on sternum is quite painful.  My Drs. often asked me how painful ime was and they couldn't believe me when I told them I rarely felt anything even as it grew quite large.  I could feel it with my hand but I would say very little if any pain.  Just shows what a bastard disease this is.  Just wanted to mention when I had the Yervoy it was in a trial with Interferon also given.  Made me feel like I was in another state of mind, miserable.  Prayers for you and your entire family, hang in there.  Beans