GREAT NEWS! Merck’s Keytruda Immunotherapy Drug SHRINKING CC TUMORS!
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I just wanted to post a link to the New England Journal of medicine article on microsatellite instability in tumors and Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) that was mentioned above.
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1500596
The results seem like incredibly good news for people with MSI tumors. One of our doctors at Mayo suggested my partner be tested for MSI and we’re waiting for the results now.
Anne, thank you for the great update and wishing for Mike to feel more “normal” again by going back to work. That is awesome! Wishing you both all the best.
Anne,
Awesome news!! 25% shrinkage is huge!! I am so happy for you both. Please continue to keep us informed as to his progress, so hoping to see more trials available for others. Thank Mike for his participation in this trial. Looking forward to more good news!
MelindaAnne…..excellent news. Crossing my fingers for the additional tumor reduction and for Mike to be able to eat his favorite food again.
Hugs,
MarionDear Anne-
YEAH!!!!! I wish the “yeah” could have been easier for you and Mike to get to, but I am so excited for the promising road ahead.
Best wishes coming your way- Thank you for the update!
Catherine
Hello Everyone,
It has been a long couple of months,but I wanted to give you all an update on Mike, my husband. Shortly after my last post, his tumor invaded his stomach and blocked it off totally. He went into the hospital for 2 weeks,and ended up with a J-G Tube for feeding. He has lost a lot of weight,and we have been trying to get that resolved. Other than the feeding tube(which is big) he hasn’t had any pain at all the last couple of months.He was almost 6 wks without a treatment as we got him stable with the feeding tube.We went back and had treatment 4,and the dr wanted a CAT scan to see if the immunotherapy was working-The good news is that it is!!! His tumor has shrunk 25% after 4 treatments. They hope to see 30% reduction after 6 treatments,so we are on our way. I expect any day his stomach will reopen,and he will be able to eat again.
This trial Mike is on has been doing great for people with MSI tumors(Micro Sattelite Instability). They actually published the initial results in the New England Journal of Medicine, the results are so promising.
I look forward to the day when Mike can say he is NED, and he is able to eat food again. He is hoping to go back to work next Friday-after being off for 12 weeks. We believe this has been a life saving miracle for him!Anne, a great post and a great day. I mean a cheeseburger!!! CONGRATULATIONS! I would opt for that too. I wish for everything to keep moving in this forward direction! YEA!
Anne,
What a wonderful update! We appreciate everyone taking the time to check in, but the good news ones really make my day. It also gives hope that there is progress being made in new ways to treat CC.
Have a great day,
Catherine
Hello again,
As mentioned above it is possible that the Lynch Syndrome genetic mismatch is in part a reason for the fantastic response to the treatment. I did read that there is very encouraging news for MSI tumors(micro satellite instability).The news of the day is that my husband has had no pain medication since last Thursday,and ate his first cheeseburger in 2 months for lunch today! We have figured out that the welts he has on his body were from the Fentanyl patch. He got it when he was in the hospital on March 17th because they could no longer control his pain with the Oxy. The patch worked miracles in terms of pain,but the side effects and withdrawls are terrible.
He had the welts that are going away now,and kept him up at night scratching.The withdrawls after only having the patch for a month have been terrible. Restlessness,anxiety, sleeplessness are just a few.
Other than that, he is feeling great! He is looking forward to his CAT Scan,and going back to work.Believe it or not, he only went on disability 4 weeks ago when the pain was so bad,and he couldn’t eat food. Two hospitalizations in a month to no pain meds,and feeling great!Dear Anne,
I want to welcome you also, and extend my best wishes to your husband and his treatment! As a person who has had no treatment for the past 18 months, with my immune system also doing all the work, I am so thrilled and excited to see that your husband is seeming to have great results! I truly feel like a miracle myself, and am so happy to see other miracle stories. Please keep us posted on the upcoming scan results. Take care and sending good thoughts and prayers your way!
MelindaDear Anne,
Welcome and thank you for sharing! I am so happy that your husband is feeling better and is getting his appetite back. Having his pain lessen must also be such a relief for you.
We are very excited and can’t wait to hear how his scans look in another 6 weeks!
Take care,
CatherineThank you so much for the news! It sounds so promising! I have talked to my onc about this drug and she knows I am veryveryvery interested!
AnneS….a warm welcome from me as well. Thank you for sharing this important development and “miracle” in your husband’s progress with this disease. We know that Lynch Syndrome can lead to the development of Cholangiocarcinoma. I wonder about the genetic alteration caused by Lynch and whether, in some way, it influences your husband’s fantastic response to the immunotherapy drug? With time we will have more answers.
So glad you have joined us and look forward to your continuous interaction with this fantastic group of people.
Wishing for the absolute best.
Hugs,
MarionThank you very much Iowagirl for the warm welcome. I will come back to update you. I know that there are others out there looking for information on immunotherapy. It does seem to be working for him, we believe it is even though the dr has cautioned us to wait for the CAT scan. The fact that my husband went from an obstructed stomach, throwing up and NG tube, to eating 2 eggs this morning,BACON,and toast in under 2 months with no chemo is nothing short of a miracle!
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