Hemolytic anemia

Hi, Maureen-

Well, I'm glad that the doctors finally figured out what was going on with your husband and have been able to take steps to reverse the problem. I hope that he soon starts to feel better and regain his energy.

I know that people worry that steroids will inhibit the activity of ipi and/or anti-PD1 because these are both immune-based treatments and steroids suppress the immune system. However, Jed Wolchek and several other prominant melanoma specialists tested for that and published an abstract about it last year. They said: "Conclusions: …there is no evidence that [steroid] use precludes the development of an antitumor response to ipilimumab, or adversely affects responses once achieved."

So as long as your husband's doctors are experienced with ipi and managing its side effects, your husband should be fine. As to whether he will be taken off the trial, I suspect that decision will have more to do with him continuing to have adverse side effects than with the administration of steroids, but I really don't know what the trial protocol says about that.

Hi, Maureen-

Well, I'm glad that the doctors finally figured out what was going on with your husband and have been able to take steps to reverse the problem. I hope that he soon starts to feel better and regain his energy.

I know that people worry that steroids will inhibit the activity of ipi and/or anti-PD1 because these are both immune-based treatments and steroids suppress the immune system. However, Jed Wolchek and several other prominant melanoma specialists tested for that and published an abstract about it last year. They said: "Conclusions: …there is no evidence that [steroid] use precludes the development of an antitumor response to ipilimumab, or adversely affects responses once achieved."

So as long as your husband's doctors are experienced with ipi and managing its side effects, your husband should be fine. As to whether he will be taken off the trial, I suspect that decision will have more to do with him continuing to have adverse side effects than with the administration of steroids, but I really don't know what the trial protocol says about that.

Hi, Maureen-

Well, I'm glad that the doctors finally figured out what was going on with your husband and have been able to take steps to reverse the problem. I hope that he soon starts to feel better and regain his energy.

I know that people worry that steroids will inhibit the activity of ipi and/or anti-PD1 because these are both immune-based treatments and steroids suppress the immune system. However, Jed Wolchek and several other prominant melanoma specialists tested for that and published an abstract about it last year. They said: "Conclusions: …there is no evidence that [steroid] use precludes the development of an antitumor response to ipilimumab, or adversely affects responses once achieved."

So as long as your husband's doctors are experienced with ipi and managing its side effects, your husband should be fine. As to whether he will be taken off the trial, I suspect that decision will have more to do with him continuing to have adverse side effects than with the administration of steroids, but I really don't know what the trial protocol says about that.