Keytruda and relapse? What next?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Keytruda and relapse? What next?

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    • June 13, 2015 at 11:12 pm
    Ace226
    Participant

      Has anyone had experience with Keytruda working (destroying tumors) and then later having one mass return? (All while still on keytruda every 3 wks). If so, did your oncologist let you or your loved one stay on keytruda? I ask because my father had good results for the first 6 months (disappearance of all tumors) to now find out he has a mass on his small bowel and needs a resection. His onc doc said he will now have to stop keytruda because it isn't working. However, I don't agree. It did work – it worked with 3+ masses but just not this one. Does anyone have experience with this and did you stay on keytruda or did they switch you to something else? He has tried Yervoy prior for 6 months before keytruda. 

      my second question is why do you need to be off immunotherapy prior to surgery? My dad's surgeon said it would be best for him to be off immunotherapy for while before surgery but he didn't explain why? Can someone explain? My dad is hoping to have abdominal surgery this week but that would only be 1 month off immunotherapy. 

      Any thoughts or experience with similar situations would be very much appreciated!

       

       

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        • June 14, 2015 at 12:13 pm
        arthurjedi007
        Participant

          Since keytruda is fda approved his doc can keep him on keytruda if the doc wants to. If it was still in trials he would most likely be kicked out of the trial. That almost happened to me but it got fda approved. For me I still continue to have stuff growing and a new one showed up. But like my doc said it has slowed things down but I need to get into a good trial. I imagine that's what he is thinking for your dad because when new stuff shows up while on treatment that means it isn't working good enough. Now what trial that is hard to answer.

          As far as being off it for surgery I don't know. Since it makes the immune system more active and there will be an internal wound with surgery he may want to reduce the risk of inflammation. I dunno.

          Artie

          • June 14, 2015 at 12:13 pm
          arthurjedi007
          Participant

            Since keytruda is fda approved his doc can keep him on keytruda if the doc wants to. If it was still in trials he would most likely be kicked out of the trial. That almost happened to me but it got fda approved. For me I still continue to have stuff growing and a new one showed up. But like my doc said it has slowed things down but I need to get into a good trial. I imagine that's what he is thinking for your dad because when new stuff shows up while on treatment that means it isn't working good enough. Now what trial that is hard to answer.

            As far as being off it for surgery I don't know. Since it makes the immune system more active and there will be an internal wound with surgery he may want to reduce the risk of inflammation. I dunno.

            Artie

            • June 14, 2015 at 12:13 pm
            arthurjedi007
            Participant

              Since keytruda is fda approved his doc can keep him on keytruda if the doc wants to. If it was still in trials he would most likely be kicked out of the trial. That almost happened to me but it got fda approved. For me I still continue to have stuff growing and a new one showed up. But like my doc said it has slowed things down but I need to get into a good trial. I imagine that's what he is thinking for your dad because when new stuff shows up while on treatment that means it isn't working good enough. Now what trial that is hard to answer.

              As far as being off it for surgery I don't know. Since it makes the immune system more active and there will be an internal wound with surgery he may want to reduce the risk of inflammation. I dunno.

              Artie

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