Requesting radiation to stubborn mets

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    • May 3, 2017 at 1:31 am
    Spl25
    Participant

      I've been on Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) for about 9 months and have tolerated it well and had a good response, but seem to be "plateauing." It's been a while since my last scans, and some days it feels like the cancer may be progressing, although perhaps thats in my head. Is a muted response (i.e. no tumor reduction) a good enough reason to go forward with some radiation? Are there any other treatment modalities I may want to bring up with my oncologist to try to get a renewed response? Are there any trials that are for people in my position? Most of my mets are in organs or hard-to-reach lymph nodes. The overwhelming medical opinion seems to be "stay the course," but sometimes I wonder if that has to do with a kind of status quo bias among patients and doctors alike. 

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        • May 3, 2017 at 2:05 am
        Bubbles
        Participant

          I'm not sure what your scans are indicating but there is overwhelming evidence that radiation COMBINED with immunotherapy has much greater efficacy than either treatment alone.  Here is a link to about a zillion posts/articles demonstrating that fact (excuse the first one…don't know what that one keeps getting included!!!):  http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/search?q=radiation+and+immunotherapy&max-results=20&by-date=true  

          Hope this helps. I wish you well.  celeste

            • May 3, 2017 at 2:46 am
            Spl25
            Participant

              I've seen the data, and the evidence that radiation turns a "cold" tumor hot (maybe even ones that aren't targeted) — I guess the question is how to convince a doctor (or insurance company) to add radiation and strike while the iron is hot (as opposed to when its just going to have palliative effect). I'll bring some of these studies to my next visit 🙂

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