I received my 4th infusion of the 3rd cycle in the anti-LAG-3 trial at Johns Hopkins last week. CT scan is this Tuesday. Right now I'm hopeful and pessimistic at the same time.
My scan at the end of the 2nd cycle revealed that the lymph nodes in my chest were continuing to grow, albeit slowly. There were also two new "measurable" lesions — one in my chest, one in my right armpit — that got me a "progressive disease" classification. Dr. Sharfman said they had been enlarged on previous scans, but they just weren't big enough to be measurable under the RECIST criteria.
Dr. Sharfman wanted to give it one more cycle's worth of infusions, due to some people's response to immunotherapy coming slowly. He said he would have liked to see things moving more in a positive direction, but he wasn't quite ready to give up yet.
I'm being quietly hopeful, thanks to a couple of potentially positive signs. Over the past 3-4 weeks I have gotten progressively more itchy, with a little more intense rash. And my eosinophil level, which I have read in several places is an indicator of prognosis for immunotherapies, has been steadily climbing. Since the job of the anti-LAG-3 antibody (now known as relatlimab) is to revitalize exhausted t-cells, maybe something good is starting to happen.
So any or all of you can send some positive thoughts, vibes, prayers, etc my way I will certainly be grateful.
-Bill
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