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The next phase of this nightmare
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The next phase of this nightmare

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › The next phase of this nightmare

  • Post
    • November 2, 2018 at 5:05 am
    betsyl
    Participant

      My husband’s Keytruda treatment stopped working. The good news is he still only has one measurable spot, and a surgeon is going to cut it out. Then he may or may not need radiation. After that, it will be watch and wait.

      The Keytruda shrank the tumor by about half, making the surgery less complicated. The surgery decision is because the tumor started growing again while he was still on Keytruda, and also because he was having bad immune side effects.

      Instead of surgery, they could try a different systemic immunotherapy, but with my husband’s medical history, they're too afraid to try it on him.

      They are saying that in the future, there's a very high likelihood that new tumors will pop up in different places, but maybe that won't happen, and if it does it might be years from now. Or it might happen fast. Uncertainty is the water we swim in.

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    • Replies
        • November 3, 2018 at 12:22 pm
        aramat
        Participant

          Sorry to hear that Keytruda stopped working. But good that it shrank the tumor first. Hope the surgery is successesful and he has many years with no more tumors.

          • November 4, 2018 at 4:56 pm
          Ridingaroundwith27Jennifers
          Participant

            Uncertainty is an uncomfortable place to be and yet there we all are.  Hopefully your husband's surgery goes well.  I had great luck with surgery/radiation/nivo in combination but everyone is different.

            Good wishes to you both.

            • November 4, 2018 at 5:17 pm
            lkb
            Participant

              Wishing your husband a successful surgery! Wishing as well, good care for the caregiver (you).

              Lisa

              • November 4, 2018 at 7:04 pm
              betsyl
              Participant

                Thanks, everyone!

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