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Update and Question
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Update and Question

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  • Post
    • February 2, 2018 at 3:22 pm
    thinkingofu
    Participant

      Hello everyone xxx

      For those who do not remember, my mum is battling stage IV melanoma with mets in brain and lungs

      So far, she has had 3 Yervoy+Opdivo ivs, 10 sessions of SRS and have been taking steroids and Warfarin injections to battle embolism she developed a few weeks ago.

      She has not been very well. She has become aggressive with us and at times acts very out of character. When she lost consciousness a couple of days ago, doctor did a CT scan which showed she developed two tiny metas in her brain. 8 months following the beginning of the treatment. 

      My question is this: is there still hope? Can immunotheraphy still work down the line even if tiny new metas appeared 8 months later? Have any of you had similar experience and now in remission?

      Thank you and love to all of you xxx

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    • Replies
        • February 2, 2018 at 9:36 pm
        Bubbles
        Participant

          So sorry for what you and your mum are dealing with.  I do not have a personal experience to share.  We do know that immunotherapy takes time.  And, we do know that immunotherapy can work in the brain.  Here is the closest thing I have as an answer for you:  

          http://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2017/08/melanoma-intel-primer-for-current.html  

          Scroll down in this post until you get to the blue graph below the "anti-PD-1" section.  It is a chart of time to response.  Per your message….your mom is pushing the boundaries of responses noted here…but is still in the outer edge of some outliers who responded at 6 – 10 months.  I don't know if this helps.  Hang in there.  I will be thinking of you both.  Celeste

            • February 3, 2018 at 10:10 pm
            thinkingofu
            Participant

              Thank you! Very useful link. We appreciate it a lot xxx

               

            • February 3, 2018 at 2:35 am
            ed williams
            Participant

              Are they going to treat the brain mets with SRS or surgery? What is going on with lung met, is it stable or growing as well? The journey can have some bumps, doesn't mean she won't get past this, how do you feel about the medical team, do you have confidence in them? Best Wishes!!!Ed

                • February 3, 2018 at 10:09 pm
                thinkingofu
                Participant

                  Thank you very much for your answer and support!. They are trying to decide whether to do SRS or surgery. They said probably SRS because as she is on Warfarin  surgery may be too risky. The team seems knowledgeble and have good reputation…
                  Thank you again and best wishes to you too xxx

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