CherylL

Jerry, so nice to see you on this thread!
I will never forget that we met you on our very first visit to UVA (upon the occasion of my husband's first recurrence back in 2009)…you were inspiring then, and still are!

We met with Dr. Weiss for the first time on the occasion of my husband's first Nivolumab infusion late last month (as Dr. Grosh was on vacation)—and you are right, ALL of the melanoma mashing team at UVA are TOP NOTCH. Wonderful, wonderful advocates. 🙂 Adore them all.

Hope you and yours are doing well….looking forward to hearing good news following your September scans. 🙂

Health, hope and happiness—
Cheryl
Wife of Scott, Stage 4, Beating down melanoma since 2005.

Hey Brian—

Like you, my man's tumors seem to always be in "tricky" locales. He has had NUMEROUS CT guided biopsies at UVA…and the one he had for melanoma verification last month was also CT guided.

Hopefully all will work out for you to join in on the UVA trial. 🙂 Wherever you end up participating, let's DEFINITELY stay in touch.

My Scott just had his second infusion of Nivo today, and is doing great. We're hanging out watching TV with our 11-year-old twins. (They were FOUR when he was first diagnosed. Gotta keep fighting!) So far (and yes, it is VERY early in the trial)…tiredness, a little flu-ey, but not too many of the possible side-effects yet.

Keep me updated with how things progress!
HEALTH, HOPE, and eye on the NED prize!
Best-
Cheryl

Hey Brian!
Indeed! We are in the NCT01783938 trial….it JUST opened up officially July 1… there had been some delays.
The UVA staff is incredible…we couldn't be happier with the entire team there…especially our beloved Dr. Grosh. (I am unsure if he ever sleeps!)

In order to join the trial, we needed to have at least two tumors, one needed to be significant "measurable" tumor, and a biopsy to confirm extant melanoma (even with extensive history, it was needed), +  lots of labs and scans.

We'll be going every two weeks for 12 weeks (Nivo) , then every 3 weeks for 12 weeks (IPI), then up to two years follow-up infusions every two weeks (Nivo). Scans strategically scattered throughout.

Please keep us updated with your progress and where you end up being treated…we'd love to be able to compare notes. 🙂

Health and hope to you!
Cheryl

Hi Brian—-

My husband, Scott JUST matriculated into the BMS Nivo/IPI trial (offered sequentially, not concurrently) at UVA's Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center….under the supervision of the AMAZING Dr. Grosh. (We had to be rescanned, and biospied pre-acceptance as well). This UVA trial just opened July 1st. (From what I understand, trials with simultaneous administration of the two drugs a la Sloan Kettering will be about 18 months to 2 years in the development process. We could not—and did not want to—wait. We're elated to be participating, and to have the opportunity to do so at our oncological "home base.")

My husband just had his first infusion of Nivolumab on July 17th, and is scheduled for his second this Wednesday, the 31st.

We're too early to be able to speak extensively about our experience…my husband has felt largely well. 🙂
(He did two cycles of IL-2 last summer which really raised our bar for assessing the magnitude of side effects! My husband was a partial responder to IL-2…not officially recurring (we had some tiny stable spots we were watching) until our May 2013 scans this year.

Have heard GREAT things about Moffitt and Dr. Weber…hope you get the opportunity to move forward with the trial there…we can compare notes!

All the very best to you—tenacity, hope and HEALTH!
Cheryl
Wife of Scott, Stage 4 since February 2012
[Giving melanoma a regular beat-down since October 2005]

Hi Brian—-

My husband, Scott JUST matriculated into the BMS Nivo/IPI trial (offered sequentially, not concurrently) at UVA's Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center….under the supervision of the AMAZING Dr. Grosh. (We had to be rescanned, and biospied pre-acceptance as well). This UVA trial just opened July 1st. (From what I understand, trials with simultaneous administration of the two drugs a la Sloan Kettering will be about 18 months to 2 years in the development process. We could not—and did not want to—wait. We're elated to be participating, and to have the opportunity to do so at our oncological "home base.")

My husband just had his first infusion of Nivolumab on July 17th, and is scheduled for his second this Wednesday, the 31st.

We're too early to be able to speak extensively about our experience…my husband has felt largely well. 🙂
(He did two cycles of IL-2 last summer which really raised our bar for assessing the magnitude of side effects! My husband was a partial responder to IL-2…not officially recurring (we had some tiny stable spots we were watching) until our May 2013 scans this year.

Have heard GREAT things about Moffitt and Dr. Weber…hope you get the opportunity to move forward with the trial there…we can compare notes!

All the very best to you—tenacity, hope and HEALTH!
Cheryl
Wife of Scott, Stage 4 since February 2012
[Giving melanoma a regular beat-down since October 2005]

Hi Brian—-

My husband, Scott JUST matriculated into the BMS Nivo/IPI trial (offered sequentially, not concurrently) at UVA's Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center….under the supervision of the AMAZING Dr. Grosh. (We had to be rescanned, and biospied pre-acceptance as well). This UVA trial just opened July 1st. (From what I understand, trials with simultaneous administration of the two drugs a la Sloan Kettering will be about 18 months to 2 years in the development process. We could not—and did not want to—wait. We're elated to be participating, and to have the opportunity to do so at our oncological "home base.")

My husband just had his first infusion of Nivolumab on July 17th, and is scheduled for his second this Wednesday, the 31st.

We're too early to be able to speak extensively about our experience…my husband has felt largely well. 🙂
(He did two cycles of IL-2 last summer which really raised our bar for assessing the magnitude of side effects! My husband was a partial responder to IL-2…not officially recurring (we had some tiny stable spots we were watching) until our May 2013 scans this year.

Have heard GREAT things about Moffitt and Dr. Weber…hope you get the opportunity to move forward with the trial there…we can compare notes!

All the very best to you—tenacity, hope and HEALTH!
Cheryl
Wife of Scott, Stage 4 since February 2012
[Giving melanoma a regular beat-down since October 2005]

You can do this, Dian!

We'll be thinking of and rooting for you!
 

(My man did 2 IL-2 cycles last year…and currently has NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE!)

We went to Disney World last week with our 11-year-old twins! 🙂

BEAT THIS!

CherylL
Wife of Scott (45)—giving melanoma the beat-down!
 

You can do this, Dian!

We'll be thinking of and rooting for you!
 

(My man did 2 IL-2 cycles last year…and currently has NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE!)

We went to Disney World last week with our 11-year-old twins! 🙂

BEAT THIS!

CherylL
Wife of Scott (45)—giving melanoma the beat-down!
 

You can do this, Dian!

We'll be thinking of and rooting for you!
 

(My man did 2 IL-2 cycles last year…and currently has NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE!)

We went to Disney World last week with our 11-year-old twins! 🙂

BEAT THIS!

CherylL
Wife of Scott (45)—giving melanoma the beat-down!
 

Jerry, so nice to see you on this thread!
I will never forget that we met you on our very first visit to UVA (upon the occasion of my husband's first recurrence back in 2009)…you were inspiring then, and still are!

We met with Dr. Weiss for the first time on the occasion of my husband's first Nivolumab infusion late last month (as Dr. Grosh was on vacation)—and you are right, ALL of the melanoma mashing team at UVA are TOP NOTCH. Wonderful, wonderful advocates. 🙂 Adore them all.

Hope you and yours are doing well….looking forward to hearing good news following your September scans. 🙂

Health, hope and happiness—
Cheryl
Wife of Scott, Stage 4, Beating down melanoma since 2005.

Jerry, so nice to see you on this thread!
I will never forget that we met you on our very first visit to UVA (upon the occasion of my husband's first recurrence back in 2009)…you were inspiring then, and still are!

We met with Dr. Weiss for the first time on the occasion of my husband's first Nivolumab infusion late last month (as Dr. Grosh was on vacation)—and you are right, ALL of the melanoma mashing team at UVA are TOP NOTCH. Wonderful, wonderful advocates. 🙂 Adore them all.

Hope you and yours are doing well….looking forward to hearing good news following your September scans. 🙂

Health, hope and happiness—
Cheryl
Wife of Scott, Stage 4, Beating down melanoma since 2005.

Hey Brian—

Like you, my man's tumors seem to always be in "tricky" locales. He has had NUMEROUS CT guided biopsies at UVA…and the one he had for melanoma verification last month was also CT guided.

Hopefully all will work out for you to join in on the UVA trial. 🙂 Wherever you end up participating, let's DEFINITELY stay in touch.

My Scott just had his second infusion of Nivo today, and is doing great. We're hanging out watching TV with our 11-year-old twins. (They were FOUR when he was first diagnosed. Gotta keep fighting!) So far (and yes, it is VERY early in the trial)…tiredness, a little flu-ey, but not too many of the possible side-effects yet.

Keep me updated with how things progress!
HEALTH, HOPE, and eye on the NED prize!
Best-
Cheryl

Hey Brian—

Like you, my man's tumors seem to always be in "tricky" locales. He has had NUMEROUS CT guided biopsies at UVA…and the one he had for melanoma verification last month was also CT guided.

Hopefully all will work out for you to join in on the UVA trial. 🙂 Wherever you end up participating, let's DEFINITELY stay in touch.

My Scott just had his second infusion of Nivo today, and is doing great. We're hanging out watching TV with our 11-year-old twins. (They were FOUR when he was first diagnosed. Gotta keep fighting!) So far (and yes, it is VERY early in the trial)…tiredness, a little flu-ey, but not too many of the possible side-effects yet.

Keep me updated with how things progress!
HEALTH, HOPE, and eye on the NED prize!
Best-
Cheryl

Hey Brian!
Indeed! We are in the NCT01783938 trial….it JUST opened up officially July 1… there had been some delays.
The UVA staff is incredible…we couldn't be happier with the entire team there…especially our beloved Dr. Grosh. (I am unsure if he ever sleeps!)

In order to join the trial, we needed to have at least two tumors, one needed to be significant "measurable" tumor, and a biopsy to confirm extant melanoma (even with extensive history, it was needed), +  lots of labs and scans.

We'll be going every two weeks for 12 weeks (Nivo) , then every 3 weeks for 12 weeks (IPI), then up to two years follow-up infusions every two weeks (Nivo). Scans strategically scattered throughout.

Please keep us updated with your progress and where you end up being treated…we'd love to be able to compare notes. 🙂

Health and hope to you!
Cheryl

Hey Brian!
Indeed! We are in the NCT01783938 trial….it JUST opened up officially July 1… there had been some delays.
The UVA staff is incredible…we couldn't be happier with the entire team there…especially our beloved Dr. Grosh. (I am unsure if he ever sleeps!)

In order to join the trial, we needed to have at least two tumors, one needed to be significant "measurable" tumor, and a biopsy to confirm extant melanoma (even with extensive history, it was needed), +  lots of labs and scans.

We'll be going every two weeks for 12 weeks (Nivo) , then every 3 weeks for 12 weeks (IPI), then up to two years follow-up infusions every two weeks (Nivo). Scans strategically scattered throughout.

Please keep us updated with your progress and where you end up being treated…we'd love to be able to compare notes. 🙂

Health and hope to you!
Cheryl