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Melanoma: What are your tips about immunotherapy (Keytruda)?
Melanoma & Skin Cancer | Last Active: 2 days ago | Replies (106)Comment receiving replies
I had melanoma on my back 3 times. Each time my Lymph nodes were negative. On the third time my surgeon told me to see an Oncologist just to establish a relationship for future issues. The Oncologist that was referred immediately said for precautions we should put you on Keytruda. A CT scan showed nothing, all body functions and components clean and functioning as they should. Well the Keytruda kicked my Assad made me constipated still am after a year off. Lost all my energy, pain in my hands are horrible and now showing signs of degenerative neuropathy and after 1 year since My last infusion now my left lung is full of small nodulesand 1 large at 2.286 CM which they are concerned about and now I am being tested for that along with a brain MRI to see if it moved there. My question after findings were did Keytruda do this and the answer was YES. I was told that zKeytruda can affect other body components during infusions. I am pissed that a so called precaution has now turned into a possible life threatening issue for me and my family. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE ISSUES THIS DRUG CAUSES BEFORE YOU AGREE TO INFUSIONS, Especially for Precautionary measures!!!!
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@mikenjoy76 Keytruda has it good and bad points for sure. For some lucky people it is a life saver. 3 months into my chemo regimen (Taxol, carboplatin, keytruda) my PET scan was all clear. At 7 months, One month after treatment ended, my CT scan showed a semi-solid 1.2 x 1.1 cm nodule in one lung as well as trace pericardial effusion. I was not willing to let my gynecologist direct my cancer treatment if the nodule turned out to be cancerous so immediately made an appointment with an oncology pulmonologist.
She was great, a month later my follow up CT scan showed a few vague foci of tree-in-bud nodularity, that was unchanged from the previous CT scan. I am hoping that clears up along with the trace pleural effusion. (pericardial effusion went away)
I am told it is normal to have small nodules that never turn into anything, they call them discrete subcentimeter nodules.
Your nodule is under 3 centimeters so hopefully it just goes away. I have been sitting in a dry sauna in an effort to improve circulation to the lungs. It makes me feel like I am doing something positive. If dry air worked for tuberculosis patients I figure why not cancer patients, and it is so relaxing too.
Like your Oncologist, the Lung specialist I saw said my nodule was probably caused by Keytruda, they are seeing more lung related side effects from it and had a discussion on how it may be overprescribed. I can understand the oncologist wants to offer something, but they really should look at your tumor markers to check if you have a molecular profile that will respond to Keytruda.
I refused Keytruda after 6 months since I had no molecular markers on which it is known to work on.
Ask your doctor's about Alpha Lipoic Acid, it helps some people with Neuropathy. If you are having balance issues, I have them from my treatment too, not sure if it is from the Taxol or Keytruda, but it is slowly getting better.
Wishing you rapid remission and Peace.