1. < Lung Cancer

Scanxiety: How did you get through scanxiety?

Posted by Tom Anderson @ta52, Jan 13, 2021

The last infusion in my first round of immunotherapy was three weeks ago so there is a CT scan in my future this coming Monday. It's the most important test I've had in quite a while and yet I can't "study" for it. This is going to be a very nerve wracking week with a lot riding on one scan. I definitely have a case of scanxiety.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Lung Cancer Support Group.

Bob, Alumni Mentor | @grandpabob | Jan 19, 2021
In reply to @ta52 "@colleenyoung Yes, 75% cancer elimination is the headline and feeling confident enough in the results of..." + (show)
@ta52

@colleenyoung Yes, 75% cancer elimination is the headline and feeling confident enough in the results of the immunotherapy to stop it at the point to address the kidney issue speaks volumes to me. And I've had kidney stones before: not a lot of fun but there are ways to address them now that didn't exist before so we should be back on the road of cancer treatment shortly and then we'll move to maintenance treatment only! Thanks for your help/

Jump to this post

@ta52 - Nice! Positive news is always so up lifting. I hope the kidney stone is just a small bump in the road.

REPLY
mrodriguezc | @mrodriguezc | Jan 19, 2021
In reply to @ta52 "@grandpabob @merpreb @colleenyoung SCANXIETY UPDATE: Scan went fine and the first thing my OncDoc said when..." + (show)
@ta52

@grandpabob @merpreb @colleenyoung SCANXIETY UPDATE: Scan went fine and the first thing my OncDoc said when she walked in the room was "beautiful scan"! She estimates that about 75% of my tumor have disappeared and that when I return to immunotherapy it will be maintenance only: Keytruda and Alimta. The bad news is the scan caught a rather large kidney stone that is causing swelling in my left kidney. They want to address that issue to avoid future damage and feel they can suspend immunotherapy for a while to address the kidney issue. So it was a great news, bad news day.

Jump to this post

Hola, yo estoy en tu misma situación, quería saber si antes de la inmunoterapia puedo tener un estudio molecular para que el tratamiento haya sido tan efectivo, y que cáncer tiene?

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 19, 2021

Hi @mrodriguezc, I'm using Google translate to respond to you (https://translate.google.com/). Your messages translated to:
"Hello, I am in the same situation, I wanted to know if before immunotherapy I can have a molecular study so that the treatment has been so effective, and what cancer does it have?"

Questions:
The translation obviously isn't perfect, so I am interpreting your question as:
1. Before immunotherapy, can you get molecular genetic tests to determine if treatment will be effective?
2. What cancers are treated with immunotherapy?

Responses:
1. Yes, oncologists are increasingly selecting therapies based on the specific genomic abnormalities identified in a patient’s tumor. This genomic information often comes from a molecular diagnostic test.

2. I believe you were diagnosed with Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). There are several different immunotherapy options available to treat Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). See this article:
- How is Immunotherapy for Liver Cancer Changing the Outlook for Patients? https://www.cancerresearch.org/immunotherapy/cancer-types/liver-cancer

REPLY
1 reply
Tom Anderson | @ta52 | Jan 20, 2021
In reply to @merpreb "@ta52- Congratulations! And Colleen is right about the kidney stone. Did your doctor tell you how..." + (show)
@merpreb

@ta52- Congratulations! And Colleen is right about the kidney stone. Did your doctor tell you how long maintenance will be? WIll it be until two years are up?

Jump to this post

@merpreb Merry - Once the kidney issue is cleared they will do three infusions of Keytruda/Alimta and then rescan. Judging from the radiology report of the scan progress may be more than 75%. The report uses words like "eliminated" and "significant shrinkage". The lung nodule itself has decreased in size by over 50%. Right now we're balancing optimism with realism but the immunotherapy is working.

REPLY
mrodriguezc | @mrodriguezc | Jan 20, 2021
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @mrodriguezc, I'm using Google translate to respond to you (https://translate.google.com/). Your messages translated to: "Hello,..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi @mrodriguezc, I'm using Google translate to respond to you (https://translate.google.com/). Your messages translated to:
"Hello, I am in the same situation, I wanted to know if before immunotherapy I can have a molecular study so that the treatment has been so effective, and what cancer does it have?"

Questions:
The translation obviously isn't perfect, so I am interpreting your question as:
1. Before immunotherapy, can you get molecular genetic tests to determine if treatment will be effective?
2. What cancers are treated with immunotherapy?

Responses:
1. Yes, oncologists are increasingly selecting therapies based on the specific genomic abnormalities identified in a patient’s tumor. This genomic information often comes from a molecular diagnostic test.

2. I believe you were diagnosed with Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer). There are several different immunotherapy options available to treat Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). See this article:
- How is Immunotherapy for Liver Cancer Changing the Outlook for Patients? https://www.cancerresearch.org/immunotherapy/cancer-types/liver-cancer

Jump to this post

En estudio molecular salieron dos mutaciones de mi cáncer al hígado, no hay medicamento específico para mi tipo de tumores, sin embargo estamos probando con inmunoterapia con atezolizumab y becavizumab, alguien le ha pasado algo similar, quiero saber que hago si esto no es efectivo. Gracias

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 20, 2021

@mrodriguezc, thank you for clarifying. You mention that a molecular study showed that your liver cancer has two mutations, but there is no specific drug for your type of tumors. However your care team recommended trying immunotherapy with atezolizumab and becavizumab. You would like to connect with someone who has had a similar experience and also what options you might have if this is not effective.

You may wish to connect with members talking about atezolizumab and becavizumab in these discussions. However these members were taking immunotherapy for lung cancer, not liver cancer. See here:
- Atezolizumab+bevacizumab+carboplatin+paclitaxel (IMpower150) https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lung-cancer-treatment/
- CBD Oil and Immunotherapy drugs Atezolizmab and Bevacizumab ? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cbd-oil-and-immunotherapy-druga-atezolizmab-and-bevacizumab/

REPLY
digibson | @digibson | Feb 9, 2021

I'm a spiritual Christian and just keep telling myself faith, not fear will rule the day.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.