1. < Head & Neck Cancer

Keytruda for Head & Neck cancers

Posted by Maureen, Alumna Mentor @alpaca, Jan 10, 2018

Hello people. We are half way through our first normal week after Christmas/New Year. New Zealand is still partly shut down though. Schools don't start till end of this month - some not till Feb.
I'm just easing my way back into my volunteer "work". Wrote my first blog post of the year about Keytruda after emailing the Merck representative in Auckland. Keytruda is not registered for head and neck cancer in New Zealand yet. That means it is not funded in our free hospital system and people who want it have to pay a private clinic. Merck expect it to be registered this year and when it is they will apply to our funding body, Pharmac, for it to be supplied in public hospitals.
I've been reading about biomarkers that might suggest a person will respond well to Keytruda or not.
Has anyone here used this drug?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Head & Neck Cancer Support Group.

Maureen, Alumna Mentor | @alpaca | Feb 22, 2018
In reply to @adriennef "This article popped up this morning. As someone who has been told there aren’t any other..." + (show)
@adriennef

This article popped up this morning. As someone who has been told there aren’t any other options left, it is thrilling to read about what China is doing!!! The PD-1 gene that is targeted is similar (in my limited understanding) to how immunotherapy is used to attack cancer.

via npr: Doctors In China Lead Race To Treat Cancer By Editing Genes http://n.pr/2HcWHjG

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I have the jinx idea fixed in my head too. Best of luck with the Mayo appointment. Sounds like a terrific place to get your treatment in but a bit far away for me. Funnily enough, Adrienne, now that at I am a somewhat elderly cancer "survivor" and have no children to bring bugs home from school, I almost never get a cold. Uh oh. Maybe I jinxed it:)

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kathenn56 | @kathenn56 | Jul 23, 2023
In reply to @gaybinator "My husband has squamous cell carcinoma of the metastatic spindle variety. He had been on centuximab..." + (show)
@gaybinator

My husband has squamous cell carcinoma of the metastatic spindle variety. He had been on centuximab (Erbitux) starting in September 2016. It worked well for the cutaneous tumors, but in May 2017 PET scan showed three tumors on the liver, diaphragm and the spine at the base of the neck. Immediately began Keytruda and the October 2017, plus the results of the January 2018 PET scan were clear of any visible cancer.

He continues to suffer great fatigue, which I believe to be the result of radiation Feb-Apr 2017. However, he is able to work part time. There are no side effects which we can pin exactly on the Keytruda.

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Did your husband have any side effects from the erbitux? My son is on it and his face becomes very red and burns.

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1 reply
Gaybinator | @gaybinator | Jul 23, 2023
In reply to @kathenn56 "Did your husband have any side effects from the erbitux? My son is on it and..." + (show)
@kathenn56

Did your husband have any side effects from the erbitux? My son is on it and his face becomes very red and burns.

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It’s been a while now since the erbitux. As I recall he had some nausea, but the worst side effect was his fingertips and toe tips became very sensitive - as if they had been rubbed on fine sandpaper, and they cracked. It was quite unpleasant.

He passed in September 2021. I really must get started on the book. I had forgotten about the fingers and toes until just now.

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1 reply
kathenn56 | @kathenn56 | Jul 23, 2023
In reply to @gaybinator "It’s been a while now since the erbitux. As I recall he had some nausea, but..." + (show)
@gaybinator

It’s been a while now since the erbitux. As I recall he had some nausea, but the worst side effect was his fingertips and toe tips became very sensitive - as if they had been rubbed on fine sandpaper, and they cracked. It was quite unpleasant.

He passed in September 2021. I really must get started on the book. I had forgotten about the fingers and toes until just now.

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Thank you for your reply
I’m sorry to hear he passed . My 37 year old son has tongue and neck cancer. He is responding well to erbitux however the effects of it to his face are pretty bad. It’s very very red, hot and burns. They have tried a few things but nothing seems to help. He does have the finger tips issue but not that bad. Thank you for sharing .

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