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A Keytruda Patient Running the 2022 Chicago Marathon

Posted by Tom Anderson @ta52, May 9, 2022

My training began last week for the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. That’s not that unusual; this year’s Chicago Marathon will have approximately 45,000 participants. What’s different about my story is I am currently a Keytruda patient under treatment for inoperable Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.
The diagnosis came in early October 2020, immunotherapy treatment with Keytruda began later that same month and by the end of April 2021 – six months later – there was no longer any significant evidence of disease. That’s immunotherapy in, perhaps, a best-case scenario but it is reality and that’s where we are with cancer treatment today. We need to spread the word about how much progress has been made. A Keytruda patient participating in the 2022 Chicago Marathon sends a pretty clear message about the state of cancer treatment today.

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linbrew | @linbrew | Jul 8, 2022

I have NSCLC, KRAS g12d, with a PDL-1 score of 60%. My first & only infusion of Keytruda caused my 1 brain MET to go from 6mm to a dot of 1mm therefore eliminating my scheduled GAMMA KIFE procedure. Unfortunately, I also had a severe inflammatory reaction in my joints and wound up on 60mg of prednisone to counter it. (No history of autoimmune anything.) The 2nd infusion was been put on hold until I taper completely off the steroid and see a rheumatologist. Meanwhile I'm waiting a month for a scan to see if the Ketruda affected the lung tumor (1.5 cm) and hilar lymph node in a positive way. (BTW, I'm really old @ 80, but I was a long-distance runner for 35+ years. Congratulations on the marathon!!!!)

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2 replies
linbrew | @linbrew | Jul 8, 2022
In reply to @colleenyoung "@linbrew, I see you are asking @ta52 about hiss PDL1 score. As you likely know, if..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

@linbrew, I see you are asking @ta52 about hiss PDL1 score. As you likely know, if your cancer cells have a high amount of PDL1, you may benefit from a treatment called immunotherapy.

Lin, do you have lung cancer? Have you had the PDL1 test?

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Response to @ta52 below which covers your queries.

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Tom Anderson | @ta52 | Jul 8, 2022
In reply to @linbrew "I have NSCLC, KRAS g12d, with a PDL-1 score of 60%. My first & only infusion..." + (show)
@linbrew

I have NSCLC, KRAS g12d, with a PDL-1 score of 60%. My first & only infusion of Keytruda caused my 1 brain MET to go from 6mm to a dot of 1mm therefore eliminating my scheduled GAMMA KIFE procedure. Unfortunately, I also had a severe inflammatory reaction in my joints and wound up on 60mg of prednisone to counter it. (No history of autoimmune anything.) The 2nd infusion was been put on hold until I taper completely off the steroid and see a rheumatologist. Meanwhile I'm waiting a month for a scan to see if the Ketruda affected the lung tumor (1.5 cm) and hilar lymph node in a positive way. (BTW, I'm really old @ 80, but I was a long-distance runner for 35+ years. Congratulations on the marathon!!!!)

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@linbrew Your markers are about what mine were except my metastatic in my lymphatic system. I went from Stage IV to NED in six months but that 100% PD-L1 expression had a lot to do with. I think Keytruda didn't have any time to mess with anything else in my system since all of my tumors were fully coated and Keytruda had a lot of work to do.
And, I'm only 10 years younger that you so I don't consider either of us to be old!

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Pat | @pls137 | Aug 7, 2022

Thank you for this positive information. My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and I now feel more hopeful! Have a great race in Chicago!

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1 reply
Tom Anderson | @ta52 | Aug 8, 2022
In reply to @pls137 "Thank you for this positive information. My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and..." + (show)
@pls137

Thank you for this positive information. My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and I now feel more hopeful! Have a great race in Chicago!

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First of all, stay positive for your Dad. For some, cancer treatment has moved beyond the old narrative into new and successful approaches like mine. And, second, doing the marathon is a statement that we need to look at cancer patients differently and change that old narrative.
Thanks for your comments!

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nodunk | @nodunk | Aug 27, 2022
In reply to @linbrew "I have NSCLC, KRAS g12d, with a PDL-1 score of 60%. My first & only infusion..." + (show)
@linbrew

I have NSCLC, KRAS g12d, with a PDL-1 score of 60%. My first & only infusion of Keytruda caused my 1 brain MET to go from 6mm to a dot of 1mm therefore eliminating my scheduled GAMMA KIFE procedure. Unfortunately, I also had a severe inflammatory reaction in my joints and wound up on 60mg of prednisone to counter it. (No history of autoimmune anything.) The 2nd infusion was been put on hold until I taper completely off the steroid and see a rheumatologist. Meanwhile I'm waiting a month for a scan to see if the Ketruda affected the lung tumor (1.5 cm) and hilar lymph node in a positive way. (BTW, I'm really old @ 80, but I was a long-distance runner for 35+ years. Congratulations on the marathon!!!!)

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5 years in from last injection of Keytruda for non Hodgkin’s lymphoma Had 4 injections but had terrible time tolerating the drug and had to stop. I am 74 and had 5 major cancer treatments that failed me before I received Keytruda as a mercy patient. Hang in there. I am a living example that the immune system can outsmart cancer.

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1 reply
Tom Anderson | @ta52 | Aug 29, 2022
In reply to @nodunk "5 years in from last injection of Keytruda for non Hodgkin’s lymphoma Had 4 injections but..." + (show)
@nodunk

5 years in from last injection of Keytruda for non Hodgkin’s lymphoma Had 4 injections but had terrible time tolerating the drug and had to stop. I am 74 and had 5 major cancer treatments that failed me before I received Keytruda as a mercy patient. Hang in there. I am a living example that the immune system can outsmart cancer.

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Me, too. My immune system - with the help of Keytruda -- defeated Stage IV NSCLC in about six months. We live in amazing times.

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1 reply
nodunk | @nodunk | Aug 29, 2022
In reply to @ta52 "Me, too. My immune system - with the help of Keytruda -- defeated Stage IV NSCLC..." + (show)
@ta52

Me, too. My immune system - with the help of Keytruda -- defeated Stage IV NSCLC in about six months. We live in amazing times.

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Did you have peripheral neuropathy when you started Keytruda? If yes, has it worsened? What about other side effects? I feel Keytruda overstimulated my immune system and my immune system is attacking healthy cells causing worsening pain and stiffness in my body.

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1 reply
Tom Anderson | @ta52 | Aug 29, 2022
In reply to @nodunk "Did you have peripheral neuropathy when you started Keytruda? If yes, has it worsened? What about..." + (show)
@nodunk

Did you have peripheral neuropathy when you started Keytruda? If yes, has it worsened? What about other side effects? I feel Keytruda overstimulated my immune system and my immune system is attacking healthy cells causing worsening pain and stiffness in my body.

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I have a cold right now that is worse than the side effects I had with Keytruda. No pain, no issues and for the past 18 months I have been on 400 mg. every six weeks.

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modernwita1947 | @modernwita1947 | Sep 8, 2022

Very hopeful message. My husband is receiving this treatment along with pemetrexed for exactly the same diagnosis. He’s received 14 infusions since October 2021. hopefully will get the same results. He’s also very active; plays pickleball every day for about 2 hours (73 years old).

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