CKD: A gift left by immunotherapy

Posted by ruthlba @ruthlba, Sep 12 3:37pm

Hi, new here. Anyone get CKD as a result of cancer therapy? The melanoma in my stomach, brain and lung is gone as of last PET scan. The immunotherapy left me with Stage 3 CKD 3 years ago. No symptoms other than labs every 4 months. I also have peripheral neuropathy in my feet. I feel that I am not getting B12 correctly so just started a sublingual today. Hoping that helps. Anyone have these issues?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Support Group.

joefriday49 | @joefriday49 | Sep 13 12:44pm

Had Bladder Cancer back in 2014 and they completely removed it in Feb 25. Chemo does some terrible things to the human body. I can imagine the immunotherapy could possibly be just as bad. I now have Chemo veins that are so small that only the best technicians can draw a sample on the first try. Yes I push fluids before I go in, but sometimes it just don't help. My kidney numbers have slowly become dismal and they tell me it's partly the chemo mixed plus all the contrast dye I have been given in the years since. I've also been told that the radioactive marker used in PET scans is not bad for your kidneys but I can't imagine it being good for them...
The last few years I have been refusing contrast dye and my eGFR has gone up and down since but hovers around the high 30's. (It had been in the 20's)

ruthlba | @ruthlba | Sep 13 11:33pm

Glad the cancer is gone. My PET scans and brain MRI (w contrast) are now yearly, after 3 years of every 6 months. I had 2 different drugs for the melanoma(1 for brain & 1 for stomach/lung).. The dr said the combination was probably what caused the kidneys to go. I was told I have a 1 in 5 chance of CKD worsening in the next 5 years. I'll take those odds. So CKD or melanoma or both may be my future. I'm 74 so I hope it all stays away .

Cheryl, Volunteer Mentor | @cehunt57 | Sep 14 11:30am

@ruthlba Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. That is great that your cancer is gone. I’m sorry that the immunotherapy left you with CKD. I’ve had CKD since 2005. Mine is due to diabetes. You can live long and well even with CKD. Learn all you can about it. There are many great discussions here about dealing with CKD. There are others about neuropathy. You are not alone.

ruthlba | @ruthlba | Sep 14 5:11pm

In reply to @cehunt57 "@ruthlba Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. That is great that your cancer is gone. I’m sorry..." + (show)

@cehunt57 Thanks. I have really good Drs. My mom had diabetes at 60 so I was really worried when they put me on steroids for 4 months for the CKD and my sugar would go up to 300. My nephrologist said the oncologist needed to stop trying to fix my kidneys and got me off the steroids. Luckily it was steroid induced diabetes and everything calmed down.