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After Keytruda, what's next?

Posted by liz8716 @liz8716, Aug 28, 2019

@merpreb ...Hi, my name is Elizabeth. 31 yrs old.I was diagnosed with stage IV nsclc in April. I saw your story on here and it has given me hope. I'm currently on keytruda. Unfortunately my oncologist at this time says there is no cure and that keytruda can only be administered for 2 years. That she is only helping me live longer at this point because there is no cure. I did have taxol and carboplatin (4 rounds). My tumors have shrunk. But when I ask the dr "what next after 2 years of keytruda she says we'll wait and see. It's sort frustrating. I have to ask. What was your treatment?? Because the 5 year mark almost sounds impossible from what my dr states. Or if anyone else here knows of any new treatments.

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Mentor
Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | Feb 5 4:55pm
In reply to @goodtogo "Hello fighters! As I'm reading this discussion about keytruda I felt compelled to share my keytruda..." + (show)
@goodtogo

Hello fighters! As I'm reading this discussion about keytruda I felt compelled to share my keytruda story. In May of 2017 three months before my husband died of leukemia I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to my adrenal gland. I went to Houston Methodist in the medical center. They put me in a trial which involved inserting a fissure into the tumor on my lung. They gave me pinpoint radiation and loaded up the fissure. The fissure destroyed the tumor and then traveled to the tumor on my adrenal gland and embedded itself into that tumor and destroyed it as well. This process on me only took a few months, no side effects. Then they started my keytruda treatments. I got a keytruda rash twice and they had to stop treatment early due to colitis. This is 2024 and I'm alive! There is hope out there for you! I suggest you get ahold of Houston Methodist in the medical center and ask about their trials for lung cancer. I would give you the name of my oncologist but unfortunately he moved to Colorado. I do know you have to have certain markers etc to do this, I don't know all the details. I do know I qualified because I hadn't had any previous treatments. I don't think, just my opinion that just keytruda on its own is going to help you. I hope this information is helpful to just one person out there. If it is please let me know and I will share this information on other websites as well. Keep up the fight my fellow fighters!

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Hi @goodtogo, Welcome to Mayo Connect. Congrats on your success. Stories like yours provide hope to others!
Were you deemed Stage IV due to the spread to the adrenal? Do you continue to have scans for monitoring?

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goodtogo | @goodtogo | Feb 5 8:49pm
In reply to @lls8000 "Hi @goodtogo, Welcome to Mayo Connect. Congrats on your success. Stories like yours provide hope to..." + (show)
@lls8000

Hi @goodtogo, Welcome to Mayo Connect. Congrats on your success. Stories like yours provide hope to others!
Were you deemed Stage IV due to the spread to the adrenal? Do you continue to have scans for monitoring?

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I don't know if I was deemed that stage due to the spread to my adrenal gland. They did my biopsy and that's what they staged me. My team at Methodist released me in 2022 (5 years) and I haven't had a scan since. Do you think I should have one? If so how often?

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Mentor
Lisa, Volunteer Mentor | @lls8000 | Feb 7 1:44pm
In reply to @goodtogo "I don't know if I was deemed that stage due to the spread to my adrenal..." + (show)
@goodtogo

I don't know if I was deemed that stage due to the spread to my adrenal gland. They did my biopsy and that's what they staged me. My team at Methodist released me in 2022 (5 years) and I haven't had a scan since. Do you think I should have one? If so how often?

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@goodtogo, I think you have a great team that knows your case inside and out! They certainly know best. Congrats on 5 years and hoping for many more for you!

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sjohnson60 | @sjohnson60 | Apr 18 7:21pm

Hi, I am 60 years old and have been on Keytruda for 4 years. I was diagnosed with stage 3A NSLC in 2019. It worked. When they say only two year treatment is because no studies have been concluded after that and it only became available for lung cancer in 2017 when approved by FDA.

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