3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

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plastikos
Posts: 351
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:09 am

3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby plastikos » Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:11 am

I don’t post often but I just wanted to share my experience so far. I joined this forum late 2014. At that time I was just diagnosed with St IV colon cancer with liver mets. Since then I have had 2 recurrences, 2 major surgeries with postop complications, 30+ rounds of chemo, 2 biliary stenting procedures for jaundice, 1 SIRT and around 12-13 rounds of Keytruda. When I developed obstructive jaundice due to liver tumors last December 2016 I thought it was the end of the line. The cancer had also spread beyond the liver on PET (nodes). I got a biliary stent to relieve the onstruction and my onc and I resorted to the backup plan we were reserving for another recurrence - immunotherapy. The response was good and last September my medical team agreed with my suggestion to try SIRT for 1 pesky liver lesion which remained. I am happy to announce that based on my recent PET CT I am again, thankfully, NED.

The last 3 years have given me perspective I never thought I would have. Nobody knows when one’s time is up. The battle only ends when you decide to throw in the towel. We are all fighting and I know a lot of our friends aren’t doing as well. THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE. Never ever forget that. Wishing everyone good luck and the best possible outcome. God bless us all.
St. IV Colon CA @ 37, male, Kras wild, MSI-high (2014)
11/2014 Right Hemicolectomy + Liver Resection
12/2014 - 6/2015 FOLFOX + Cetuximab
10/2015 - Recurrence liver
Liver resection 10/2015
FOLFIRI 11/2015 - 5/2016
Recurrence liver, nodes 11/2016
Pembrolizumab started 12/2016 -> pseudoprogression(?) -> biliary obstruction -> biliary stenting
Chemo 4x: most mets inactive and smaller on PET-CT
March 2017 - Back on Pembrolizumab again
Sept 2017 - SIRT - > NED
2019 NED

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susie0915
Posts: 945
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby susie0915 » Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:27 am

What great news. So happy for you especially after all you have battled.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

stu
Posts: 1614
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:46 pm

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby stu » Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:13 am

You just made my day . I have been quietly willing you on . Very happy for you and your family .
Stu
supporter to my mum who lives a great life despite a difficult diagnosis
stage4 2009 significant spread to liver
2010 colon /liver resection
chemo following recurrence
73% of liver removed
enjoying life treatment free
2016 lung resection
Oct 2017 nice clear scan . Two lung nodules disappeared
Oct 2018. Another clear scan .

bitchslapped
Posts: 1538
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2014 3:23 pm
Location: PNW/USA

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby bitchslapped » Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:14 pm

Wonderful news plastikos! You really struggled to achieve NED. So glad Keytruda was the ticket for you.

Congratulations & Best Wishes
BS
DSS,35YO,unresect mCRC DX 7/'14,lvr,LN,peri,rib
FOLFOX+Avstn 4 Rnds d/c 10/'14
Stent 9/'14
FOLFIRI+Avstn 10/'14
Gone From My Sight 2/20/15
Me:garden variety polyps + precancerous polyp, diverticulitis
Carergver x2 DH,DM dbl occupancy,'03-'10
DH dx 47YO mCRC,'04-'07, lvr, billiary tree fried x HAI
DM dx CC 85YO,CC,CHF,stroke,dementia,aphasia

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby NHMike » Tue Feb 06, 2018 7:23 pm

That's a great story. I hope that things get better and better through more pharma tech.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

User avatar
henry123
Posts: 218
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 3:25 am

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby henry123 » Wed Feb 07, 2018 5:31 am

Congratulations on achieving NED.
Are you continuing with Keytruda for now?
Any discussion with your medical oncologist on that front.
46yo M msi-high Lynch +ve
5/16 lap AR 14/21 L nodes +ve
T4N2M1
7/16 Capox 9 cyc
9/16 cea 2
1/17 550
PET CT mets in lung & peri
iri+ avast fail
3/17 10577
4/17 regro fail
5/17 cea 28800
5/17 CT inc in size of mes nodes ,onset of multi nodules in liver
6/17 Opdivo start
7/17 26754
8/17 5623
9/17 497
10/17 52
CT all clear exc a nodule in Lung. liver norm
1/18 3.6
Aspirin start
6/18 1.5 CT clear
12/18 1.1 NED
1/20 NED Opdivo stop
8/23 1.0 All ok

plastikos
Posts: 351
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:09 am

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby plastikos » Wed Feb 07, 2018 7:41 am

Thank you all.
St. IV Colon CA @ 37, male, Kras wild, MSI-high (2014)
11/2014 Right Hemicolectomy + Liver Resection
12/2014 - 6/2015 FOLFOX + Cetuximab
10/2015 - Recurrence liver
Liver resection 10/2015
FOLFIRI 11/2015 - 5/2016
Recurrence liver, nodes 11/2016
Pembrolizumab started 12/2016 -> pseudoprogression(?) -> biliary obstruction -> biliary stenting
Chemo 4x: most mets inactive and smaller on PET-CT
March 2017 - Back on Pembrolizumab again
Sept 2017 - SIRT - > NED
2019 NED

plastikos
Posts: 351
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:09 am

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby plastikos » Wed Feb 07, 2018 7:43 am

henry123 wrote:Congratulations on achieving NED.
Are you continuing with Keytruda for now?
Any discussion with your medical oncologist on that front.

Hi Henry. Yes as of now the plan is to continue with Keytruda up until 2 years though I might bargain with him if he’s ok with reducing the frequency.
St. IV Colon CA @ 37, male, Kras wild, MSI-high (2014)
11/2014 Right Hemicolectomy + Liver Resection
12/2014 - 6/2015 FOLFOX + Cetuximab
10/2015 - Recurrence liver
Liver resection 10/2015
FOLFIRI 11/2015 - 5/2016
Recurrence liver, nodes 11/2016
Pembrolizumab started 12/2016 -> pseudoprogression(?) -> biliary obstruction -> biliary stenting
Chemo 4x: most mets inactive and smaller on PET-CT
March 2017 - Back on Pembrolizumab again
Sept 2017 - SIRT - > NED
2019 NED

mariane
Posts: 704
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 6:16 pm

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby mariane » Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:02 am

Congratulations, Plastikos!!!
mom of now 14 years old twins, dx @ 40 in 6/2015 with upper rectal cancer, 10+ liver mets, CEA 140
chemo: 8/2015 - 10/2016 - 4xFOLFIRINOX, 2xFOLFOX, 8xFOLFIRI, 10x5FU, HAI pump -12xFUDR
4 surgeries, complete pathological response
CEA<2 since 10/2015
NED since May 2016

I praise God for every day with my family!

User avatar
Atoq
Posts: 412
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2017 9:31 am

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby Atoq » Wed Feb 07, 2018 10:09 am

Congratulations! So nice to read of such a outcome!

Best

Claudia
1972, 2 kids
Dx rectal cancer 10.2017
T3N2aMX (met left lung 8 mm)
Lynch neg
CEA 1.8
Neoadjuvant chemoradio Xeloda + 25x2 Gy
05.12.17 laparotomic surg. for blockage, colostomy
25.01.18 laparotomic lar, hysterectomy, ileostomy
05.03.18 core needle lung biopsy
07.05.18 CAT scan, lung met 11 mm
04.06.18 ileo reversal
26.06.18 wedge VATS
24.08.18, 31.02.19 CAT scan
12.09.18, 06.02.19 scope, CEA 1.6
19.11.18 scope
20.08.19 CAT, eco
13.09.19 scope, CEA 1.2
18.03.20 CAT, eco, scope, NED
29.11.20 CAT, NED
2023 NED

User avatar
Shana
Posts: 401
Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:45 pm
Location: Sonoma, CA

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby Shana » Wed Feb 07, 2018 11:28 pm

Wonderful news! It's so good to hear treatment success.

Wishing you continued NED and good health!
DX - 12/16
MSS - KRAS wild
Well-differentiated adenocarcinoma at splenic flexure
Stage IV CC with liver mets
5FU - Failed twice - 1/17 and 3/17
Irinotecan + Cetuximab: 8/17
Irinotecan and Erbitux ran it's course. CEA rising
Primary tumor invaded tail of pancreas and spleen. Liver mets major concern
Y-90 radioembolization on 9/17/18, liver enzyymes have dropped. 10 Radiation treatments to primary tumor completed too. CT scan Nov to assess overall situation...

LisaMargo
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Feb 26, 2017 10:26 pm

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby LisaMargo » Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:29 am

Dear Plastikos, NED is wonderful news, congratulations. You give HOPE to all us all.
Regards , Margo
20 feb 17 Went in for a colonoscopy, woke up with cancer
21 feb 17 LAR descending colon, Stage 3c
27 mar 17 port in
29 mar 17: 12 sessions FOLFOX.
51 yo F, married with 3 teenage girls

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby Lee » Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:47 am

plastikos wrote:. . . I am happy to announce that based on my recent PET CT I am again, thankfully, NED.


That is fantastic news!! CONGRATULATIONS So very happy for you.

May you always reside in NEDville,

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

User avatar
juliej
Posts: 3114
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:59 pm

Re: 3 years from diagnosis, 1 year on Keytruda

Postby juliej » Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:45 pm

plastikos wrote:I don’t post often but I just wanted to share my experience so far. I joined this forum late 2014. At that time I was just diagnosed with St IV colon cancer with liver mets. Since then I have had 2 recurrences, 2 major surgeries with postop complications, 30+ rounds of chemo, 2 biliary stenting procedures for jaundice, 1 SIRT and around 12-13 rounds of Keytruda. When I developed obstructive jaundice due to liver tumors last December 2016 I thought it was the end of the line. The cancer had also spread beyond the liver on PET (nodes). I got a biliary stent to relieve the onstruction and my onc and I resorted to the backup plan we were reserving for another recurrence - immunotherapy. The response was good and last September my medical team agreed with my suggestion to try SIRT for 1 pesky liver lesion which remained. I am happy to announce that based on my recent PET CT I am again, thankfully, NED.

The last 3 years have given me perspective I never thought I would have. Nobody knows when one’s time is up. The battle only ends when you decide to throw in the towel. We are all fighting and I know a lot of our friends aren’t doing as well. THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE. Never ever forget that. Wishing everyone good luck and the best possible outcome. God bless us all.

AWESOME NEWS! :D :D :D I'm doing the NED dance for you!!!

Sometimes you don't realize your own strength until you have no choice but to be strong. There were many times when I was terrified and tired, but there was always a little voice inside me saying 'never give up.' If the cancer took me, I wanted it to be while I was daring the impossible. You dared the impossible too. May you be NED forever and live a long and healthy life!

Juliej
Stage IVb, liver/lung mets 8/4/2010
Xelox+Avastin 8/18/10 to 10/21/2011
LAR, liver resec, HAI pump 11/2011
Adjuvant Irinotecan + FUDR
Double lung surgery + ileo reversal 2/2012
Adjuvant FUDR + Xeloda
VATS rt. lung 12/2012 - benign granuloma!
VATS left lung 11/2013
NED 11/22/13 to 12/18/2019, CEA<1


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