Keytruda

[meatie]

Anyone here has had good results with Keytruda? Side effects? How will are oncologists to prescribe Keytruda?

[Stewsbetty]

If you are MSI I think drs very willing to prescribe for stage 4.
I am in Canada. I have been on Keytruda since September 2017. I have had very minimal side effects from it and it has worked wonders in my body. Unfortunately it doesn’t have the same effects for everybody.

Let me know if you have any other specific questions.

Beth

[O Stoma Mia]

Hi Meatie -

How is your Mom doing now?

There's a member here from your geographic area who took Keytruda on a clinical trial with good results and minimal side effects for about a year and a half, but then it seemed to stop working. You can read about it here:

tchan8888

[Jack&KatiesMommy]

Meatie:
I am on it with minimal side effects. I am MSS with a moderate mutation burden (12 mutations) and it is working for me when Folfuri and folfox no longer did. You can search a long post about all of this: "Keytruda Mutation Burden is Key"

[plastikos]

Yes. I had a good result on Keytruda. See my sig below.

[stu]

Hey Meatie ,
It’s been a long time . How is your mum ?
Take care,
Stu

[O Stoma Mia]

... If you are MSI I think drs very willing to prescribe for stage 4...

I think Stewsbetty is right:

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Pembrolizumab targets PD-1, a receptor on tumor cells, preventing the tumor cells from hiding from the immune system. Pembrolizumab is used to treat metastatic colorectal cancers that have a molecular feature called microsatellite instability (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR).
Ref: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/colorectal-cancer/types-treatment

I think you should be able to find a doctor willing to prescribe Keytruda in this case.

[DBF]

Hi Meatie,

How is your mom doing? I don’t have Keytruda info, but I wanted to send my best wishes.

Donna

[henry123]

Not Keytruda but Nivolumab.
Working well.

[O Stoma Mia]

Hi Meatie -

Happy Chinese New Year to you and your mother, and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2019.

[Pyro]

I got offered keytruda yesterday, I’ve been on regular chemo for about 3 years minus surgery time and everything is held at bay for the time being. A “maybe” tumor in pelvis and lung, they aren’t quite sure. My question is the timing, who stopped chemo that was working well try something different? My thought process is keytruda isn’t a fade away jumper yet, if it doesn’t work I can jump back on the chemo that is working for now. Anyone else do this? I actually feel better I have more options. The PDL-1 score MD Anderson gave my tumor was an 8, you need 1 or high (mutation burden?) to try keytruda. FOLFURI is becoming unbearable, I’ve heard just fatigue with keytruda, what are people’s side effects even if only minimum? Thanks!

[Wonderfullymade]

Hi Pyro,
I dont know my PD1 score, but I am msi-h. The side effects I had on Keytruda were being tired, but....I felt quite good after the chemo I had been on, so I think its relative to where you are. The biggest side effect I had was a little over a year I started getting colitis ( actually proctitis because I dont have a colon anymore). It got bad enough I had to take prednisone for it. I believe if you experience anything odd you should tell your onc since they are still trying to understand the effects of messing with your immune system.
Good luck!
Wonderfullymade

[Stewsbetty]

I got offered keytruda yesterday, I’ve been on regular chemo for about 3 years minus surgery time and everything is held at bay for the time being. A “maybe” tumor in pelvis and lung, they aren’t quite sure. My question is the timing, who stopped chemo that was working well try something different? My thought process is keytruda isn’t a fade away jumper yet, if it doesn’t work I can jump back on the chemo that is working for now. Anyone else do this? I actually feel better I have more options. The PDL-1 score MD Anderson gave my tumor was an 8, you need 1 or high (mutation burden?) to try keytruda. FOLFURI is becoming unbearable, I’ve heard just fatigue with keytruda, what are people’s side effects even if only minimum? Thanks!

I’m MSI h as well. I have been on Keytruda since September 2017. The side effects (if you don’t have a major reaction) are quite minimal. I was able to go back to work 3 days a week as a teacher. I was completely unable to work while on chemo. In my experience there is absolutely no comparison in the side effects.

Beth

[Pyro]

I’m MSI h as well. I have been on Keytruda since September 2017. The side effects (if you don’t have a major reaction) are quite minimal. I was able to go back to work 3 days a week as a teacher. I was completely unable to work while on chemo. In my experience there is absolutely no comparison in the side effects.

Beth

The nurses at my ONC office told me of one major reaction but other than that I hear it’s rare. I had one from erbitux, major kidney pain, what kind of reaction have you heard of?

[Stewsbetty]

I’m MSI h as well. I have been on Keytruda since September 2017. The side effects (if you don’t have a major reaction) are quite minimal. I was able to go back to work 3 days a week as a teacher. I was completely unable to work while on chemo. In my experience there is absolutely no comparison in the side effects.

Beth

The nurses at my ONC office told me of one major reaction but other than that I hear it’s rare. I had one from erbitux, major kidney pain, what kind of reaction have you heard of?

The drs watch for any type of “itis” with Keytruda. There are a couple people on a Facebook page I am part of that had to stop after 3-4 treatments because of reactions. Can’t remember exactly what those were but both had a wonderful response with their disease as well. They were treated with steroids and have recovered from their reactions.

The drs will monitor you each time for pneumonitis, colitis, blood tests for your thyroid, probably a few more too.