Postby boxhill » Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:50 pm
My oncologist said we'd do an MRI in/after the fourth month. At least I think that's what he said, month, not cycle. that would be around the 7th cycle. Because my nodes and liver met didn't show up on a CT scan, we'll go straight to MRI.
I've read various things about how long it takes keytruda to work. I gather that some people have pseudoprogression, where initially the masses swell with the invaders. This is actually a good sign, because it is followed by shrinkage. In some people it takes 4-6 months for the response to be seen. In some it is much quicker. I think he wants to avoid scanning too early.
Before Keytruda was FDA approved for all MSI-H tumors, your oncologist might have tried to prescribe it, but I doubt your insurance company would have paid for it. Mine costs $11,000 per infusion (the rate negotiated by the insurance company, or it would be higher). So unless you could get into a trial or were extremely rich, it is unlikely that the onc's willingness to try it would have made a difference.

Wonderfullymade, how long did it take for you to develop colitis on Keytruda? Was it successfully treated, or is that why you stopped?
F, 64 at DX CRC Stage IV
3/17/18 blockage, r hemi
11 of 25 nodes,5 mesentery nodes
5mm liver met out
pT3 pN2b pM1
BRAF wild, KRAS G12D
dMMR, MSI-H
5/18 FOLFOX
7/18 and 11/18 CT NED
12/18 MRI 5mm liver mass, 2 lymph nodes in porta hepatis
12/31/18 Keytruda
6/19 Multiphasic CT LNs normal, Liver stable
6/28/19 Pause Key, predisone for joint pain
7/31/19 Restart Key
9/19 CT stable
Pain: all fails but Celebrex
12/23/19 CT stable
5/19 MRI stable/NED
Stop Key
8/20 MRI NED