Mercy110 wrote:We have seen an onco today. The Onco read through my mum's report and he thinks that the lung nodules are LUNG METS. We have also check KRAS genes to see if there are more drugs can be used for targeted therapy. Finger crossed.He suggested my mum's situation is not so good, so he recommended using Avastin. Yet it costs HKD 30000 or above in private clinic, so we decided trying IRINOTECAN with TS-1 first.
These meds are very new to us because they are rare in public hospitals. The onco said TS-1 is a med from Japan that newly introduced to HK. Any thoughts on these med? Are these drugs being used in targeted therapy? Any stage 4 patients have similar experience? Thanks a lot.
Mercy110 wrote:We have seen an onco today. The Onco read through my mum's report and he thinks that the lung nodules are LUNG METS. We have also check KRAS genes to see if there are more drugs can be used for targeted therapy. Finger crossed.He suggested my mum's situation is not so good, so he recommended using Avastin. Yet it costs HKD 30000 or above in private clinic, so we decided trying IRINOTECAN with TS-1 first.
These meds are very new to us because they are rare in public hospitals. The onco said TS-1 is a med from Japan that newly introduced to HK. Any thoughts on these med? Are these drugs being used in targeted therapy? Any stage 4 patients have similar experience? Thanks a lot.
veckon wrote:Mercy110 wrote:We have seen an onco today. The Onco read through my mum's report and he thinks that the lung nodules are LUNG METS. We have also check KRAS genes to see if there are more drugs can be used for targeted therapy. Finger crossed.He suggested my mum's situation is not so good, so he recommended using Avastin. Yet it costs HKD 30000 or above in private clinic, so we decided trying IRINOTECAN with TS-1 first.
These meds are very new to us because they are rare in public hospitals. The onco said TS-1 is a med from Japan that newly introduced to HK. Any thoughts on these med? Are these drugs being used in targeted therapy? Any stage 4 patients have similar experience? Thanks a lot.
Is there a way you could get public health coverage? Not getting treatment due to cost is really sad. Even in USA there are public options if you cannot afford treatment. Isn’t China communist?
veckon wrote:Interesting, so it seems like HK is more like the USA health insurance wise. But I figured if even we have a public option, surely HK would. But maybe not. $3000/month after insurance is pretty insane and most people can’t afford that. I don’t know what to tell you other than listen to your doctors. If they think a medication is worth trying first, there is a reason statistically. I know personally my treatment is saving my life and would cost HK 150000 or more a month, putting it firmly out of reach. But without it I would be suffering and awaiting death right now.
Mercy110 wrote:I saw your med from your signature. Keytruda is only available in very few private clinics in HK.
Maia wrote:Mercy110 wrote:I saw your med from your signature. Keytruda is only available in very few private clinics in HK.
In HK, you have an ongoing trial with a drug that is the Novartis equivalent of Keytruda, PDR001, also an anti PD-1, *combined* with other immunotherapy. Your mom is probably MSS, and Keytruda or other immunotherapy on its own is unlikely to work. BUT that drug, combined with other, like this one --an anti LAG3--, might work. Hence, this trial might be better than having just Keytruda alone.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02460224
You would need to contact
Novartis.email@novartis.com
putting this in the email subject:
NCT02460224, CLAG525X2101C, Safety and Efficacy of LAG525 Single Agent and in Combination With PDR001 in Patients With Advanced Malignancies
and explaining your mom's case and asking them for guidance --like, in which institution in Hong Kong this trial is available.
If your mom is eligible for that trial --explain to her that it would be two immunotherapies, no chemotherapy--, it would be without cost for her.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22186141
LMighty wrote:Hi Mercy110,
I think it would help to check whether your mom is MSS or MSI-H, if you haven't already. It is the primary predictor of the efficacy of immunotherapy. You may also want to talk to your onc about the possibility of referring your mom to the Novartis clinical trial, now or in the future if necessary.
My mom is also battling bilateral lung mets. You may refer to my signature. Failing all first line drugs in less than a year, it was a losing battle until we adopted the current regimen. We are blessed to have a VERY supportive and accommodating onc who really goes out of his way to try a novel regimen. Remember every case is different -- chances are that chemo works great for your mom.
Good luck!
LMighty wrote:Hi Mercy110,
Yes she did. We were told there was 40% chance for chemo to work and adding Avastin or Erbitux would boost the chance to around 70%. If it works for your mom and eventually eliminates all evidence of disease, you may also consider doing "maintenance" chemo which would probably be low dose of Xeloda + Avastin, to further keep the disease from coming back.
Mercy110 wrote:IC...According to your case, chemo with Avastin could only preventing worsen situation in months? If that's the case it would be difficult...
And I expect patient with multiple lung nodules that are not operational actually could not being healed easily? Coz most of the successful cases seem to be liver mets with surgery.
veckon wrote:So I've been going through the Hong Kong Department of Health website to see if I could find any information to help you reduce these costs. One tool they have is a drug search engine that lets you find out exactly how HK classifies various drugs. I found both Avastin and Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in there. Additionally it looks like all you need to qualify for care at any public hospital or outpatient clinic is to be a permanent resident of HK, you do not even have to be a citizen of China who resides there. Then you can get any medication your oncologist prescribes for HK 10. Is there some reason you cannot make use of these public health facilities? I mean, you may have to wait a long time before infusions and appointments, but overall it could help with the overwhelming financial burden. I will keep my eyes open for more information as well.
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