Keytruda and PD-L1 percentage

[bacchus]

So if someone tests 60% of the cancer cells are PD-L1 does that mean 40% are not and can't be killed with Keytruda?  So you can theoretically kill 60% of the tumor cells(if the med was 100% effective) but the other 40% can keep growing?

Anyone ever ask their doctor that?  I plan too my next visit.  

[bes]

Hi there I don't think it works that way found this on cancer website: Although helpful in determining which patients may respond to certain drugs, the test is not infallible. Some tumors that test for high levels of PD-L1 may not respond to checkpoint inhibitors, and those that test for low levels may have a strong response. Cancer cells are complex, and a variety of factors can influence how susceptible they are to such drugs.

[Lauras]

 

I have an 11 mm spiculated nodule iny right upper lobe. It had a suv of 6.8 on PET scan. Anyone else had this happen? Was it cancer?

[LexieCat]

Hi, Lauras,

I responded on your other thread in the newcomer's forum.  My nodule was very similar and was cancer, but that's a very small one, and likely to be treatable by surgery alone.  I wrote more details on the other thread.

 

[Steff]

bacchus,

All NSCLC cells have the chance of being killed by the immune system.  What anti PD-L1 immunotherapy does is remove the PD-L1 cancer cells' ability to hide from the immune system.  All of the other cancer cells may not be "hiding" at all or "hiding" very little and can be seen by the immune system much easier.  So when the immune system is unleashed, most, if not all, cancer cells are visible for the immune system to attack.

[Tom Galli]

Bacchus,

I agree with Steff on the relationship between PD-L1 markers and lung cancer cells and how immunotherapy works to eliminate lung cancer cells. 

Stay the course. 

Tom

 

[bacchus]

Cool.  I hope so.  Saw dad last weekend and he was looking IMO better.  He's still just lounging around but his last radiation treatment to the spine was 2 weeks ago so hopefully that will finish leaving his body here soon.  We have our second Keytruda infusion in one week.