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Update on Adam's post-treatment scans


Suzanna

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Hey friends, Adam is buried in work, so I wanted to go ahead and give an update on his scans. All things considered, it was about the best news we could have hoped for. No evidence of disease. All 8 tumors have shrunk below a size that is measurable and his rib bone is even regenerating. We are obviously elated, but there is also a strange feeling that comes with this since we've been bracing ourselves against the continuous bad news for so many months. However, we are grateful and will do the most good that we can with this time and new diagnosis.

His oncologist is keeping him on Keytruda for two years, every three weeks. All I can say is that I am thankful for good insurance, as you all know, this is not exactly an affordable treatment plan. So far, the only real side effects that have come from the Keytruda are continued fatigue and he is flushed (red) for about 24 hours after the infusion. Again, all things considered, this is a relief.

Now I just have to try my best not to begin doing too much research into reoccurrence statistics and stories and focus on the here and now. 

Hope you are all well and navigating this new year as best you can!

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Great news--hope the good scans continue. I'm on Keytruda plus Alimta for maintenance, and I'm still having issues with fatigue, too, as well as brain fog. Not constant, but enough to be annoying. Still, I'll take annoying over lethal any time!

Give Adam our best.

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Suzanna,

How about that, a NED scan! Wonderful!

Keep in mind, the recurrence statistics cited here predate the emergence of immunotherapy as a treatment. It seems immunotherapy not only destroys tumors but keeps new ones from popping up.

Stay the course.

Tom

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35 minutes ago, Suzanna said:

LexieCat, it's good to know the continued brain fog may also be part of the Keytruda. Adam has the same perspective as you!

Yeah, with both the Keytruda and the Alimta, it's a bit tough for me to determine which is causing what. No biggie, the side effects are tolerable if less than pleasant.

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1 hour ago, Tom Galli said:

Suzanna,

How about that, a NED scan! Wonderful!

Keep in mind, the recurrence statistics cited here predate the emergence of immunotherapy as a treatment. It seems immunotherapy not only destroys tumors but keeps new ones from popping up.

Stay the course.

Tom

Tom, thanks for always sharing a realistic perspective. I appreciate it more than you know. I'm a planner, so pretending that it's not important to have some idea of what to be prepared for always sets me up for failure. It is possible to be prepared, be in the present and celebrate good news. I'm completely in awe of what immunotherapy seems to be doing for cancer patients these days, and so is my oncologist. 

Thanks again, and take care!

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