On 11/14/2007
Good Friend wrote:
I recently read about a new drug, tremelimumab, in early trials. Is anyone in this treatment program? If so, would you mind sharing your thoughts about the drug and its effect on metastatic melanoma.
Thanks.
I have been on this treatment for about 10 months now. I was diagnosed stage 3c in the fall of 2004. At that time I had a few choices for post operative treatment #1 no treatment. #2 interferon for 1 year. #3 was a clinical trial comparing high dose inferon for one month against no treatment. I chose the clinical trial as I was not overly impressed by the statistics for interferon and I figured that I was not willing to have a year of hell for what I percieved as minimal chance of stopping the disease. In the clinical trial I ended up in the no treatment arm. It was a bit of a downer because I figured the disease would come back. A matter of time. Anyhow Jan of 2007 the cat came back. I had a couple of lesions on my left shoulder blade 6 inches from the original site. Within a month or six weeks I had 16 lesions. My oncologist told my that there was a new drug out that they had had good results with and he asked if I wanted to try the clinical trial. Well I figured I had nothing to lose. In the stage 3 trial the tremelimumab was to be compared to decarbazine so I had a 50/50 chance of recieving the new drug. I got in the tremelimumab arm of the trial and recieved first infusion early March 07 with the next ones to be three months apart. My oncologist told me that sometimes the treatment takes a little while to work. Well in June I had a tumor in my chest and had signs that mel was starting in my lungs. My onc (Dr. Smylie - a great guy) said that in any case the second round of treatment should take care of it (months 4,5&6) When I went back for my ct scans at the end of month 6 at the end of august the tumour in my chest was gone as well as the lungs were clear! I am still clear of disease, so am truly blessed. Side effects were diarrhea and fatigue as well as hot flashes and hives etc. Overall tolerable. The trick is on the diarrhea is to get on the imodeum right away. Immodeaum is your friend. Went through about 3 large bottles in a month or so. So for me this drug has saved my life. I am truly grateful that I was here in Edmonton where there was acces to this trial.