It’s time to go on immunotherapy. My PET-CT confirmed that the previously ablated secondary on my liver had grown back to fill the entire space left by the procedure. So it’s about twice the size ir was when ablated in December, and now too big for further ablation. Plus there’s a new secondary elsewhere in my liver. I have had a battery of tests today ahead of getting started: thyroid function, hepatitis screen, plus usual liver and kidney function. I will be the first TNBC patient in the unit to have Pembrolizumab, and the oncologist was very unclear on the protocols.
Scary but exciting? I failed the PDL-1 test in 2021 so didn’t qualify for immunotherapy but I was told the protocols have changed and, if I have a fresh biopsy, I can have genome-sequencing done and be tested for something else that may make it a possible treatment once cape runs out of oomph. These things sound so exciting - I do hope it works for you xx
Sorry to hear about the regrowth, and keeping everything crossed for the immunotherapy. I have been on pembrolizumab since last October and have had virtually no side effects. I have it every 3 weeks; blood tests followed by a 30 minute IV infusion.
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Sorry, this is a very late reply!
I was meant to have 12 weekly cycles of paclitaxel + carboplatin, with pembro on weeks 2, 5, 8, 11. However, I had 11 cycles in the end as my body couldn’t take any more. There was never any discussion about having more than that.
I now have just pembro every 3 weeks and PET scan every 3 months.
I have just had results of my last scan, which was 5.5 months after the end of the chemo, and it showed no change or progression, which of course I was relieved and delighted about.
I asked my oncologist if this means it’s working and the gist of his reply was that it was a bit too early to tell, but he would hope it was.
If it proves not to be working, or when it stops working, he said that Capecitabine is an option for me to try.
How are you doing now you’ve done quite a few weeks?
Lisa x
Hi @lisa49
I have been told by a couple of oncologists that it is quite hard to tell whether it is working or not at the first scan. The reason being that if it’s working, the first thing that happens is T cells infiltrate the tumour which can result in ‘pseudo growth’. Hoping for the best for you.
I am on week 7 so have had 3 loads of pembro and 6 of NAB-Paclitaxel. I am finding it very tolerable so far.