No progression and more IL-2 to come

thaxter
thaxter Member Posts: 124
in Kidney Cancer #1

Finished week two of IL-2 March 15 and subsequent scans six and twelve weeks out revealed "stable disease" as my doctors put it.  And I haven't even been on a farm <rimshot>.

My five lung mets (four in the left lung) are still about 6 mm to 15 mm.  When they asked if I was game for more IL-2 I said yes as it's really the only chance of a durable permanent response.  Also it appears to have stopped progression in its tracks.  So I go in July 28 for another week.  If a fourth week is indicated he said we would probably wait a month after that.  Probably because in the second week (after only a week off) my kidney only tolerated 3 out of 12 doses.  When I asked if this was too long a wait he emphatically said no and that I'd probably be able to withstand it better after these several months.

Comments

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #2
    Great news!

    Good luck Thax! I had a follow up visit a week or so ago. My doctor said the Il-2 is still working for me and it's been 7 months since my last treatment. And in only a few weeks it will have been a year since my first session. It's all like a dream now. Go get 'em!

  • Jojo61
    Jojo61 Member Posts: 1,309 Member
    #3
    foxhd said:

    Great news!

    Good luck Thax! I had a follow up visit a week or so ago. My doctor said the Il-2 is still working for me and it's been 7 months since my last treatment. And in only a few weeks it will have been a year since my first session. It's all like a dream now. Go get 'em!

    Great news, Thaxter!

    That stuff seems to work wonders!

    Way to go!

    Hugs,

    Jojo

  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
    #4
    Glad to hear it Thaxter!

    Hope this continues to work for you.

    How do they know when enough is enough?

    Todd

  • thaxter
    thaxter Member Posts: 124
    #5
    todd121 said:

    Glad to hear it Thaxter!

    Hope this continues to work for you.

    How do they know when enough is enough?

    Todd

    I believe they usually stop

    I believe they usually stop after two two-week rounds or at most three.  In my case the rounds are four months apart which is a long time.

  • Galrim
    Galrim Member Posts: 307
    #6
    I hope the next round of IL-2...

    ...will have an even better effect. Dont feel discouraged (if you do) by a status quo after the first round. As your oncs probably have told you, IL-2 HD treatments sometimes doesnt really kick in before round 2 or 3.

    History of a fellow Danish patient, just for the encouragement: He had more or less the same prognosis/diagnosis as you, several mets to the lungs plus liver. After 3 rounds of IL-2 HD only one lung met remained, which was then surgically removed. He just crossed the 4-year marker as NED... :-)

    Theres always hope...

    /G

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