April is EC Awareness month + results of small study showing KEYTRUDA helping LUNG cancer patients G

LorettaMarshall

Hello friends ~

Well, better late than never I suppose.  We haven’t mentioned it but the month of April is ESOPHAGEAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH!  The official color for this cancer is “Periwinkle Blue”.

Just thought I would share some great news as well about KEYTRUDA and the spectacular results from one small study involving patients with Lung Cancer.  Although it is being used in some Esophageal Cancer patient’s treatments, the results for those with LUNG cancer are reaping even greater benefits according to one small study referenced below.  That’s great news!

Loretta

P.S.  Incidentally, I’ve sent “SJBO659” (Steve) https://csn.cancer.org/comment/1624382#comment-1624382  note to ask how the Friday consultation with Dr. James D. Luketich went.  I sure hope he writes soon to tell us his decision.

______________________________________________________ 

1.      https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/immunotherapy-transforms-lung-cancer-biggest-cancer-killer-n866356

“Immune therapy drugs can transform lung cancer treatment, giving patients years of extra life, doctors reported Monday.

They found that pre-treating lung cancer patients with immune therapy drugs before they get surgery can help melt away the tumor and at the same time limit or even stop its spread.

And combinations of immunotherapy drugs have helped other lung cancer patients get off more toxic standard chemotherapy while also extending their lives.

The results are so startling that it is likely every lung cancer patient should be given the option of immunotherapy first, said Dr. Roy Herbst, a lung cancer specialist at Yale Cancer Center who was not involved in the studies.

“I have never seen progress move so fast,” Herbst told NBC News.

“The results today are really a paradigm shift. They will mean more lung cancer patients getting immunotherapy up front…”

________________________________________________ 

2.      https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/keytruda

Keytruda

listen (kee-TROO-duh)

A drug used to treat certain types of stomach cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, urothelial cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-small cell lung cancer, cancer of the head and neck, and melanoma. It is also used to treat some types of solid tumors, including colorectal cancer, that have certain mutations in genes involved in DNA repair. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Keytruda binds to a protein called PD-1, which is found on T cells. Keytruda may block PD-1 and help the immune system kill cancer cells. It is a type of monoclonal antibody and a type of immune checkpoint inhibitor. Also called pembrolizumab.

 

pembrolizumab

listen (pem-broh-LIH-zoo-mab)

A drug used to treat certain types of stomach cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, urothelial cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-small cell lung cancer, cancer of the head and neck, and melanoma. It is also used to treat some types of solid tumors, including colorectal cancer, that have certain mutations in genes involved in DNA repair. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Pembrolizumab binds to a protein called PD-1, which is found on T cells. Pembrolizumab may block PD-1 and help the immune system kill cancer cells. It is a type of monoclonal antibody and a type of immune checkpoint inhibitor. Also called Keytruda.

___________________________________________________________ 

Opdivo

listen (op-DEE-voh)

A drug used to treat a certain type of colorectal cancer that has mutations (changes) in genes involved in DNA repair. It is also used in some patients to treat cancer of the head and neck, Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Opdivo binds to a protein called PD-1, which is found on T cells (a type of white blood cell). Opdivo may block PD-1 and help the immune system kill cancer cells. It is a type of monoclonal antibody and a type of immune checkpoint inhibitor. Also called nivolumab.

_____________________________________________________ 

3.      http://news.cancerconnect.com/keytruda-promising-pd-l1-esophageal-cancer/

 

____________End of references________________