Immunotherapy against HPV-related cancer in the mouth?

Nextom
Nextom Member Posts: 6
edited November 2017 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Does anyone know, if there‘s an immunotherapy against HPV-related sqamous cell carcinoma in the mouth? I‘ve had Proton therapy in that area during the summer, and now I‘ve run into massive pain. At first, I thought this to be the after-effects of the Proton-treatment, but today I have been told that this would be very unusual at this point in time (four months after the treatment). I‘m scared shitless, because I don‘t think that they would do another Proton-treatment in that same area, and I also had already so many regional chemos that I don‘t think I would survive another one. It seems to me, that all other treatment options are exhausted by now. (PET-examination is now scheduled for next week.)

Comments

  • tommyodavey
    tommyodavey Member Posts: 728 Member
    #2
    Welcome

    Hi Tom, another Tom chiming in here.  Sorry, I don't have the information you're asking for about Proton therapy.  Hopefully, someone else will come along and help you out.  My post is just a welcoming note to say you've landed in the right place.

    The best part about this forum is the members giving us answers that Google would have missed or messed up.  We often suggest new members not to Google anything cancer related because it seems all the news is bad.  It does reference this forum though so I guess we all got here the same way.

    Let us know how the PET turns out.

     

    Tom

  • Laralyn
    Laralyn Member Posts: 532
    edited November 2017 #3
    Immunotherapy is available

    Hi, Tom! I had head and neck SCC HPV+ in 2012, then lung cancer in 2015 that was also SCC HPV+. I had radiation and platinum chemo both times but when it returned in 2016, I started an immunotherapy clinical trial. Immunotherapy combos have the highest response rates right now, but they're only available for head and neck SCC in trials, I think. So if you end up needing further treatment (and hopefully you never do!), it's worth looking into trials beyond whatever may be offered at your local treatment center. It's worth traveling if you need to, for a specific combo trial versus a single agent (since I think Opdivo has been approved for second-line head and neck treatment). 

  • Nextom
    Nextom Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2017 #4
    Thank you

    Thank you so much guys, for the warm welcome and for the confirmation, that there are, indeed, Immunotherapies for my cancer. Especially now, where I feel that all hope is (almost) lost. I‘ll keep you updated.

  • Sisterno3
    Sisterno3 Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2017 #5
    Hi thom

    I'm in Australia with a HPV SCC tonsillar cancer, with recurrence x2 in l lung.  I have been participating in an international clinic trial using keytruda (immunotherapy).  For me this has been an amazing treatment as within 9 weeks of commencement I was clear of cancer and 18 months remain so.  

    To bel clear the trial was for recurrent SCC H&N cancer and was of a very particular sub-type.  

     

    Hope this is helpful

    mary

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