Keytruda

Sambuca
Sambuca Member Posts: 11 Member
edited June 2023 in Kidney Cancer #1

keytruda and renal cancer, has anyone started on kektruda after surgery and if so how are you reacting to it?

Comments

  • Sambuca
    Sambuca Member Posts: 11 Member
    #2

    I had a right radical nephrectomy, stage 3, 10cm mass, no lymph node involvement. Procedure done at Vanderbilt, excellent care, follow up next week, not sure about treatment, immunotherapy? Is Keytruda recommended, only case study I could find.

    I was non-symptomatic, increase in BP, had renal artery ultrasound, and mass was found.

  • Deanie0916
    Deanie0916 Member Posts: 628 Member
    #3

    Hi Sambuca, welcome! I personally have not been on Keytruda but I'm sure there are others here that have and can comment. You might want to check out Smartpatients there are many people there that are using systemic treatments. God bless you!

  • tgpath1
    tgpath1 Member Posts: 97 Member
    #4
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1701115#Comment_1701115

    Did your doctor talk about immunotherapy? I'm curious because I had a radical nephrectomy 18 months ago with no lymph node involvement. No further treatment needed. I see a nephrologist and I have my scans but the oncologist basically told me I would only need immunotherapy with a recurrence...that once my cancerous kidney was out, they consider my cancer gone. If immunotherapy can help reduce risk of recurrence, I'd definitely be interested.

  • Sambuca
    Sambuca Member Posts: 11 Member
    #5
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1701239#Comment_1701239

    my was a stage 3 involved renal vein, no lymph node involvement, oncologist said he considered me cancer free, but he did discuss immunotherapy (keytruda) , immunotherapy may help reduce the risk of recurrence, but a lot of factors to consider, age (I am 72) side effects, etc, every patient is different,

  • tgpath1
    tgpath1 Member Posts: 97 Member
    #6
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1701249#Comment_1701249

    Thanks! Definitely worth asking my doc about it. But my cancer was fully contained in the kidney and did not involve the renal vein so maybe that's why. Thanks for the info...I'm going to ask at my next visit!

  • Lodowick
    Lodowick Member Posts: 6 Member
    #7

    Hi. If still relevant for someone out there, I was diagnosed with kidney cancer (pT3a) on November 30 last year (2022). My left kidney (and the tumor) was removed in January. In April I began Keytruda every three weeks for 18 treatments. No one tried to persuade me one way or the other, everyone involved (including myself) took it for granted that someone 78 years old ought to have some form of adjuvant therapy after surgery. Keytruda being the only approved adjuvant for kidney cancer, I started therapy.

    And I'm still going, with no plans to stop until treatment is complete. The first session produced the predicted bone and muscle pain, brain fog, and dizziness. The pain abated after the second session, but the brain fog and dizziness are still there. As far as the pain is concerned, the oncologist suggested Ibuprofen, which for various reasons I cannot take. I wound up taking Tramadol in small doses, which was entirely adequate. I haven't tried to do anything for the fog and dizziness. If they were more prominent, or if I had to work (which I don't), I would see what I could do, but they simply haven't come up as an issue.

    I wish you well and would heartily recommend Keytruda for post-op kidney cancer simply because (1) it's the only approved adjuvant; and (2) at least for some people Keytruda doesn't produce the acute discomfort that some adjuvants do for other kinds of cancer.

  • Kristalynne
    Kristalynne Member Posts: 5 Member
    #8

    Hi Lodowick

    I hope you are doing well. Your last post I can see is June 2023.

    I am getting Keytruda infusions every 3 weeks and find that my joints are swollen and hurt. My oncologist suggested I see an orthopedic surgeon and he has recommended a Zilretta injection in my knees, which are the most problematic.

    I hope you are doing well.

  • Baygirl17
    Baygirl17 Member Posts: 2 Member
    #9

    I’m on Keytruda immunotherapy after colon cancer surgery and Met to inoperable nearby lymph node. (Approved by Medicare based upon genetics of original colon cancer.) After 7 treatments (3-week schedule) PET indicated that I’m cancer free! What?! Still hard for me to believe it could be true. I’ll find out more my next appointment. We do plan to continue 3-4 more treatments just to catch what I call renegade cells and I want to ask about the ctDNA blood test that may detect them. But to reassure you about Keytruda side effects, the only one that I experienced was irritation to my arthritic knees and thigh muscles when I rose from a chair and started walking (I’m 86 years old). This was after my 1st treatment and we got it under control with 10mg of Progesterone 1x/day. It was immediately effective and actually helped my arthritis everywhere. We’re now cutting back on number of days with no reoccurrence. Wishing you best results with your immunotherapy treatments as well. Truly a blessing!

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