keytruda

SWEET!!!!!!

I think you are indeed something of a pioneer, Peacock Girl. I hope you find some others to connect with.

I have just been offered keytruda as a clinical trial. I have done chemo and had a double mastectomy. Now I'm going through radiation and they want me to start keytruda next week. I would really like to know how it affects you

Hi DianaRose,

She's probably testing you for expression of PD1 or PDL1 in your tumor, as it may make you more likely to be a responder. Were you on Ibrance and Femara combination previously? Because there are some trials combining Keytruda with Abemaciclib (a related drug to Ibrance that is stronger), and so you might want to ask her if that is a good trial to consider? What part of the country are you in? we could check for clinical trials near you...

I'm still in the screening stage for I-SPY-2 trial. I'm ER+/PR+/HER2- and early stage (stage 2 clinically). I-SPY has a few arms, but it's not a blind study, and I was told that with my tumor I can either be in a control arm (12 Taxol + 4AC - SOC), or in experimental arm (same chemo + pembrolizumab (Keytruda)).

Participating in the trial adds a lot of extra steps: I did a pre-treatment MRI and another biopsy (in addition to my diagnostic biopsy). I am supposed to do another MRI and biopsy 3 weeks into the treatment. I was already willing to suck it up and do it for the science, but my hospital's satellite location where I did my first MRI screwed up, and didn't do all the sequences needed for the trial. So, now I need to re-do that 1st MRI again. This, coupled with the fact that that first MRI showed something in my "non-cancerous" breast and I needed an MRI guided biopsy, means that I need to lay on that torture device 3 times in 2 weeks time. To add insult to injury I just got my port installed today, and the only day to re-do this first MRI for the study is Wednesday, two days after port. I can't delay any further - trial or not, control arm or not - I'm starting Taxol this Friday.

I did schedule for Wednesday, but I will see how my port area feels tomorrow. I'm pretty sore today. I honestly think it may be too much for me.

Now, back to Keytruda. My understanding is that the tumor needs to express PD-L1, otherwise, it's useless.

Found this article - that's basically the trial I'm (still) trying to participate in: http://www.esmo.org/Oncology-News/Efficacy-Results...

Looks promising in terms for cPR, even for my HR+/HER2-, if I get the "pembro", of course. I may do that MRI. Too bad they won't tell us anything about PD-L1/PD1. They provide a Mammaprint score based on that biopsy, but that's it - no other details.

Hello all, did any of you take part in the I-SPY2 clinical trials? I’ve been participating since November and I was randomized into the Pembro arm. So far I’ve had three pembro treatments spaced out every three weeks. We started with 12 weeks of Taxol, then AC every three weeks. Unfortunately, it looks like the pembro worked too well at kicking my immune response into high gear. I have had both thyroid and liver reactions so now I am no longer able to receive the Pembro treatments. The good news is the tumor has shrunk from 3ish cm to less than 1cm in 11 wks. Now I wait to see if my liver has calmed down enough to continue with the remaining chemo treatments.

As for other experiences, I have to say that when I did get the Pembro treatment, the SEs from Taxol always seemed to be less problematic. And the fatigue was lessened during those weeks. N

my wife Val has triple neg breast cancer, a rare form called metaplastic carcinoma with extensive osteosarcomatous differentiation.

At 5cm last feb, no surgery, conerns not getting clear margins. Went on chemo, 3 rounds of AC, didnt work, then 5 rounds of carboplatim with taxol. No improvement. Tumor grew to 10cm. Stopped and waited 2-3 wks for surgery. In. Mid june surgery done with tumor at 15 cm. Path report showed mpbc with type listed above. Tumors now recurred on Vals surgery incision. Tumors also identified in right lung. Started radiation 7 wks (5dys/wk). By mid sept now tumors in both lungs and one in heart. Recurrence in surgery site started growing again. Started keytruda, have had only two doses so far, but been in icu after each dose, difficulty breathing (40 short breathes per minute) and heart rate at 40 bpm sitting still. Genetic seq of tumor showed mutations, amplified Pdl1, Pdl2, jak2, myc, LYN. Anyon have or seen this? Treatment options...keytruda, tecentriq???

Sincerely Val's hub!!