Keytruda

[Blair77]

Is anyone using Keytruda?

[Hidden]

No, but if you go by what the ad says, chances are it''ll kill you first.

[Dan59]

If we worried about the side effects every man had from any drug , we would not do any of them, some men have no problem and often a small percentage have a problem. Here is a paper on Keytruda by noted researcher TM Beer. The paper says of 10 men 3 had complete response down to <.01 psa, one all the way from psa 2553, another 3 had stable disease out to 50 weeks, to me I am very interested in Keytruda, here is the paper. personalgenome.com/wp-conte...

[Blair77 in reply to Dan59]

Dr. Scholz suggested adding it with others once ADT/ chemo stop working.

[Sisira in reply to Dan59]

Well said Dan, as you usually do. What a rational viewpoint!

I am eagerly waiting until I complete my 2 year continuous ADT2 on 30 April 2017 with my PSA at 0.008 throughout the period since RP, adjuvant IMRT plus ADT, to refer my case for your valuable advice - what next to do? although I have my own plans. I was diagnosed in March 2015 at 68 years T2cNoMx GS9 with positive surgical margins.

Best wishes to Blair 77 and everybody's friend Dan.

Sisira

[bdriggers in reply to Dan59]

Dan59,

Very good post. You said it very well. I read the link. I'm going to have to have a cup of coffee and read it again. Thank you for adding to this thread, it is refreshing to read well thought out, intelligent Responses.

[Dan59]

Do You know what else Dr Scholtz adds to it? Is it in a clinical trial. I noticed some new trials with Keytruda when you type its other name Pembrolizumab

and prostate into the clinicaltrials.gov page. Here are the trials clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/resu...

[Blair77]

It says if PSA stops declining on Casodex start provenge with spot radiation and keytruda. Not part of a clinical trial just use off label.

[Pennysue1]

Keytruda no- maybe next - my husband Mike just finished zytiga then Provenge Immunetherapy- side effects much like chemo for provenge Immunetherapy-left him very weak for a couple of weeks - chills, fever - no appetite - won't know for a couple of months if the provenge shrunk the prostate cancer tumors -took zytiga 4 months - did not shrink the cancer tumors one bit -

[Kalegirl]

My husband tried it half dosage as a last ditch effort. To be fair, his liver was in bad shape when he tried it. I know the PCF had studies that some of the responses to it were amazing depending on the person and, I think, their genetics. I will always wonder if perhaps he should have tried it earlier instead of depleting his resources with chemo after it started not to work

[pkafka]

Blaire 77 and others:

Timely question. A good friend last week shared his experience with a Keytruda trial he is in the midst of and what his experience is thus far and his research. (He is a patient). His comment were taped and if you contact me at 808-298-1655 I can tell you how to get a hold of him and access his taped comments. Not many guys are using Keytruda as yet and these comments are quite useful.

Pkafka

[ellisr555 in reply to pkafka]

I am having my third infusion of keytruda tomorrow. I have been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer for 4.5 years. Abiraterone was best but as with all drugs they eventually stop working. The Keytruda took my PSA from 685 to 406 in three weeks. But just bounced up in blood work today to 591.. Scheduled for another infusion tomorrow and I suspect it will go through. Another possibiity is to combine my Keytruda with olaparib (Lynparza). I think odds go up to about 80 percent with that combo. We may see. As you travel this path you have to take chances and try novel things... otherwise you die way too soon.

[Suziq150 in reply to ellisr555]

How are u doing on the keytruda

My husband is failing enzalutimide and has pdl1 afraid of side affects

[Suziq150 in reply to pkafka]

How are u doing on keytruda

[Hidden]

My husband (diagnosed 2014 metastatic G9) has been on Keytruda since July 2017. Biopsy of a growing lymph node metastasis (he was failing Xtandi) showed the MSI-H DNA signature that put him in the category for FDA approved use.

His response has been fantastic so far. The lymph node met in his neck vanished (this was something you could see and touch). PSA dropped to undetectable within 6 weeks and has stayed there. Scans show other lymph node mets have mostly vanished, the one that's left is half the size, and bone mets are stable. Zero side effects (so far) and he is feeling much healthier generally (Lupron side effects are still unpleasant).

Just found this forum, replying to an old post - very interested in whether anybody else is using Keytruda since the FDA approval, and if so what their response has been. Wishing others the same good luck we've had.

[martinvs]

I realise that there are men here with far worse prostate cancer than me. I've just been diagnosed with intermediate-stage prostate cancer (GL7) in the last two months and am choosing at this stage not to have surgery or radiation treatment. The dozen men to whom I've spoken all have incontinence and impotence issues and boy do they feel it!

Having read "Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers", I'm choosing at this moment to drastically change my diet to exclude animal fats (bar fish), do aerobic and resistance exercising five or so times per week, meditate - all to bolster my immune system - and to use the albeit inaccurate PSA measure to monitor my progress and to buy me some time.

Two questions: first, are there any of you out there using such an approach to keep your cancer at least at bay in the hope of new cures coming on stream and second, why is Keytruda (possibly a stupid question) not being used at an earlier stage of cancer such as mine, rather than putting so many men (and their partners) through so much grief and significantly reducing their quality of life?

Martin

[Locomark in reply to martinvs]

I have been living with stage t2b prostate cancer after being diagnosed 7 years ago. I have managed to keep myself going with a large amount of supplements and being vegan. No chemo, surgery or radiation. I would rather die first then lose my quality of life. Everything works in my body. Recently for about six months, I have tried full extract cannibals oil, about one gram a day ingested. My tumor has stayed the same. My oncologist is finally able to let me try the Keytruda thru Merck. Since I am not metastic outside of the prostate, it will be interesting for me and my doctor to see if it will work as a stage 3 preventative. I think I have a strong and undamaged immune system. I think Keytruda will only enhance my health. I start December 28.

[martinvs in reply to Locomark]

Thanks Locomark. That's very helpful, though I'm sure you mean cannabis oil rather than "cannibals" ... gosh if that were the solution, the world's over-population might be more easily managed! Yes, it's all about quality of life and since I have a chance of a new life in Singapore and a new relationship, I want to make sure I'm in good form for it. I've now spoken to 20 men, all bar one incontinent and all impotent. What I've found most inspirational is "The China Study" by father and son T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell. His massive study of 6,500 Chinese over 65 counties found cancer differences over 20 types of cancer from best to worst varied not 10% or 100% but 100 times! Given that 87% of Chinese are ethnic Han, genes played little part - only 2-3%. They found 8,000 associations at the 95%, 99% or 99.9% level between, nutrition, lifestyle and cancer rates. They go for whole foods, whole grains - no animal fats. Also no supplements - they can't hope to replicate all the value in whole foods - take lycopene in tomatoes for example, there are hundreds if not thousands of (good) chemicals in tomatoes, to hone in on just lycopene is probably very short-sighted. They say cancer can be switched on and off at any stage (initiation, promotion, aggression) and have proven this with experiments on rats and mice. Good luck with Keytruda - please tell me how it goes.

[Locomark in reply to martinvs]

I had my first Keytruda IV almost 3 weeks ago. The only side effects I had are some mild itching at night and tiredness in the afternoon. A couple of times I experienced some fatigue. You have to have a blood test 2 weeks after the IV. All of my tests were normal. My psa score stayed the same. I am having my 2nd IV this week. Hope my psa drops this time. I have had bump ups in my psa on a lot of different protocols I've tried. Eventually the psa would start dropping. I am still avoiding surgery , chemo , radiation and androgen deprivation or bicumutilide. Not for me. Everything I have works, thank God.

[Break60 in reply to martinvs]

Martin

I assume your on Active Surveillance along with your holistic approach? Please be careful! Good luck.

Bob

[martinvs in reply to Break60]

Yes and thanks Bob, though not through the standard health system. My oncologist initially though I was a bit rash, but is not trying to dissuade me from my decision. He's recommending two PSMA PET scans (1x now, 1x in a year's time @ $3k a pop). PSA is utterly useless, because it can be easily upset and you'll never know what it is you're actually measuring. Hopefully I can undertake the first test in the next month or two. Meantime I'm cooking a lot of Asian food - I've always enjoyed it, but now it's just vegetables (and the odd bit of fish - I'll only give that up if I really have to!). Loving the herbs and spices. Running almost daily, meditating to lower stress and doing resistance exercises.

[Locomark in reply to Break60]

I strongly believe in my body healing itself not pharma. I also believe in quality of life. If you lose that what do you have. I say nothing. I have been around a lot of people with stage four cancer. My grandpa, my mom, my sister who is still alive and cancer free for ten years, my brother who had a cancerous kidney removed and my best friend of 30 years who died a slow horrible death from chemo and surgery and my sister in law who died indirectly from chemo. I have had IV chelation treatments by a geneticist and been on the IV for hours with a lot of stage 4 people. I have seen the death and suffering. I am a strong believer in Jesus. His real name is yeshua. I have personally prayed for a lot of these people. Losing my mom and best friend where severely hard on me. If the Keytruda doesn't help my immune system fight the cancer then I am going to stay with the high thc medical cannabis and all of the positive protocols I have done over the years.

[Locomark]

I have just taken my first IV treatment of Keytruda on December 28th. I am having zero side effects so far. I have more energy. I get a little tired in the afternoon. I went through my oncologist and applied for the Merck compassion program. I definitely don't have the money. They approved the doctor's and my application. I have had prostate cancer for 7 years now. Never allowed anyone to do surgery , chemo or radiation on me. I have been doing all kinds of natural foods , supplements, veganism, raw foods , juicing. You name it, I tried it. Full extract cannabis with high thc has kept my 3 tumors from growing for six months now. The tumors activity level has dropped. I am continuing with both. I lowered my cannabis intake though. You have to take Keytruda every 3 weeks and a blood test 2 weeks after your IV. I believe My immune system is in great shape ,so the Keytruda is going to be effective for me. It is a monoclonal antibody which helps expose my tumors to be attacked by my immune system. I don't take pharma. I was willing to try this only because it is supposed to work with my body.

[Locomark]

Just had my second keytruda IV fusion on the 18th. I had a lot of itching after it for about 6 hours. I did get fatigued and spent a lot of time sleeping thru the 19th. My psa stayed pretty much the same from my first treatment. Interestingly enough I have a mild spot of skin cancer on my nose and it appears to be healing up. That is what keytruda was designed for. At least I know it is doing something. Now only if it can work in my prostate. On the 20th I had a lot more energy and once again got tired not fatigued in the afternoon. I go for my 3rd treatment once again in 3 weeks. On the 4th treatment I will get an ultrasound to visually see how my tumors are doing. I am doing a lot of praying for myself and you too.

[Locomark]

Ketruda and me

[lewicki]

What is the latest for Keytruda and prostate cancer?