Immunotherapy anyone

[OldGuysRule]

Has anyone here experienced or looked into immunotherapy? I’ve been reading and watching info about Immunotherapy Cancer Center in Cancun Mexico. Looks interesting.

[MJCA]

Yes, one biological/immunotherapy is Keytruda. It was developed for certain cancers and sometimes works PCa. I am starting this treatment next Friday, September 6. Read my bio to see all the other treatments I have had up to now.

[OldGuysRule in reply to MJCA]

Will do, thanks!

[addicted2cycling in reply to OldGuysRule]

In May of 2015 only minutes before going into the O.R. for my GL10 Cryoablation my Dr. asked if I would like to try an Immuno Injection (NOT FDA Approved) he'd been working on for an Immunotherapy Protocol. He said I'd be the first ??? so how could I refuse.

Keytruda+Opdivo+Yervoy = a triple play

[dhccpa in reply to addicted2cycling]

Did that lighten your wallet a bit? Is that immuno approved today?

[addicted2cycling in reply to dhccpa]

$13,000 lighter for drugs and NO triple FDA Approval ONLY the

*Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab) are both prescription immunotherapy drugs that can be used to treat some types of cancer, including prostate cancer*

[dhccpa in reply to addicted2cycling]

Provenge was approved in 2010 for prostate cancer for patients with metastatic CRPC.

[KocoPr]

have you had any genetics done? Not in your bio?

There are several immontherapy trials phase 1/2 but more effective if you have mutations in DNA danage repair or mismatch repair, or microsatelite instability in tumor, or high PD1 expression. Go for combo immunotherapies like

here is one.

clinicaltrials.gov/study/NC...

Safety, PK and Efficacy of ONC-392 in Monotherapy and in Combination of Anti-PD-1 in Advanced Solid Tumors and NSCLC (PRESERVE-001)

[Hotrod65]

10.8 yr survivor of stage 4 MPC small cell neuroendicrine differentiation, given only months at Dx,, long term durable clinical remission NED after both Genetic and Genomic Sequencing of tumor pathology indicated a hypermutated tumor Burden with a rare POLE -E Mutational variant from testing done thru Foundation Medicine..the data provided my Doctors indicated 21 possible clinical trials and Immunotherapy options ...6 yrs of PD1 Immune checkpoint inhibitors Immunotherapy for 58 infusions and on no treatment for 2 yrs currently, I'm one of the very lucky ones...God Blessed.

[Apd66]

I did try Keytruda this summer. Three infusions 3 weeks apart. I have the bio markers that are a target for the Keytruda, but unfortunately, it was ineffective on my cancer. PSA continued to rise and I developed a Pneumonia during the treatment, unknown if if was from the Keytruda or from other outside source. Had to discontinue to treat the pneumonia and due to lack of efficacy. Hope you have better results.

[Bdale]

good morning, I had 4 infusions of Keytruda (I was able to get Immunotherapy because of my MMR DNA). it worked like a charm, lowered my PSA to almost nothing until I got some significant skin issues. Stopped it and the skin issues became only every now and then, but my PSA has been creeping up. I met with my MO yesterday, my next step is to get scans in December to see if there are any changes. If there are changes we do Keytruda again, I figured out how to deal with some of the skin issues. I had an orchiectomy in 2023, so I have not used ANY drugs more than a year now. No symptoms and no pain. The thing I've learned about this disease is that everyone is different, my younger brother died from it after going through every treatment available in 4 years, I live each day like it's my last. Keep living!

[traxcavator]

Since we're mostly old guys who repeat ourselves...

In a day when any competent urologist can do an MRI guided biopsy, it baffles me that 'they' continue to insist on infusion to try to get active agents to a tumor. Obviously the agent is immediately diluted by all of the blood in the body. Then 'they' hope that enough of the agent seeps past the stroma of the tumor, and gets to tumor cells. Why not just use a syringe and put it where it will do some good?

As I recall, Addicted2cycling had the agents injected directly into his ablated tumor.

A week ago there was a link to someone doing an article on why so many promising agents fail to deliver. Perhaps the insistence on infusing rather than directly injecting the agents is some part of the issue.

John

[Lavender22]

Greetings,

My husband met the requirements for Provenge (low PSA #s and low volume of bone mets) and was given 3 rounds (transfusion/infusion)., covering 6 weeks. This was late spring of this year. His PSA numbers are creeping up and he will be given a psma a scan probably in Dec.. Onc said she doesn’t want to overload with radiation.

The main side effect he is contending with is inflammation— akin to arthritis, especially in the morning. We met with his onc who explained that this is a strong auto immune response caused by the drug. We are hoping it subsides with time.

He will be starting another treatment— maybe Cabazitaxel). He continues his Lupron and Xgeva shots simultaneously. Previously was 2.5 yrs of Abiraterone, which began to fail last winter.

Hope this is helpful.

[dhccpa in reply to Lavender22]

I'm starting Provenge on Friday. My understanding is that generally it doesn't stop your already existing cancer. What is your understanding on that point?

[Lavender22 in reply to dhccpa]

Yes, I believe you are correct and this explains why it is not a viable option for a person with a heavy load of mets already.

Also, I should check my notes again, but I think it is designated as a vaccine for hormone- refractory cancer. It is meant to foster a T-cell response— bolster the immune system.

[Miccoman in reply to dhccpa]

I had Provenge, but with extensive bony mets. I knew it would not lower my PSA (although it did waffle a little during the 6 weeks). I expected that it would improve my QOL. Right now, after getting rid of Lupron, and being beyond Xtandi/Zytega and taxines too toxic, but Pluvicto worked for me, I feel great. I'm lazy with low T but feel just normal (well, truth be told I'm dealing with a tooth issue that has my MO in a tizzy worried about ONJ).

So don't expect an effect on your PSA but look forward to a better QOL. At least that's my experience. YMMV

[dhccpa in reply to Miccoman]

That would be nice!

[GAdrummer in reply to dhccpa]

Provenge prepares the body for Xtandi, allowing Xtandi to work better and longer.

[dhccpa in reply to GAdrummer]

Thanks, still learning about the mysterious Provenge. Hopefully, I'll find out something soon.

[dhccpa]

I posted recently about starting Provenge. Supposed to begin 9/6. Will update, but you can read previous Provenge posts.

[j-o-h-n]

Here I go again:

I had a melanoma that metastasized to my lungs and was treated with Keytruda and it worked. No side effects....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Miccoman]

I did provenge (sipuleucel-T) way back in 2021. Didn't expect PSA to drop but expected better QOL in the long run. That has proven to be true for me as I feel quite well despite a huge tumor load (and I had that when I did the provenge). My Palliative Care doctor feels kind of left out right now! LOL

[j-o-h-n in reply to Miccoman]

My Palliative Care doctor feels kind of left out, except when it comes to the bill.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Spinel_Cutter]

My memory is not the best but I read voraciously. Prostate cancer has this odd "gate" ability, to block immune components (NK cells?). What I found interesting was that a person in ketosis (low blood glucose/high ketones) tend to offset PCa's ability to block the immune components, and also was able to effectuate certain chemo. One of my doc seemed astounded to see that my PCa had not metastized to distant locations, and indeed, the (Yale formula) gives a very high number = + likelihood of metastasizing to distant sites. Yet, it did not.

Well, it just so happened that last July I got a new L hip. It made an astonishing difference in my life--I could stand/walk/hike go to the gym, and I did. I started 1,2, 3 and four day fasts (over the last year 44 days in total) and was "in ketosis" about 95% of days. While in ketosis the micro-environment is very unfriendly to cancer cells--they cannot attach, and therefore they cannot create distant tumors. I think that I may have just been lucky that I prevented distant metastases.

If you do immunotherapy, it will have to show favorable genetic environment/tumor and you may want to look into a keto based diet. It's a bit difficult to get into but I found that once I was there, it was quite wonderful, and I lost 65lbs over a year.

[Steel67 in reply to Spinel_Cutter]

Did you cut out eggs ? - they can be a staple in Keto diets

[Eddy-Merckx]

I started Keytruda in mid-May and so far it seems to be working. They prescribed it to me because I have large mutational burden (about 33 genetic mutations). For the first 12 weeks, my PSA remained stable and then began to drop. In the past six weeks, my PSA has dropped from 7.03 to 0.48. I have tolerated the side effects very well. Good luck!

[Tinkudi]

Do you mean a high TMB ? You started keytruda while being hormone sensitive or after resistance ?