My oncologist has just suggested that i pause my immunotherapy for 6 weeks what effect can it have on the cancer
I have had Chemo for 6 moths
My oncologist has just suggested that i pause my immunotherapy for 6 weeks what effect can it have on the cancer
I have had Chemo for 6 moths
Hello Diego,
Thank you for contacting Macmillan. My name is Helen, I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the Macmillan Support Line.
Welcome to the online community.
You have said that your oncologist has suggested you have a break from your immunotherapy for 6 weeks. You haven’t indicated why, but perhaps it is because the side-effects of the drugs are causing significant issues for you?
We don’t have access to your NHS notes, or to your oncologist to be able to understand the context of their treatment decision, Diego – which means our response can only be general, but I hope you find it helpful.
Getting the balance right between the good effects of immunotherapy and the unwanted side-effects of the treatment is always a balancing act. While some side- effects can seem mild in the first instance, they can worsen and become a health risk to the patient. So breaks in treatment, often with the introduction of steroids to damp down the body’s immune response to the immunotherapy, are common and, in general, do not impact on the final outcome of the treatment.
You may find the podcast Immunobuddies very helpful. It’s a podcast broadcast put together by Drs Ricky Frazer and Anna Olsson-Brown, who answer questions from patients undergoing immunotherapy treatment. You can find the broadcasts on Spotify, Apple podcasts and Buzzsprout in the link attached.
Episode 59 covers side effects of treatment, steroids and the question “what affect will pausing my immunotherapy have on my cancer?” (15.48 minutes into the broadcast).
Also, don’t forget if you have a cancer nurse specialist as part of your treatment team, you might consider speaking to them about your concerns as they have access to your notes and to your specialist.
I do hope this is useful Diego, and all the best with your treatment.
Helen
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.
Ref: HM/AC
