Hi Everyone,
my husband has been given a choice between nivolumab + ipilimumab OR nivolumab + relatlimab immunotherapy. He only has the cancer now in the right lung after a wedge resection of the left. No other organs/body parts affected. No lung symptoms at all.
We have done a LOT of research into the effectiveness and side effects of each and found that (from the papers we have seen) they have a similar effectiveness up to 3 years (there don't seem to be any figures beyond that for relatlimab combination as it hasn't been around long enough to say) and that nivolumab + relatlimab have quite a lot less potential side effects.
My husband is quite sensitive so we're quite concerned about side effects. But also he is not your average 74 year old and generally very fit and healthy otherwise. He is a runner and cyclist and still working full time.
Is anyone in here willing to share how you're getting on with either of these combinations of treatments and in particular nivolumab + relatlimab just so we can put a human perspective on it?
Many thanks
Squeak
Hi Squeak
I replied to your post in the melanoma forum but noticed your post here hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list again.
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hello Hevalan,
thanks for that. I am so pleased you're doing so well! I read in a few places that people carrying a bit of weight do in fact do better.
He chose the Relanivo in the end. Partly because of his age and increased risk of problems. Partly because only a 20% chance of serious side effects as apposed to 50% with ipinivo. Partly because it has similar results at 3 years as the ipinivo which sounds promising.
He's lucky to have the choice because the hospital weren't offering relanivo 12 months ago. But the oncologist said if he had been over 75 he would have been reluctant to offer it at all.
He's 2 months off his 75th. He also had a prolapsed disc and had keyhole surgery last year for that.
He had his first treatment last week and says he doen't feel any different so finger crossed. Still working, running, cycling. 
He's not going to give up easily!
He's having 4 rounds of the combination, a 6 week break, then on to just nivo. They said they might not know if it's working for 6 or 7 months.
Trying to take care of myself too! Just helping youngest son to move out to a new area and job and getting the house on the market just in case he gets to a point he can't work.
I hope things are stil going well for you. You've been through a lot but I am inspired by your story and updates.
Thanks very much for sharing.
