Spread to nearby Lymph Nodes

Hello Taylor23, I have not got the same cancer type but I am on Pembrolizumab. The side effect list can look scary, but the drug has been in use for many years now and the hospital teams know how to cope with each side effect if you get them. I started Pembro in 2016 and side effects weren’t really on my radar then, the drug had been approved for metastatic melanoma on the NHS 2 months before I started it, and in the papers were stories of Jimmy Carter the former US president who had had melanoma spread to the brain and had become clear while on the drug. I was feeling very lucky to have started it and very hopeful. It was stressed to report any side effect as quickly as possible and your given the hospital 24 hour number for that. I rang it 2 weeks after I started as I came up in a whole body rash. I had been sent home with just in case diarrhoea tablets which I have never used, but for my rash I needed antihistamine tablets and my next dose was delayed by a week until the rash subsided. I get tired for a few days after each dose every time. For me I became clear after 6 months and after 12 months on Pembro and still clear I came off the drug. My cancer (melanoma) was in many abdominal and pelvic lymph nodes and in my ovary when I started on the drug. It was thought that the usual 12 years could be shortened as long as you were clear for 6 months and had already had 12 months of treatment so I stopped early to avoid any potential long term side effects. My story is in my profile if you click on my user name it takes you there. I am back on Pembro, Cancer is only in a few lymph nodes in my groin, and I’m about to have iv number 51 on Saturday, I have it every 6 weeks instead of the original 3, a double dose but no extra side effects from that. 

I hope you do well on it. For lung cancer you are restricted to 2 years on the treatment, there are many in the Lung cancer forum, who have finished their 2 years and are still clear have a tap on the link I’ve put in search Pembrolizumab if you want or start your own discussion and I’m sure they will help with experience. This group is very quiet, you will find the lung group busy.

I'm here if you want to ask any other questions.