Last week I was told that the results of my latest CT scan showed a Complete Response and that I would now stop my ongoing immunotherapy treatment around 9 months earlier than the planned two year course.
Complete Response is defined as - The term used for the absence of all detectable cancer after your treatment is complete response (CR). Complete response doesn't necessarily mean that you are cured, but it is the best result that can be reported. It means the cancerous tumor is now gone and there is no evidence of disease.
I will now continue to have CT scans at regular intervals over the next three years to keep a check.
I’m writing this blog because when I faced the start of immunotherapy treatment back in late 2018 I was pretty nervous, worried about the side effects, the damage it would do, and of course if it would work. It was an agonising time, but there was no alternative, I had multiple lesions in my lungs, the largest of which were 16mm in size.
Throughout my cancer journey I’d tried to prepare myself to be strong enough to face it, quite a rigorous regular exercise regime, a mainly vegetarian diet, daily doses of manuka honey and goji berries, a positive mental outlook, helped by studying philosophies like Stoicism and Zen, and meditation to keep a calm mind.
That was my part, all I could do, the rest was down to treatment, the monthly infusions of Nivolumab. I don’t know to what degree any of my preparation helped, but I have gone through immunotherapy with little reaction. It’s taken the pigment out of my hair and skin so I’ve gone quickly to grey/white, and I’ve had some ongoing itchiness on my arms and legs, but that’s a small price to pay for getting rid of the cancer.
This treatment of course can affect different people in different ways, all I can offer is my own case. In my opinion if anyone is facing this now, do trust and believe in this treatment, and consider what you can do yourself to help it succeed. I think we can play a bigger part than we might believe we can, by our mindset and our actions. Immunotherapy is the science we must be very thankful for, but the hidden science is what is within us to help it to succeed.
Wow Tim, that's a great result.
I have been awake half the night nervous about starting immunotherapy (dual) in a couple of weeks, so reading this has made my day...and it's only 8.30!
I'm very much a facts person so was planning to read up on the therapy before starting - other than the dermatology appointment where I agreed to the treatment I haven't got very far in my aim, as I had to go for brain surgery to wash out a wound infection following tumour removal...then I had a fever from flu/pneumonia jabs on Monday. Both my SRS and IT have been delayed but the good news (she says optimistically) is I'll be starting both this month.
Every time I look at my immuno booklet it worries me that any of the side effects could make me ill and I came here looking for positive stories to counterbalance that so thank you for sharing your experience.
Apols for the long reply but as this is my first post I thought I'd outline my situation briefly. Feels like a weird way to introduce myself, but anyway... Hello melanoma people :-)
Clare
Believe in the possible and good things will happen.
