The Fight Has Begun

Another eventful week is in the books. I am excited to announce that I received my first round of treatment Friday morning. This was a week earlier than expected, but my oncologist finalized the treatment plan during the week and wanted to go ahead and begin treatment immediately.

Unfortunately the final test results continued to show that my cancer did not possess any of the biomarkers that could be treated with targeted therapy. As a result, this limits the amount of treatment options available.

However, I am receiving a newly approved immunotherapy treatment called Keytruda. My test results showed that my cancer has high levels of Programmed Death – ligand 1 (PD-L1). PD-L1 suppresses the immune system and masks the cancer from detection, resulting in the cancer’s powerful ability to grow and spread. The immunotherapy is designed to expose the cancer cells and activate the immune system to fight and hopefully eliminate it. This marks a stark contrast to chemotherapy and many other forms of treatment, which typically involve chemicals and radiation to kill any fast growing cells. Fortunately, this means that immunotherapy side effects are less severe and will keep me eligible for new treatments or clinical trials that are developed in the future.

It took longer than anticipated to finalize the treatment plan, but the decision was made based on the culmination of a variety of tests including: CT scans, PET scans, brain MRI, lymph node biopsy, echocardiograms, blood tests, and fluid tested from my heart and lungs. Additionally, my oncologist sought feedback from a board of lung cancer specialists who unanimously agreed that immunotherapy was best for frontline treatment.

This treatment is not necessarily considered curative, but everyone responds differently to cancer treatment. There is minimal research on the effectiveness of this treatment for young non-smokers with advanced stage 4 cancer. It’s possible that this drug will not generate the required results or it could work magnificently. There have been many cases in which people have had prolonged positive responses to Keytruda. My oncologist is estimating that there is a 40% chance that the cancer will respond positively. I have faith that the prayers and support can bridge the gap of uncertainty and result in a success.

I’m excited for this treatment because it relies on my body to fight and not poisonous drugs to kill any rapidly growing cells. My body is ready to fight. Since my immune system is my main weapon, I have revamped my diet in an effort to rev up and supercharge my immune system. Some of these changes include: increasing my intake of dark green leaves (spinach, collard greens, and kale), other fruits and vegetables, herbal remedies, and vitamin supplements. Anything that I can do in addition to the treatment is going to help

Overall, the first infusion of the drug was a positive experience. Keytruda is given intravenously and takes about 30 minutes. This is significantly less compared to traditional chemotherapy which can take up to 8 hours for an infusion. At the time of publication of this blog post side effects have been minimal, resulting in only fatigue.

It was very sobering observing the other cancer patients receiving their treatment. It is amazing to see the strength of so many others that are battling cancer. Despite having stage 4 of the deadliest form of cancer, I certainly recognize that there are many in worse situations. I have plenty to be thankful for and I thank God for it.

Thank you once again for the prayers and support. I feel the impact of it every day. Despite my current situation, this has been one of the least stressful and most peaceful times in my life and I know that is not by coincidence. It is certain to get treacherous as I progress through treatment, but I have all the ammunition necessary to be successful.