Immunotherapy Easier Than Chemo?

I am now a 62 year old two year survivor ( from the time the pancreatic cancer was first seen on a CT scan). That alone is a miracle!

My diagnosis is an extremely rare stage 4 solid pseudopapillary neoplasm that started on the tail of my pancreas ( making me instantly diabetic) and which had already metastasized to my liver, lungs, and peritoneum. It also occluded the splenic vein and partially enwraps the splenic artery. No surgery or radiation were possible for me, my doc said. I am on palliative care at MD Anderson.
However, I am still here and thankful for every evening and morning.

I had Folfirinox and later Gemcetibine and Abraxane, but neither was keeping the tumors from growing. The Abraxane was making my leg progressively numb. I am single and live by myself. I would not have been able to drive to appointments or been able to continue living independently if the neuropathy had continued. Those treatments were from Dec. 2017 to Aug. 2018.
Then I was referred to a clininical trial that stated in Oct 2018 and lasted until Aug. 7 2019. I had few side effects and the treatment worked really well for at least eight of nine cycles.
https://www.mdanderson.org/patients-family/diagnosis-treatment/clinical-trials/clinical-trials-index/clinical-trials-detail.ID2017-1065.html

The neuropathy in my hands and feet almost completely healed while I was on the Imfinzi etc trial.

I was really tired and much weaker in June and July. I am using a rolling walker now. It turns out that even though I had been stable month after month, in June the cancer figured out a way to get around the treatment. The rumors grew 30 %. However, it did not spread to new areas, praise G-d.

My doctor is the best in the world. I know she is really pulling for me and is such a good leader/ partner in my care.

I will have more testing done Tues and then my case will go before the tumor board about what the next therapy for me will be. It might be a targeted therapy based on a faulty AKT1 gene.

In everything G-d is for me and working for my good. I do not understand all that I am going through, but this trial is changing me for the better.
"When I am afraid, I will trust in You."
"As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more." Psalm 71.

At a friend's birthday party. I am in the pink shirt.

What a great picture! You look like the picture of health! I will be praying for you on Tues for your appointment. God bless you! Sincerely, Gerry C

Thank you!

Good luck to you on Tuesday. You certainly have the best attitude anyone can have and that will give you lots of support. It also sounds like MD Anderson has had a really good treatment plan for you so keep on being positive and waking up every day with as much energy you can muster. We don't always know what is ahead of us, 10 years ago I was given life expectancy of 12 months. I am still waking up every morning with a smile. Hope is eternal. My best for you. Marilyn

Your attitude and grit is wonderful! You’re story is so inspiring and beating the odds is a victory for all who hope!

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I am in cycle 2 of a shrew venom biologic trial now.

treebyriver, do you happen to have the clinical trial # for the biologic? I have heard of shrew venom before but not in a while. Thanks!

Treebyriver, I am finally starting to comprehend that immunotherapy is a very broad term encompassing a lot of different working and experimental treatment. For example CAR-t therapy is a form of immunotherapy that takes out your T-cells, treats or changes them somehow, puts them back and "trains" the Tcells to recognize the cancer and vice versa. My understanding is that the side effects can be pretty harsh. Sorry for the extremely unscientifc description! Then there the the "inhibitors". My understanding is that immunotherapy drugs alone as monotherapy ie not with chemo of another immuno drug, have not worked well in PDAc patients, but when coupled with chemo or other agents are showing more progress, and this depends on the genetic molecular make up of your cancer. I have done one of the "inhibitors", that indirectly targets KRAS, and the symptoms were just feeling a little unwell. I am currenly on a trial of 2 immuno agents plus a shot of radiation that initially gave flu like symptoms. I think you really need information on the specific trial.