John Carroll, Founder of Endpoints News and Inventor of FierceBiotech, shared a post on X:
“Merkel cell carcinoma log, day #594.
Yesterday, I was at Dana-Farber for my first infusion of avelumab in more than 3 months. Aside from two botched blood tests – the buzz is the blood tests are being done with recently acquired corrupted materials – it went well.
The plan going forward is to stick with an every-8-weeks schedule, moving to a ‘pulse’ regimen of immunotherapy, so long as there is no return of an autoimmune reaction. This required some polite verbal arm wrestling with my oncologist, who wasn’t keen on it. In the absence of a test for minimal residual disease, though, it seems prudent in the wake of a CR to assume the cancer is still present and requires something to keep it at bay.
It’s all risk/benefit, all the time. And there is data to support it. I’d rather be aggressive than passive about this. I also think patients need to take a more active role in decision-making than is typically the case. And that should be encouraged rather than discouraged. Usually, patients see only one side of the oncology coin. Time for something new.”
Other articles featuring John Carroll on OncoDaily.