My First Opdivo

Opdivo is an immunotherapy therapy and a new medication to treat my lung cancer. You are not alone in being scared. When I first was told I would have to discontinue chemotherapy and switch to Opdivo I was devastated.

Switching from chemo to Opdivo

As I sit here and begin to type, I am truly at a loss for words. Me - the big mouth and the writer. I remember vividly the moment I was told, "No more chemotherapy. We are switching treatments."

On Thursday, January 7, 2016, I met with my oncologist to discuss the results of my repeat CT Scan which I had earlier in the month. It was not good news.

The spot on my right lung had gotten larger. There are also 3 lymph nodes that got larger. Cancer had spread to all 4 spots. He told me my only option at this point was to start on the new immunotherapy drug, Opdivo, and hope that it slows down the growth.

I am not a candidate for surgery because I previously had surgery to remove both left lung lobes. I cannot have radiation as it is in the same place as my radiation in 2015. And, I've already had chemotherapy 4 different times with 4 different combinations.

What is Opdivo?

Opdivo was the first immunotherapy drug approved to treat lung cancer in 2015. It works by blocking the PD-1 protein, a protein that helps cancer cells avoid being found and destroyed by the body's immune system. By blocking the PD-1 protein, the immune system can locate the cancer cells and attack them. While Opdivo is not a cure, it can help lung cancer patients live longer.¹

What does "live longer" mean?

I asked my oncologist, on average, what does live longer mean? His response was, "Statistically speaking 6 months longer than without it." I did NOT ask where I am at now -- meaning how long. I do not want to know. I may have changed my mind later but at that time no information is good information.

According to Opdivo's website, in a clinical trial of 582 patients, Opdivo was shown to reduce death rates by 27% compared to chemotherapy (docetaxel). Half of the patients in the study on Opdivo were still alive at 12.2 months, compared to 9.4 months with chemotherapy (docetaxel). Additionally, Opdivo was shown to partially or completely shrink tumors in 19% of patients, compared to 12% with chemotherapy (docetaxel).

Keeping my cancer under control

After 4 doses (8 weeks), I had another CT scan to see if it was working. If the spots had stayed the same size (or smaller), we would continue. If any got larger, my only option was to try another traditional chemotherapy but a much stronger dose. Again, the goal was to keep it under control as long as possible.

Now is the time to tell you that was over three years ago. I have been on Opdivo for over three years!!! How miraculous for me!

Editor’s Note: We are extremely saddened to say that on January 28, 2020, Jennifer Toth passed away. Jennifer was a passionate advocate for the Lung Cancer community. She will be deeply missed.