CR Day 139: Two videos explaining immunotherapy

From time to time I've been asked to explain how Opdivo (nivolumab) works. I usually mumble something about how the drug uses the body's immune system to attack cancers cells by using an anti-PD-L1 mechanism to defeat the cancer cell's defenses. Most people politely nod and have no idea what I'm talking about. Neither do I. But here are a couple of short videos that explain what's going on in lay terms. First, a whiteboard sketch from Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Second, a film from Cambridge University showing killer T cells attacking cancer. There are about 5 million T cells in each teaspoon of blood, and Opdivo gives them the ability to detect and kill cancer cells that previously were ignored because they didn't look like cancer cells. It's amazing to think about everything that is going on inside the human body. I'm glad that my clinical trial has been working n my cancer.

On Saturday, I attended a forum regarding recent advances in immunotherapy, and heard from doctors regarding the latest advancements in fighting cancer. I hope to post a more detailed summary, but their enthusiasm of how we are entering a new stage in defeating cancer was infectious. I am more hopeful now of my long-term prognosis than I ever have been since I was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. I am grateful to the ongoing research efforts and am glad that, by participating in a clinical trial, I might be helping others in the future.