Cancer

[Coss]

As we all age it is certain that some of us will entertain Cancer and its outcomes.

Whilst many do not discuss their health issues, I'm one who does and I do so, to possibly help via information, the journey of someone who is going where I've just been.

Disclaimer over, the following may be of interest:

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is a game changer. Get yourself this Immunotherapy.

It's unlikely that any of the folk mentioned below are members of this board, but stranger things have happened, so If any of us are, Thank you.

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Keytruda (pembrolizumab) was primarily invented and developed by a collaborative team of scientists across several companies, eventually coming under the ownership of Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada). 

Original Inventors at Organon: The drug was first discovered at Organon, a Dutch pharmaceutical company. The core team of scientists credited with its invention includes:

Gregory Carven (working at Organon's Cambridge, MA site). Hans van Eenennaam,  John Dulos, and  Andrea van Elsas (working at Organon's site in Oss, Netherlands).

LifeArc (formerly MRC Technology): This UK-based medical research charity played a critical role in humanizing the antibody in 2007. This process was essential to ensure the drug would be effective and safe for use in the human immune system.

Merck & Co. (MSD): Merck became the primary developer and commercial holder of Keytruda through a series of corporate acquisitions. Organon was acquired by Schering-Plough in 2007, which was subsequently acquired by Merck in 2009.Scientific Foundation: The drug’s mechanism is based on the discovery of the PD-1 protein in 1992 by Tasuku Honjo at Kyoto University, who later shared the 2018 Nobel Prize for this foundational work. 

While Merck initially considered shelving the project, their R&D team, spurred by competitor successes, later prioritised it, leading to its first FDA approval in 2014 for advanced melanoma. 

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[bust]

My only brush with the "Big C" apart from visits to the one in Ratchadamri was a Melanoma I had removed. Haven't had a follow up for years but do get all my bloods done annually. Prostate and bowel are big players at males on the wrong side of 50

[Old Hippie]

1 hour ago, bust said:

My only brush with the "Big C" apart from visits to the one in Ratchadamri was a Melanoma I had removed. Haven't had a follow up for years but do get all my bloods done annually. Prostate and bowel are big players at males on the wrong side of 50

Just did the PSA screening, all good…what I didn’t know was they didn’t want me to “release” for at least 2 days before the blood draw, so it was a bit higher than last time, but still good…the blood screen is now the first step and is of course preferred over the “hands on or in” exam. Heart and blood and colon all good…just the knees and sciatica that are the problem…new replacements doing ok and hopefully the sciatica will settle down…

[bust]

Sciatica can be a real pain 😊

I had a herniated disc once C5. Now diagnosed with degenerative disc disorder C5-C6. Fusion not an option for me even though it was suggested. I just learnt to live with it.