Dr. Arshad Hussain Shah
Medical oncology
The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.
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Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
I am a 40-year-old woman recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and it has been hard, especially considering I have a 5-year-old child. I have been feeling quite depressed about the situation. I was wondering if Keytruda, a medication I have heard of, could assist with my particular situation. Can you provide information on how Keytruda works for breast cancer? Are there any known side effects I should be aware of? How effective has it been for people in similar situations? I am particularly concerned about my child; is it safe to use this medication while taking care of a young child? Please help.
Thank you.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I have read your query, and I can understand your concern.
Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) is an immunotherapy drug and is usually not used in all types of breast cancer. It can be used in a subtype of breast cancer called triple-negative breast cancer with PD L1 (programmed death ligand-1) positive status when hormones and HER2 /neu (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) are negative. Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer, and it has a high risk of coming back again, even after successful treatment. Keytruda has limited side effects in most cases, which are manageable. It does not cause low blood counts, hair loss, or severe vomiting, as we see with chemotherapy drugs. I need to know whether you have metastatic or nonmetastatic breast cancer. I need your pathology and IHC (immunohistochemistry) report with your molecular profile. It is not suggested for patients to breastfeed while receiving Keytruda medication; however, since your child is five years old, there is no risk to him.
I hope this will help you.
Thank you.
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Medical oncology
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