Tag Archives: cancer treatment

don’t think twice, it’s alright

Posted on November 8, 2017 by straightouttasotham

A lot has happened since my last blog post: a hospitalization, a trip to LA to give a TED Talk, a trip to Austin to be a part of my cousin’s baby shower, and another hospitalization which I am in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cancer, cancer research, cancer treatment, end of life, fuck cancer, grieving, hospice, medical, melanoma, melanoma complications, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma treatment, palliative care, stage 4 cancer, support, TED, TEDx | 42 Comments

the good, the bad, and the fucking weird

Posted on August 26, 2017 by straightouttasotham

This morning, I can feel the tendrils of indian summer folding back the edges of summer proper. I usually feel a tinge of sadness at this time of year – a little bit of post-birthday blues along with my seasonal … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cancer, cancer progression, cancer treatment, clinical trial, false progression, friendship, health, IL-2, immune system, immunology, immunotherapy, Korea, life, melanoma, melanoma complications, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma recurrence, melanoma treatment, metastatic cancer, metastatic melanoma, mortality, pseudo progression, skin cancer, stable disease, stage 4 cancer, stage 4 melanoma, t-cells, tumor growth, tumors | 15 Comments

bombs away!

Posted on January 18, 2017 by straightouttasotham

So, my scans happened. One of my tumors -the largest one- shrunk. The other four grew. This to say, I didn’t respond to the Ipi/Nivo this time. Now, before you go blubbering on the subway (Dana), know that I consider … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cancer, cancer treatment, clinical trial, glembatumumab, immune system, immunotherapy, ipilimumab, melanoma, melanoma recurrence, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, nivolumab, NYU Langone, stage 4 cancer, stage four melanoma, urelumab, varlilumab | 9 Comments

back in the saddle again

Posted on October 20, 2016 by straightouttasotham

“Angry. Sad. Terrified… The usual suspects. And a few I can’t identify.” That’s how I responded to a text message from my close friend, Aubrie, last Thursday morning. She was texting to see how I was holding up in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cancer, cancer research, cancer treatment, documentary, fuck cancer, immunotherapy, infusions, ipilimumab, Korea, melanoma, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma recurrence, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, mortality, MRI, nivolumab, scans, skin cancer, stage 4 cancer | 20 Comments

the verdict

Posted on July 17, 2016 by straightouttasotham

Part I – Written in my journal Friday morning… 7/15/16 Today is huge. HUGE. I feel like I’m on my way to a courthouse to be sentenced, knowing that I haven’t done anything wrong but afraid that the jury is … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged BRAF, BRAF inhibitors, BRAFV600, cancer, cancer treatment, cobimetinib, cotellic, documentary, documentary film, filmmaking, fuck cancer, immunotherapy, ipilimumab, ipilimumab side effects, ipilimumab success, living with cancer, malignant melanoma, MEK inhibitors, melanoma, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma recurrence, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, nivolumab, NYU, NYU Langone, PET scan, photosensitivity, side effects, skin cancer, stage 4 melanoma, stage four cancer, stage four melanoma, targeted therapy, treatment, tumors, vemurafenib, vemurafenib side effects, writing, zelboraf | 15 Comments

cyclone mel

Posted on April 27, 2016 by straightouttasotham

I’m just gonna cut to the chase and acknowledge that I spoke too soon. I don’t know who the radiologist at the local hospital is (actually I do, because I have a copy of her CT scan report) or what … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged BRAF, BRAF inhibitors, BRAFV600, cancer, cancer treatment, dabrafenib, documentary, documentary film, living with cancer, malignant melanoma, MEK inhibitors, melanoma, melanoma prognosis, melanoma recurrence, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, side effects, targeted therapy, trametinib | 7 Comments

hell and back (with a side trip to the nail salon)

Posted on April 22, 2016 by straightouttasotham

time is so funny. i was reading back my last blog post, just to see where i left off. it was seventeen days ago, yet it might well have been seventeen weeks ago – so much shit has gone down … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged BRAF, BRAFV600, cancer, cancer treatment, dabrafenib, malignant melanoma, melanoma, melanoma treatment, metastatic, ned, NYU, NYU Langone, side effects, targeted therapy, trametinib | 11 Comments