A Surprising Liver Cancer Diagnosis: Kelly’s Story
Kelly and her family faced her surprising uHCC diagnosis together. (Photo courtesy of Kelly)
Kelly was visiting her son in Florida, across the country from her California home, when she experienced some initial abdominal pain. She excused herself from the restaurant they were dining in, but back at the hotel, the pain became debilitating. She then began to feel lightheaded – so much so that she didn’t think she’d even make it to the elevator on her own. She called her son for help.
Kelly’s son took her to the hospital, where a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed that the abdominal pain was coming from a bleeding tumor. It was at that moment that Kelly and her family first learned she was facing a liver cancer diagnosis. Her first thought was,
“I can’t die now. My family needs me.”
She was quickly taken away to get an embolization, where physicians were able to stop the bleeding.
Life Was Changing Fast
Before the large tumor on Kelly’s liver began hemorrhaging, she had no symptoms. Signs of liver cancer often don’t show up until later stages of the disease.1 Some of the most common symptoms include weight loss without trying, loss of appetite, feeling very full after a small meal and nausea or vomiting, fullness under the ribs on either side of the body, belly pain or swelling, or even pain in the right shoulder blade.1
Kelly was diagnosed with Stage III unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer, and unresectable means surgically removing the tumor isn’t an option due to its size, location, or because of other health issues that indicate surgery is not possible.2, 3
Liver cancer is becoming more common in the US.4 Approximately 75% of all primary liver cancers in adults are HCC, and advanced-stage HCC prognosis is generally poor.5 Risk factors include viral Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), diabetes, heavy alcohol use, and tobacco use.6 However, since Kelly had felt well until that night in Florida, finding out she had liver cancer came as a major shock.
Following her uHCC diagnosis, Kelly and her husband and childhood sweetheart, Andrew, leaned on each other, their family, and their close-knit community, where they’ve lived most of their lives.
Working Together to Find Options
Kelly always loved science and has previously worked in hospitals and labs. Her husband continues to work in the medical field, so the whole family quickly pitched in to learn more about uHCC, including the recent studies and potential care options.
They discussed treatment options with Kelly’s doctor, who told them about the HIMALAYA Regimen: a combination treatment of two immunotherapies, IMFINZI® (durvalumab) and IMJUDO® (tremelimumab-actl). Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to help fight the disease, and is an option for certain patients living with a uHCC diagnosis.7
Her care team decided to move forward with the HIMALAYA Regimen of one dose of IMFINZI and IMJUDO on Day 1, followed by IMFINZI alone every four weeks, administered intravenously.8,9 Kelly felt lucky to find a care team that she
“can’t say enough good things about”
at a place where she felt heard and supported.
Important information regarding IMFINZI and IMJUDO
IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with uHCC, a type of liver cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.8, 9
IMFINZI and IMJUDO can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in your body and affect how they work.8, 9 Side effects can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death.8, 9 These problems can occur at the same time and at any time during or after treatment. 8, 9 See your doctor right away if you experience cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, diarrhea or other stool changes, severe stomach pain or tenderness, severe nausea or vomiting, weight changes, increased hunger or thirst, constipation, dizziness or fainting, headaches, changes in urine, eye problems, irregular or rapid heartbeat, muscle pain or weakness, fever, rash, skin blistering, chills, itching or flushing, as this may keep these problems from becoming more serious. 8, 9
These are not all the side effects associated with IMFINZI and IMJUDO. Please see Important Safety Information below for more information and full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide, for IMFINZI and IMJUDO. Individual results may vary. Always talk to your healthcare provider about any questions.
The HIMALAYA clinical trial compared two groups of people with uHCC whose cancer wasn’t previously treated.8-10 The main goal of the study was to measure overall survival, which is the amount of time patients were living after the start of treatment.8-10 In the study, people with uHCC who received IMFINZI in combination with IMJUDO lived a median of 16 months compared to 14 months for those people who received sorafenib, another uHCC treatment option.8-10
Kelly has responded to treatment and has experienced side effects, including diarrhea and some joint pain. She has continued with treatment as directed by her doctor. This is Kelly’s personal experience, and everyone is different.
Kelly’s Life Today
As Kelly continues on her treatment journey, she’s been enjoying spending time outdoors with her yellow lab and remains connected to her community. She also wants to help others who’ve been impacted by uHCC.
“Everyone’s journey is unique, but I want to share what I’ve learned,” she said. “With this type of diagnosis, it’s important to be your own best advocate. Do the research to understand your options and discuss all the possibilities with your doctor.”
Kelly is a patient advocate for AstraZeneca and has been compensated for her time.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATIONWhat is the most important information I should know about IMFINZI® (durvalumab) and IMJUDO® (tremelimumab-actl)? IMFINZI and IMJUDO are medicines that may treat certain cancers by working with your immune system. IMFINZI and IMJUDO can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one of these problems at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended. Call or see your healthcare provider right away if you develop any new or worsening signs or symptoms, including: Lung problems: cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain Intestinal problems: diarrhea (loose stools) or more frequent bowel movements than usual; stools that are black, tarry, sticky, or have blood or mucus; and severe stomach-area (abdomen) pain or tenderness Liver problems: yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, severe nausea or vomiting, pain on the right side of your stomach area (abdomen), dark urine (tea colored), and bleeding or bruising more easily than normal Hormone gland problems: headaches that will not go away or unusual headaches; eye sensitivity to light; eye problems; rapid heartbeat; increased sweating; extreme tiredness; weight gain or weight loss; feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual; urinating more often than usual; hair loss; feeling cold; constipation; your voice gets deeper; dizziness or fainting; and changes in mood or behavior, such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness Kidney problems: decrease in your amount of urine, blood in your urine, swelling of your ankles, and loss of appetite Skin problems: rash; itching; skin blistering or peeling; painful sores or ulcers in mouth or nose, throat, or genital area; fever or flu-like symptoms; and swollen lymph nodes Pancreas problems: pain in your upper stomach area (abdomen), severe nausea or vomiting, and loss of appetite Problems can also happen in other organs and tissues. These are not all of the signs and symptoms of immune system problems that can happen with IMFINZI and IMJUDO. Call or see your healthcare provider right away for any new or worsening signs or symptoms, which may include: Chest pain, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath or swelling of ankles; confusion, sleepiness, memory problems, changes in mood or behavior, stiff neck, balance problems; tingling, numbness or weakness of the arms or legs; double vision, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, eye pain, changes in eye sight; persistent or severe muscle pain or weakness, muscle cramps, joint pain, joint stiffness or swelling; and low red blood cells and bruising Infusion reactions that can sometimes be severe or life-threatening. Signs and symptoms of infusion reactions may include: chills or shaking, itching or rash, flushing, shortness of breath or wheezing, dizziness, feel like passing out, fever, and back or neck pain Rejection of a transplanted organ or tissue. Your healthcare provider should tell you what signs and symptoms you should report and monitor you depending on the type of organ or tissue transplant that you have had Complications, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in people who have received a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). These complications can be serious and can lead to death. These complications may happen if you underwent transplantation either before or after being treated with IMFINZI. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for these complications Getting medical treatment right away may help keep these problems from becoming more serious. Your healthcare provider will check you for these problems during your treatment with IMFINZI and IMJUDO. Your healthcare provider may treat you with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. Your healthcare provider may also need to delay or completely stop treatment with IMFINZI and IMJUDO if you have severe side effects Before you receive IMFINZI and IMJUDO, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. What are the possible side effects of IMFINZI and IMJUDO? IMFINZI and IMJUDO can cause serious side effects (see above). The most common side effects of IMFINZI and IMJUDO in adults with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) include rash, diarrhea, feeling tired, itchiness, muscle or bone pain, and stomach (abdominal) pain. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of IMFINZI and IMJUDO. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products (Opens new window). If you prefer to report these to the FDA, either visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. What are IMFINZI and IMJUDO? IMFINZI is a prescription medicine used in combination with IMJUDO to treat adults with a type of liver cancer that cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma or uHCC). It is not known if IMFINZI and IMJUDO are safe and effective in children. Please see Full Important Safety Information including Medication Guide for IMFINZI and IMJUDO. |