Paul Nash, Stage IV

Date Diagnosed: 04/05/2013

I am the spouse of Paul Nash. He was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma in April 2013. They did not believe Paul would see 30 days let alone 3 months and told me to go home and to make sure I had durable power of attorney and finances in order.

Well, here we are October 27, 2017.  My husband is healthy, fit, had both knees replaced this last year, and we are enjoying life to the fullest. He was fortunate. We live less than 30 minutes from Smiloh at Yale Medical Hospital in CT. He was given Yervoy to start, which shrank his tumors very fast. He spent 10 months on Yervoy, then the tumors started growing again, so they gave him the improved two drugs over Yervoy. He spent 4 months and that response ended. Then he was put on Keytruda infusions every 3 weeks. He has been on this now since that time and the tumors remain the same, not shrinking, not growing. No biopsy has been performed to see if they are alive with cancer cells or just scar tissue. His are all considered unresectable. He feels great, blood work all normal, no side effects accept for a bit of fatigue. Everyone with melanoma Stage IV life is good, the new immunotherapy is working miracles for that is what my husband’s doctor at Yale calls him. Keep up your spirits, This horrible disease, I believe, can be conquered thanks to all the new drugs that activate the immune system.