Starting immunotherapy can bring a lot of questions.
What exactly is immunotherapy? What side effects should you look out for? How might treatment affect your family, work or everyday life? And what does all the medical jargon actually mean?
Currently, immunotherapy is the most common standard treatment for melanoma, but it has only been available as a standard of care treatment for about 10 years. Therefore, it is still considered a relatively new treatment and doctors are still discovering new things about it as they gain experience with giving it to lots of different cancer patients.
You can learn more about immunotherapy HERE.
Hosted and co-founded by Melanoma Focus Ambassadors Professor Ricky Frazer, MB BCh (Hons), MSc (Med Educ), PgCert (Onc), PgCert (Clin Lead), PgCert (Acute Med), MAcadMEd, MRCP, AFFMLM, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Velindre Cancer Centre, and Professor Anna Olsson-Brown, Consultant in Medical Oncology and Immunotherapy Service Lead, the podcast brings together expert medical knowledge with real questions and concerns of someone living with melanoma.
The six-part series features Imogen Llewellyn, who is living with stage 4 melanoma, asking Professor Ricky and Anna the questions that patients may have about immunotherapy.
The questions discussed in the podcast were gathered from patients and clinical teams, helping to make sure the conversations focus on the things that matter most to those living with melanoma.
Across six episodes, Professor Ricky and Anna, along with Imogen will explore some of the most common questions about immunotherapy, including:
Whether you are about to start immunotherapy, are currently having treatment, have finished treatment or simply want to understand more, immunobuddies is here to help you feel more informed and prepared.
Questions 1 – 5
What is immunotherapy? How does it work? And what do you need to know before starting treatment?
Join Imogen, Professor Ricky and Anna as they go back to basics and explain the fundamentals of immunotherapy in straightforward, patient-friendly language.
Questions 6 – 14
Immunotherapy can cause side effects, and knowing what to look out for is important.
This episode explores possible side effects, what they can feel like and who you can speak to if you are worried about something during treatment.
Questions 15 – 18
Immunotherapy doesn’t just affect your treatment schedule. It can also affect your everyday life.
Imogen asks Professor Ricky and Anna about balancing treatment with family, friends and work, and how immunotherapy may fit into the things that matters most.
Questions 19 – 24
Your questions don’t stop when treatment starts or when it finishes.
The episode explores questions about the treatment journey, potential side effects, what happens during and after immunotherapy, and the care and support you may need along the way.
Questions 25 – 34
A melanoma diagnosis and its treatment can have an impact beyond the person receiving treatment.
Imogen asks Professor Ricky and Anna about the wider impact of immunotherapy, including about family life, everyday activities, diet and exercise.
Questions 35 – 44
Adjuvant? Combination treatment? Treatment response?
Medical language can sometimes feel like another language entirely.
In the final episode, Professor Ricky and Anna help demystify some of the terminology you may hear during your melanoma treatment, so you can feel more confident understanding conversations with your healthcare team.
