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Sponsored Content: Facing Advanced Kidney Cancer: One Man’s Story of Hope
Sponsored Content


FACING ADVANCED KIDNEY CANCER: ONE MAN’S STORY OF HOPE

By Bristol Myers SquibbFebruary 10, 2023

Terry Broussard* never thought his nagging hip pain would lead to a cancer
diagnosis at age 53. Being athletic all his life, he wasn’t usually alarmed by
aches and pains. Until one day, while attending a college football game, Terry
struggled to focus and couldn’t ignore the pain anymore. Multiple visits to
doctors who conducted different tests revealed a surprising diagnosis – stage 4
cancer.




Further testing, which included a biopsy, revealed that Terry had stage 4 renal
cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common type of kidney cancer. In some cases, such
as Terry’s, people are not diagnosed with RCC until the cancer reaches advanced
stages. As the disease advances, it can become more difficult to treat. While
common signs of RCC can include blood in urine, lower back pain on one side, a
mass on the side or lower back, loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss,
some patients – like Terry – may experience limited symptoms. 




Setting a Path Forward: Understanding Treatment Options 


Terry and his wife Tracy

As a father and husband, Terry has always found purpose in his life, whether
that be his faith, family or career. His passions have helped him navigate life
and find hope through the struggles of his cancer diagnosis. 




Terry always dreamed of watching his children graduate high school, so finding a
treatment that was right for him was critical. “After my diagnosis, my wife and
I prayed about our future and pursuing every avenue with the goal of more time
in mind,” Terry said. “My wife was by my side through it all, and it was
incredibly helpful to rely on her to listen and ask questions at doctor’s
appointments when I was feeling overwhelmed.” 




Terry and his wife found a doctor who helped them better understand treatment
options, ultimately identifying a path forward to help address his cancer. “I
was all in for what the doctor recommended,” said Terry.




Terry’s doctor recommended treatment with Opdivo® (nivolumab) + Yervoy®
(ipilimumab), the first and only combination of two immunotherapies of its kind
in advanced kidney cancer (RCC). The combination of Opdivo + Yervoy is approved
by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat advanced RCC in certain
adults when their cancer has spread. It is not known if Opdivo is safe and
effective in children younger than 18 years of age. Opdivo (10 mg/mL) and
Yervoy (5 mg/mL) are injections for intravenous use.




Opdivo and Yervoy can cause problems that can sometimes become serious or
life-threatening and can lead to death. Serious side effects may include lung
problems; intestinal problems; liver problems; hormone gland problems; kidney
problems; skin problems; eye problems; problems in other organs and tissues;
severe infusion reactions; and complications of stem cell transplant, including
graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). Call
or see your healthcare provider right away for any new or worsening signs or
symptoms. Please see additional Important Safety Information below.




A Chance to Live Longer with Advanced RCC  




The FDA approval of Opdivo + Yervoy in advanced RCC was based on results from
the CheckMate -214 clinical trial, which included 847 previously untreated
patients with kidney cancer that had spread and with one or more risk factors.
Of those patients, 425 received treatment with the immunotherapy combination of
Opdivo + Yervoy while 422 patients received Sutent (sunitinib). The clinical
trial looked at results such as reduction in risk of dying, tumor shrinkage and
length of time without tumors worsening. Following is a summary of some of these
key findings, including follow-up data at five years.



Researchers assessed the overall response rate, which is a measure of the
percentage of patients whose cancer shrunk (partial response) or disappeared
completely (complete response) after treatment.  






*The disappearance of any measurable tumors in response to treatment does not
necessarily mean the cancer has been cured.

 

In the primary analysis at two years (25.2 months), the length of time patients
lived without tumors worsening was 11.6 months for Opdivo + Yervoy and 8.4
months for sunitinib. There was no meaningful difference between the two
treatments. 




The most common side effects of Opdivo, when used in combination with Yervoy,
include: feeling tired; diarrhea; rash; itching; nausea; pain in muscles, bones,
and joints; fever; cough; decreased appetite; vomiting; stomach-area (abdominal)
pain; shortness of breath; upper respiratory tract infection; headache; low
thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism); constipation; decreased weight; and
dizziness.  




Looking Ahead




After undergoing treatment, Terry’s tumors started to shrink and in some cases
disappeared completely. Through this experience, he has realized what is
important in life – his family and his faith. “I was able to see my youngest
child graduate high school, which was huge,” said Terry.




As part of his ongoing care, Terry continues to have follow-up CT scans to
monitor his disease as advised by his physician. Terry’s results may not be
typical. Opdivo + Yervoy may not work for everyone. 




Terry found support in his four children.“Not only am I grateful for the
response I’ve had from treatment, but also for the people I’ve had in my corner
throughout this experience,” said Terry. “From my wife who never left my side
during treatment, to my children and the incredible nurses and doctor who have
cared for me along the way, I’ve been fortunate to have such a strong support
system.” 




Reflecting on his experience, Terry says, “Even when the odds are against me, I
look for ways to hold on to hope in the face of challenges. If sharing my
experience can bring hope to just one person, then I’ve succeeded.” 




To learn more about Opdivo + Yervoy, visit Opdivo.com.




*Terry Broussard is an actual patient who has been compensated by Bristol Myers
Squibb for his time.




INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION




OPDIVO® (nivolumab) is a prescription medicine used in combination with YERVOY®
(ipilimumab) to treat adults with kidney cancer in certain people when your
cancer has spread (advanced renal cell carcinoma) and you have not already had
treatment for your advanced RCC.




It is not known if OPDIVO is safe and effective in children younger than 18
years of age. 




Information provided in this article is not a substitute for talking with your
healthcare professional. Your healthcare professional is the best source of
information about your disease.


Important Safety Information for OPDIVO® (nivolumab) + YERVOY® (ipilimumab)


What is the most important information I should know about OPDIVO + YERVOY?




OPDIVO and YERVOY are medicines that may treat certain cancers by working with
your immune system. OPDIVO and YERVOY 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. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after
your treatment has ended. You may have more than one of these problems at the
same time. Some of these problems may happen more often when OPDIVO is used in
combination with another therapy.


What are the serious side effects of OPDIVO + YERVOY?

Call or see your healthcare provider right away if you develop any new or worse
signs or symptoms, including:

 * Lung problems: new or worsening cough; shortness of breath; 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;
   severe stomach-area (abdominal) 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); 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 heart beat; 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; 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 in your ankles; loss of appetite
 * Skin problems: rash; itching; skin blistering or peeling; painful sores or
   ulcers in the mouth or nose, throat, or genital area 
 * Eye problems: blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems; eye
   pain or redness. 

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 OPDIVO and
YERVOY. Call or see your healthcare provider right away for any new or worsening
signs or symptoms, which may include:

 * Chest pain; irregular heart beat; shortness of breath; swelling of ankles
 * Confusion; sleepiness; memory problems; changes in mood or behavior; stiff
   neck; balance problems; tingling or numbness 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
 * Low red blood cells; bruising

Getting medical help right away may help keep these problems from becoming more
serious. Your healthcare team will check you for these problems during treatment
and may treat you with corticosteroid or hormone replacement medicines. Your
healthcare team may also need to delay or completely stop your treatment if you
have severe side effects.




Possible side effects of OPDIVO + YERVOY 
OPDIVO and OPDIVO + YERVOY can cause serious side effects, including:

 * See “What is the most important information I should know about OPDIVO +
   YERVOY?” 
 * Severe infusion reactions. Tell your healthcare team right away if you get
   these symptoms during an infusion of OPDIVO or YERVOY: chills or shaking;
   itching or rash; flushing; shortness of breath or wheezing; dizziness; feel
   like passing out; fever; back or neck pain
 * Complications, including graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), of bone marrow
   (stem cell) transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic). These
   complications can be severe and can lead to death. These complications may
   happen if you underwent transplantation either before or after being treated
   with OPDIVO or YERVOY. Your healthcare provider will monitor you for these
   complications.

The most common side effects of OPDIVO, when used in combination with YERVOY,
include: feeling tired; diarrhea; rash; itching; nausea; pain in muscles, bones,
and joints; fever; cough; decreased appetite; vomiting; stomach-area (abdominal)
pain; shortness of breath; upper respiratory tract infection; headache; low
thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism); constipation; decreased weight; and
dizziness. 

These are not all the possible side effects. For more information, ask your
healthcare provider or pharmacist. You are encouraged to report side effects of
prescription drugs to the FDA. Call 1-800-FDA-1088. 

Before receiving OPDIVO or YERVOY, tell your healthcare provider about all of
your medical conditions, including if you:

 * have immune system problems such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or
   lupus
 * have received an organ transplant
 * have received or plan to receive a stem cell transplant that uses donor stem
   cells (allogeneic)
 * have received radiation treatment to your chest area in the past and have
   received other medicines that are like OPDIVO
 * have a condition that affects your nervous system, such as myasthenia gravis
   or Guillain-Barré syndrome
 * are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. OPDIVO and YERVOY can harm your
   unborn baby
 * are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if OPDIVO or YERVOY
   passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with OPDIVO
   or YERVOY and for 5 months after the last dose of OPDIVO or YERVOY. 

Females who are able to become pregnant:
Your healthcare provider should do a pregnancy test before you start receiving
OPDIVO or YERVOY.

 * You should use an effective method of birth control during your treatment and
   for at least 5 months after the last dose of OPDIVO or YERVOY. Talk to your
   healthcare provider about birth control methods that you can use during this
   time.
 * Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you
   may be pregnant during treatment with OPDIVO or YERVOY. You or your
   healthcare provider should contact Bristol-Myers Squibb at 1-844-593-7869 as
   soon as you become aware of a pregnancy.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including
prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide
for OPDIVO and YERVOY.

© 2023 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. All Rights Reserved. 




OPDIVO® and YERVOY® are registered trademarks of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. 




7356-US-2200720 2/23

   

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