Dealing with Psoriatic Arthritis and Cancer

Posted Thu 25 May 2023 10.37 by Alderney1

I am posting for the first time on the Forum out of desperation! My 87 year old mother has been using Skyrizi biologic injections for 18 months and it has worked well for her so far. Unfortunately she was diagnosed in January this year with endometrial cancer and underwent a hysterectomy in mid April. Because of the operation she was advised to miss her April injection by which time the psoriasis had already started to rear its ugly head (probably due to the stress of the diagnosis). We are now at the end of May and she has been advised that she needs a 5 week course of radiotherapy as the cancer has spread to her lymph nodes. Her Dermatologist at the hospital has suggested that biologics would not be compatible with radiotherapy but has not given a reason for this. Her quality of life has become so poor with psoriasis now taking over every part of her body and the pain from her arthritis becoming unbearable she is seriously considering foregoing the radiotherapy just to ensure she can return to her Skyrizi injections to improve her quality of life (no matter how long this may be). I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has had to deal with cancer treatment alongside severe psoriasis. She has tried many other treatments in the past and the dreaded Methotrexate which made her very poorly so is not an option. We have an appointment with her Dermatologist on Tuesday next week to discuss her options but I fear the injections (which we know worked in the past) will be withdrawn from the table. Thank you in anticipation of any advice/experience shared. Alderney1

Posted Fri 26 May 2023 10.21 by Billy bass

Im very sorry to hear about your mother,i had prostrate cancer and was given radiology treatment 40 in all,i had psorisasis at the time,i had a word with my cancer team because i was on immune sup,which i had to stop taking,but i was given a course of antibiotics and gabapentin before the cancer treatment and it knocked most of the psoriasis and pain in joints to a low level,but as ive posted before everyones illness is different,so talk to the cancer team and dermatologist,even mc,millan nurses docs can give you advice at the hospital thay helped me overide my doctors on medication whilst having cancer treatment,i hope all goes well for your mother and you,but ask for help its out there..p

Posted Fri 26 May 2023 13.47 by Alderney1

Hi there many thanks for your response Billy. It’s reassuring to know that the cancer team can help fight your corner. I will be speaking to dermatology next week so fingers crossed there may be an alternative to biologics to keep the skin from getting worse during radiology. Will post an update next week. Thank you again for your advice. 👍

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