At a Sunday school class in Plains, Ga., this weekend, former president Jimmy Carter made the announcement that he no longer needs treatment for the brain cancer that was found in August 2015. Carter had already been receiving treatment for skin cancer, which had spread to his liver and then his brain. Surgery removed the cancer from his liver and intense radiation treatment began on his brain.
The prognosis was not good. According to Dr. Edward Halperin of New York Medical College, the usual life expectancy for someone Carter’s age with that type of metastatic melanoma is usually 2 to 6 months. Although Carter was in good physical shape he was well beyond the age of 65, the age at which the outlook for long-term survival is poor.
Carter received two different treatments, both of which are relatively new: steriotactic radiation intended to attack the brain tumors, and the medication Keytruda which boosts the immune system to attack the cancer. Keytruda only became available in 2014, so it was uncertain whether it would be effective. Halperin said it was most likely palliative care, rather than an attempt at a cure.
However, in December, Carter announced to his Sunday school class that a recent brain scan detected no sign of cancer. He continued receiving Keytruda until now.
Medical experts say Keytruda is “game-changing” for melanoma patients. However, Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society says doctors are still learning about how best to use it. It is still uncertain how long the drug should be used for a patient’s treatment. Tim Turnham, executive director of the Melanoma Research Foundation, said the decision to stop treatment might have been a factor in the decision to stop treatment.