Blood test

So, if you are not on a treatment, what do you expect the blood work to show you?  There are no real blood tests that are specific for melanoma.  If you are doing treatment, then there are obvious things to look for.  But just normal visits – you can check for LDH elevation but that isn't a reliable test for melanoma all by itself.  It mainly indicates organ damage most specifically liver but I know some who had extensive liver mets and this value was totally normal.  I think for general followup, blood work may or may not be standard depending on the doc/institution you visit.  But as there are really no telling blood tests that would indicate if you have mets, some docs don't go there.  I don't necessarily think that is a "lack" of care for a normal followup visit while not on treatment.  Now if there were an extremely reliable blood test that indicated mets if you had them, that would be a different story.

So, if you are not on a treatment, what do you expect the blood work to show you?  There are no real blood tests that are specific for melanoma.  If you are doing treatment, then there are obvious things to look for.  But just normal visits – you can check for LDH elevation but that isn't a reliable test for melanoma all by itself.  It mainly indicates organ damage most specifically liver but I know some who had extensive liver mets and this value was totally normal.  I think for general followup, blood work may or may not be standard depending on the doc/institution you visit.  But as there are really no telling blood tests that would indicate if you have mets, some docs don't go there.  I don't necessarily think that is a "lack" of care for a normal followup visit while not on treatment.  Now if there were an extremely reliable blood test that indicated mets if you had them, that would be a different story.

Blood work and scans.  Two different protocols that have no universal standard.  Scans haven't been shown to change survival stats and blood work is imprecise in regards to melanoma.  Some institutions ALWAYS do both and other places nothing.  Didn't mean to sound harsh, only meant to explain that there is no real standard protocol.  I think some places do one or both both to make the patient feel better more so than anything else but what do I know.   I don't actually have anything against either when it makes sense and if there is a real need to monitor.  But blood work, especially when NED with no other issues seems more pointless because it lacks any real test for melanoma.  (However, it is cheap and has no radiation like scans).  Hopefully, that will change in the future and they will find some marker more telling!

Cheers!!!

BTW, the website linked to my signature hasn't been updated in ages. Still some good info there but not current.

Blood work and scans.  Two different protocols that have no universal standard.  Scans haven't been shown to change survival stats and blood work is imprecise in regards to melanoma.  Some institutions ALWAYS do both and other places nothing.  Didn't mean to sound harsh, only meant to explain that there is no real standard protocol.  I think some places do one or both both to make the patient feel better more so than anything else but what do I know.   I don't actually have anything against either when it makes sense and if there is a real need to monitor.  But blood work, especially when NED with no other issues seems more pointless because it lacks any real test for melanoma.  (However, it is cheap and has no radiation like scans).  Hopefully, that will change in the future and they will find some marker more telling!

Cheers!!!

BTW, the website linked to my signature hasn't been updated in ages. Still some good info there but not current.

Blood work and scans.  Two different protocols that have no universal standard.  Scans haven't been shown to change survival stats and blood work is imprecise in regards to melanoma.  Some institutions ALWAYS do both and other places nothing.  Didn't mean to sound harsh, only meant to explain that there is no real standard protocol.  I think some places do one or both both to make the patient feel better more so than anything else but what do I know.   I don't actually have anything against either when it makes sense and if there is a real need to monitor.  But blood work, especially when NED with no other issues seems more pointless because it lacks any real test for melanoma.  (However, it is cheap and has no radiation like scans).  Hopefully, that will change in the future and they will find some marker more telling!

Cheers!!!

BTW, the website linked to my signature hasn't been updated in ages. Still some good info there but not current.

In my case, blood tests in conjunction with 3 month CT scan led to a dx of anemia.  Further tests (endoscopy, colonoscopy, swallowing the tiny camera and finally a PET scan) led to discsovery of a met in my small intestine which was not picked up on CT.  Met was surgically removed and I've been NED the six years since.

In my case, blood tests in conjunction with 3 month CT scan led to a dx of anemia.  Further tests (endoscopy, colonoscopy, swallowing the tiny camera and finally a PET scan) led to discsovery of a met in my small intestine which was not picked up on CT.  Met was surgically removed and I've been NED the six years since.

Now THAT I didn't need to hear, lol.  I was hospitalized last month for critical anemia (hemoglobin 4.1) and they haven't found a cause. Mine was something that came on very slowly but my scopes and CT were negative (as well as every other blood, stool, and urine test).  Now they want another endo looking for an auto-immune possibility and maybe the camera pill but I'm still hoping t isn't related to my stage 1 melanomas.  Transfusions and supplementation have me back to normal.  Question, were your stool tests positive?

Now THAT I didn't need to hear, lol.  I was hospitalized last month for critical anemia (hemoglobin 4.1) and they haven't found a cause. Mine was something that came on very slowly but my scopes and CT were negative (as well as every other blood, stool, and urine test).  Now they want another endo looking for an auto-immune possibility and maybe the camera pill but I'm still hoping t isn't related to my stage 1 melanomas.  Transfusions and supplementation have me back to normal.  Question, were your stool tests positive?

Now THAT I didn't need to hear, lol.  I was hospitalized last month for critical anemia (hemoglobin 4.1) and they haven't found a cause. Mine was something that came on very slowly but my scopes and CT were negative (as well as every other blood, stool, and urine test).  Now they want another endo looking for an auto-immune possibility and maybe the camera pill but I'm still hoping t isn't related to my stage 1 melanomas.  Transfusions and supplementation have me back to normal.  Question, were your stool tests positive?

In my case, blood tests in conjunction with 3 month CT scan led to a dx of anemia.  Further tests (endoscopy, colonoscopy, swallowing the tiny camera and finally a PET scan) led to discsovery of a met in my small intestine which was not picked up on CT.  Met was surgically removed and I've been NED the six years since.

So, if you are not on a treatment, what do you expect the blood work to show you?  There are no real blood tests that are specific for melanoma.  If you are doing treatment, then there are obvious things to look for.  But just normal visits – you can check for LDH elevation but that isn't a reliable test for melanoma all by itself.  It mainly indicates organ damage most specifically liver but I know some who had extensive liver mets and this value was totally normal.  I think for general followup, blood work may or may not be standard depending on the doc/institution you visit.  But as there are really no telling blood tests that would indicate if you have mets, some docs don't go there.  I don't necessarily think that is a "lack" of care for a normal followup visit while not on treatment.  Now if there were an extremely reliable blood test that indicated mets if you had them, that would be a different story.

Hi all- Just thought I'd add one more thing……. I dont think PET scans are "routine" here in the states either…I see here many do get them, but I have not had a PET since my initial melanoma was found, (sept. 2013)  . 

A pet/ct scan was done then to confirm no spread…. it was then confimed to be 1B……when I had 1st recurrence they started doing CT scans…..was told would I have them every 6 months….and Brain MRI 1 x annally….have since had 2nd recurrence, so a few more scans, but still no further PET….if Cts showed something believe they would then do a PET. The amount of radiation is much higher with a Pet…

I will now be on a scan schedule of about every 4-6 months…..

Regarding bloodwork, yes they do it every time i see the doc, which had been once every 3 months, and now that I am about to start Leukine, that will once a month, with labs each time.

best,

jenny

Hi all- Just thought I'd add one more thing……. I dont think PET scans are "routine" here in the states either…I see here many do get them, but I have not had a PET since my initial melanoma was found, (sept. 2013)  . 

A pet/ct scan was done then to confirm no spread…. it was then confimed to be 1B……when I had 1st recurrence they started doing CT scans…..was told would I have them every 6 months….and Brain MRI 1 x annally….have since had 2nd recurrence, so a few more scans, but still no further PET….if Cts showed something believe they would then do a PET. The amount of radiation is much higher with a Pet…

I will now be on a scan schedule of about every 4-6 months…..

Regarding bloodwork, yes they do it every time i see the doc, which had been once every 3 months, and now that I am about to start Leukine, that will once a month, with labs each time.

best,

jenny

Hi all- Just thought I'd add one more thing……. I dont think PET scans are "routine" here in the states either…I see here many do get them, but I have not had a PET since my initial melanoma was found, (sept. 2013)  . 

A pet/ct scan was done then to confirm no spread…. it was then confimed to be 1B……when I had 1st recurrence they started doing CT scans…..was told would I have them every 6 months….and Brain MRI 1 x annally….have since had 2nd recurrence, so a few more scans, but still no further PET….if Cts showed something believe they would then do a PET. The amount of radiation is much higher with a Pet…

I will now be on a scan schedule of about every 4-6 months…..

Regarding bloodwork, yes they do it every time i see the doc, which had been once every 3 months, and now that I am about to start Leukine, that will once a month, with labs each time.

best,

jenny