Which treatment option do I choose ?
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Which treatment option do I choose ?

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Which treatment option do I choose ?

  • Post
    • January 1, 2018 at 8:47 pm
    mel man sd
    Participant

      I was diagnosed with Melanoma Aug. 28, 2017.  I had four moles, 2 malignant melanoma, and 2 melanoma in situ.  The deepest lesion was on my chest, .80, and was removed with two lymph nodes.  All margins were clean and the lymph nodes were negative.  I have had three additional surgeries for two basil cells with atyp cell activity and one squamas carcenoma for a total of 7 surgeries.

      Oncologist A sugested a round of Opdivo, one treatment every two weeks for one year.

      Oncologist B sugested observation approach with office visits every ninety days and two PET scans per year with lab work at each office visit.

      I am considered a stage 2A by onc. A and a 1B by onc. B.

      Any input would be appreciated.

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    • Replies
        • January 1, 2018 at 9:09 pm
        doragsda
        Participant

          My wife had a primary removed from her left calf in November 2016.   It was thicker than yours, but still had clear margins and sentinel lymph nodes were removed and were clear.  A PET at the time was clear.  Essentially everything was clear.  She was put on 6 month scans.    Fast forward to just before her first follow up scan this year, and I took her to the ER with dizzyness and vomiting.   Two brain mets.  She has had craniotomy, gamma knife, Opdivo/Yervoy and is not on Opdivo alone.

          If it were me,   I would do the Opdivo in your situation, given our experience here.  Melanoma is aggressive and pernicious;   I would want to stay out in front of it.

          She has had very minor side effects on immunotherapy – a little fatigue and a dry mouth and that's it.

           

            • January 1, 2018 at 9:11 pm
            doragsda
            Participant

              She is NOW on Opdivo alone, not "not" on Opdivo.   Typo and I can't find an edit button.

              • January 2, 2018 at 2:52 am
              mel man sd
              Participant

                Thank you for the information. It sounds very familiar to this point. I hope your wife beats this awful cancer. I had molecular analisys on my chest lesion and it rated me at a 30% + chance or a disease reoccurance. Oncologist B is a glass half full guy and said I had a 70% chance it will never come back. I hope to make the correct decision (for me) after my last biopsy is completed. Thanks again.

              • January 1, 2018 at 9:13 pm
              ed williams
              Participant

                Kind of curious, how did the Oncologist think you could get access to Nivo at stage 2a?

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