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Best treatment hospitals
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Best treatment hospitals

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  • Post
    • June 1, 2019 at 9:44 pm
    Ksmitchell64
    Participant
      I’m new to this site and trying to find information for my bed friend. She has metastatic melanoma with lesion on lung and spine. I’m heartbroken and grasping for any help. She was on I think it was immunotherapy infusions for a year with no trouble and then these 2 lesions appeared on her yearly PET. She tried Cotellic and Zelboraf but after 2 weeks had severe reaction and hospitalized for 6 days. After recovering the tried her back on just Zelboraf but after one pill she was sick again.
      Are there hospitals that specialize in metastatic melanoma that may have other options for treatment?
      Feeling desperate
    Viewing 1 reply thread
    • Replies
        • June 2, 2019 at 12:46 am
        Julie in SoCal
        Participant
          Hi there Ksmitchell64,

          Your friend has a good friend in you!

          I’m not sure there are special hospitals, per say, but I know there are melanoma specialists. These are oncologists who generally just treat melanoma and so they can keep up with the new treatments and because they’ve seen a lot of it, have a better understanding of how treatments work. Is your friend’s oncologist a mel specialist?

          I think there’s a link above on the MRF page about melanoma specialists according to area, but the easiest way to find out is to create a new topic and in the headline put “looking for mel specialist in ___your location_”. Then in the message put where you’re located.

          There are people all over on this board so I’m sure someone will chime in.

          You’re a good friend.

          Shalom!
          Julie

            • June 2, 2019 at 12:53 am
            Ksmitchell64
            Participant
              Thank you. Her oncologist treats many types of cancers. I will post as you suggested. Thank you
            • June 2, 2019 at 3:29 am
            Bubbles
            Participant
              Just responded to your post above, but without this info….wasn’t sure what you and your friend were needing. Your friend may need to look at clinical trials at this point. You should talk to their onc and see if that is what they are thinking. At any rate – both emory and vandy and sarah cannon offer those. Using this link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ You can enter: Stage IV melanoma, recruiting and you will find all ongoing trials. Each trial includes inclusion and exclusion criteria. At the bottom of each trial description there is a list of all locations that are running the trial. If you think your friend might fit a particular trial and the location seems feasible – give the coordinator a call. It can’t hurt and it might help. I live in Chattanooga and traveled to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fl for my care for many years. Hope this helps. Continue to ask questions as you need. Yours, celeste
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