stage III..choice between radiation for local control or vaccine trial

I don’t really like the Dr’S attitude about waiting till you get to stage 4. The whole idea is not to get to stage 4!!! The radiation is not that difficult a treatment. Although I found out I was stage 4 after doing radiation (after a round of treatment w Yervoy) I have not had any recurrence in the right groin ( 2 priors before radiation). I wish I would have done radiation sooner. Just my 2 cents.

Julie in Las Vegas

I don’t really like the Dr’S attitude about waiting till you get to stage 4. The whole idea is not to get to stage 4!!! The radiation is not that difficult a treatment. Although I found out I was stage 4 after doing radiation (after a round of treatment w Yervoy) I have not had any recurrence in the right groin ( 2 priors before radiation). I wish I would have done radiation sooner. Just my 2 cents.

Julie in Las Vegas

I don’t really like the Dr’S attitude about waiting till you get to stage 4. The whole idea is not to get to stage 4!!! The radiation is not that difficult a treatment. Although I found out I was stage 4 after doing radiation (after a round of treatment w Yervoy) I have not had any recurrence in the right groin ( 2 priors before radiation). I wish I would have done radiation sooner. Just my 2 cents.

Julie in Las Vegas

Nell,

I was dx stage IIIB in Sep 2011.  I decided to do the local radiation and then followed that up with interferon.  Like everything else with this disease there are lots of differing opinions on the effectiveness of radiation.  One theory out there is that the radiation may help trigger your own immune system and make it more effective in that area.  I would at the very least speak with a radiologist.  There's a recent study (I think from Australia) that gave a positive opinion on the benefits of radiation.  The radiation was fairly painless. I've had some range of motion issues with my left arm (I had a left axillary disection) which was probably in part caused by the radiation but that is slowly getting better.  I agree with the earlier post though, the goal is to not get to stage IV so anything you can do now is worth a shot IMHO.

Brian

Nell,

I was dx stage IIIB in Sep 2011.  I decided to do the local radiation and then followed that up with interferon.  Like everything else with this disease there are lots of differing opinions on the effectiveness of radiation.  One theory out there is that the radiation may help trigger your own immune system and make it more effective in that area.  I would at the very least speak with a radiologist.  There's a recent study (I think from Australia) that gave a positive opinion on the benefits of radiation.  The radiation was fairly painless. I've had some range of motion issues with my left arm (I had a left axillary disection) which was probably in part caused by the radiation but that is slowly getting better.  I agree with the earlier post though, the goal is to not get to stage IV so anything you can do now is worth a shot IMHO.

Brian

Nell,

I was dx stage IIIB in Sep 2011.  I decided to do the local radiation and then followed that up with interferon.  Like everything else with this disease there are lots of differing opinions on the effectiveness of radiation.  One theory out there is that the radiation may help trigger your own immune system and make it more effective in that area.  I would at the very least speak with a radiologist.  There's a recent study (I think from Australia) that gave a positive opinion on the benefits of radiation.  The radiation was fairly painless. I've had some range of motion issues with my left arm (I had a left axillary disection) which was probably in part caused by the radiation but that is slowly getting better.  I agree with the earlier post though, the goal is to not get to stage IV so anything you can do now is worth a shot IMHO.

Brian

My trial is

Phase I Study of Anti-PD-1 Human Monoclonal Antibody MDX-1106 (BMS-936558) and Vaccine Therapy Comprising gp100:209-217(210M) Peptide, MART-1:26-35(27L) Peptide, gp100:280-288(288V) Peptide, NY-ESO-1 Peptide, and Montanide ISA 51 VG in Patients With Resected Stage IV Melanoma…I am stage 4 and NED 2 years 4 months…here is the criteria for my trial which is basically standard for many trials

Prior/Concurrent Therapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, anti-PDL-2, or anti-CTLA-4 antibody (or any other antibody targeting T-cell costimulation pathways)
• At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosourea treatment
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy or immunotherapy (tumor vaccine, cytokine, or growth factor given to control the cancer) and all adverse events have either returned to baseline or stabilized
• At least 4 weeks since prior systemic radiotherapy
  • At least 2 weeks since prior focal radiotherapy
  • At least 8 weeks since prior radiopharmaceuticals (strontium, samarium)
• At least 4 weeks since prior surgery that required general anesthesia (72 hours for surgery requiring local/epidural anesthesia) and recovered
• At least 2 weeks since prior immunosuppressive doses of systemic medications, such as steroids or absorbed topical steroids (doses > 10 mg/day prednisone or equivalent)
• No concurrent participation in another clinical study involving treatment with medications, radiotherapy or surgery, or prior participation in this study
• No concurrent use of any of the following:
  • Other anticancer agents
  • Immunosuppressive agents
  • Immunosuppressive doses of systemic steroids or topical steroids whose absorption is expected to result systemically immunosuppressive steroid levels
  • Other investigational drugs
  • Non-oncologic vaccines (during and for ≥ 4 weeks after study treatment)

My trial is

Phase I Study of Anti-PD-1 Human Monoclonal Antibody MDX-1106 (BMS-936558) and Vaccine Therapy Comprising gp100:209-217(210M) Peptide, MART-1:26-35(27L) Peptide, gp100:280-288(288V) Peptide, NY-ESO-1 Peptide, and Montanide ISA 51 VG in Patients With Resected Stage IV Melanoma…I am stage 4 and NED 2 years 4 months…here is the criteria for my trial which is basically standard for many trials

Prior/Concurrent Therapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, anti-PDL-2, or anti-CTLA-4 antibody (or any other antibody targeting T-cell costimulation pathways)
• At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosourea treatment
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy or immunotherapy (tumor vaccine, cytokine, or growth factor given to control the cancer) and all adverse events have either returned to baseline or stabilized
• At least 4 weeks since prior systemic radiotherapy
  • At least 2 weeks since prior focal radiotherapy
  • At least 8 weeks since prior radiopharmaceuticals (strontium, samarium)
• At least 4 weeks since prior surgery that required general anesthesia (72 hours for surgery requiring local/epidural anesthesia) and recovered
• At least 2 weeks since prior immunosuppressive doses of systemic medications, such as steroids or absorbed topical steroids (doses > 10 mg/day prednisone or equivalent)
• No concurrent participation in another clinical study involving treatment with medications, radiotherapy or surgery, or prior participation in this study
• No concurrent use of any of the following:
  • Other anticancer agents
  • Immunosuppressive agents
  • Immunosuppressive doses of systemic steroids or topical steroids whose absorption is expected to result systemically immunosuppressive steroid levels
  • Other investigational drugs
  • Non-oncologic vaccines (during and for ≥ 4 weeks after study treatment)

My trial is

Phase I Study of Anti-PD-1 Human Monoclonal Antibody MDX-1106 (BMS-936558) and Vaccine Therapy Comprising gp100:209-217(210M) Peptide, MART-1:26-35(27L) Peptide, gp100:280-288(288V) Peptide, NY-ESO-1 Peptide, and Montanide ISA 51 VG in Patients With Resected Stage IV Melanoma…I am stage 4 and NED 2 years 4 months…here is the criteria for my trial which is basically standard for many trials

Prior/Concurrent Therapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior therapy with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, anti-PDL-2, or anti-CTLA-4 antibody (or any other antibody targeting T-cell costimulation pathways)
• At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosourea treatment
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy or immunotherapy (tumor vaccine, cytokine, or growth factor given to control the cancer) and all adverse events have either returned to baseline or stabilized
• At least 4 weeks since prior systemic radiotherapy
  • At least 2 weeks since prior focal radiotherapy
  • At least 8 weeks since prior radiopharmaceuticals (strontium, samarium)
• At least 4 weeks since prior surgery that required general anesthesia (72 hours for surgery requiring local/epidural anesthesia) and recovered
• At least 2 weeks since prior immunosuppressive doses of systemic medications, such as steroids or absorbed topical steroids (doses > 10 mg/day prednisone or equivalent)
• No concurrent participation in another clinical study involving treatment with medications, radiotherapy or surgery, or prior participation in this study
• No concurrent use of any of the following:
  • Other anticancer agents
  • Immunosuppressive agents
  • Immunosuppressive doses of systemic steroids or topical steroids whose absorption is expected to result systemically immunosuppressive steroid levels
  • Other investigational drugs
  • Non-oncologic vaccines (during and for ≥ 4 weeks after study treatment)

Hi  –  I am stage 3 and have been for 11 years now.   I  had both radiation (3 weeks) and high dose interferon at the same time in Feb. 2002 following surgery.   Mine was taken out in Sept. but was back in Dec. and the took it out again.   They then recommended radiation and boy did they burn me – skin was falling off.   All healed up just fine and it is my opinion that it was the radiation that did it.  The interferon probably helped too.

If I were you I would do the radiation AND try to get  on a trial too.

Hi  –  I am stage 3 and have been for 11 years now.   I  had both radiation (3 weeks) and high dose interferon at the same time in Feb. 2002 following surgery.   Mine was taken out in Sept. but was back in Dec. and the took it out again.   They then recommended radiation and boy did they burn me – skin was falling off.   All healed up just fine and it is my opinion that it was the radiation that did it.  The interferon probably helped too.

If I were you I would do the radiation AND try to get  on a trial too.

Hi  –  I am stage 3 and have been for 11 years now.   I  had both radiation (3 weeks) and high dose interferon at the same time in Feb. 2002 following surgery.   Mine was taken out in Sept. but was back in Dec. and the took it out again.   They then recommended radiation and boy did they burn me – skin was falling off.   All healed up just fine and it is my opinion that it was the radiation that did it.  The interferon probably helped too.

If I were you I would do the radiation AND try to get  on a trial too.