› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Treatment Options – Stage III
- This topic has 15 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 8 months ago by
sbrooks90.
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- September 18, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Hi Guys,
Just wanted to get a sense of what treatment options are out there for Stage III (Besides IFN-a). I had my CLND last week and am waiting for the results on that so I can be properly staged. Has anyone had experience with radiation? My surgical oncologist said that is an option if 3 or more lymph nodes are positive. I know a lot of these treatments are in clinical trials but would like to see what other people have gone through. This board is full really smart individuals!
Thanks,
Samuel
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- September 18, 2013 at 5:30 pm
Hi Samuel,
Unfortunately there aren't many FDA-approved options for those of us at Stage III — just interferon. The consensus seems to be that it doesn't not have a very good response rate. The side effects are severe. But those who have undergone treatment with it and have finished that treatment, have no regrets.
The vaccine trial I'm in turned out to be a bit of a bust because it did not extend overal disease-free survival time. But there is a secondary endpoint they're striving for, so the trial will continue. Had the vaccine met its primary endpoint, there would have been an option for Stage III B/C patients probably within the year. As it is, we're just going to have to wait a while longer.
If your tumor has extracapsular extensions, then you might be offered radiation.
Another option you might be offered is "watch and wait", aka "observation only". Many at Stage III do perfectly well with this option.
There just isn't much out there for us, aside from some trials and those are few and far between as well.
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- September 18, 2013 at 5:30 pm
Hi Samuel,
Unfortunately there aren't many FDA-approved options for those of us at Stage III — just interferon. The consensus seems to be that it doesn't not have a very good response rate. The side effects are severe. But those who have undergone treatment with it and have finished that treatment, have no regrets.
The vaccine trial I'm in turned out to be a bit of a bust because it did not extend overal disease-free survival time. But there is a secondary endpoint they're striving for, so the trial will continue. Had the vaccine met its primary endpoint, there would have been an option for Stage III B/C patients probably within the year. As it is, we're just going to have to wait a while longer.
If your tumor has extracapsular extensions, then you might be offered radiation.
Another option you might be offered is "watch and wait", aka "observation only". Many at Stage III do perfectly well with this option.
There just isn't much out there for us, aside from some trials and those are few and far between as well.
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- September 20, 2013 at 1:40 am
Here is the site link for clinical trials. This one is for any stage 3 but unfortunately it is for unresectable disease…….we don’t want to be in that place. Hope you are recovering well from your surgery. I am having mine in 2 weeks and hopefully no other diseased nodes are found. Good Luck! http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01708941 -
- September 20, 2013 at 1:40 am
Here is the site link for clinical trials. This one is for any stage 3 but unfortunately it is for unresectable disease…….we don’t want to be in that place. Hope you are recovering well from your surgery. I am having mine in 2 weeks and hopefully no other diseased nodes are found. Good Luck! http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01708941 -
- September 20, 2013 at 1:40 am
Here is the site link for clinical trials. This one is for any stage 3 but unfortunately it is for unresectable disease…….we don’t want to be in that place. Hope you are recovering well from your surgery. I am having mine in 2 weeks and hopefully no other diseased nodes are found. Good Luck! http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01708941
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- September 18, 2013 at 5:30 pm
Hi Samuel,
Unfortunately there aren't many FDA-approved options for those of us at Stage III — just interferon. The consensus seems to be that it doesn't not have a very good response rate. The side effects are severe. But those who have undergone treatment with it and have finished that treatment, have no regrets.
The vaccine trial I'm in turned out to be a bit of a bust because it did not extend overal disease-free survival time. But there is a secondary endpoint they're striving for, so the trial will continue. Had the vaccine met its primary endpoint, there would have been an option for Stage III B/C patients probably within the year. As it is, we're just going to have to wait a while longer.
If your tumor has extracapsular extensions, then you might be offered radiation.
Another option you might be offered is "watch and wait", aka "observation only". Many at Stage III do perfectly well with this option.
There just isn't much out there for us, aside from some trials and those are few and far between as well.
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- September 20, 2013 at 3:07 am
Hey Samuel,
Sorry you are in this position with some tough decisions ahead of you. This may be oversimplifying it a bit but I see your choices as the following:
1) Interferon. Since you are looking for other options I’m assuming you’ve done your research on interferon so I won’t give my 2 cents.
2) Watch and wait. For stage III NED it’s definitely a viable option. I think if you do go this route you should seriously consider changes to your diet, get on a good exercise plan, and be extremely vigilant with your self examines and regular derm check ups.
3) BIO/Chemo. Probably viewed as a very aggressive approach to stage III NED due to the toxicity involved with many of these treatments. Many probably felt in the past that the results of these treatments did not justify the toxicity but some of the cocktails they are coming up with today do sound promising. Here is a recent thread about the subject:
4) Clinical trial. As previously mentioned you can research clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov. MRF also has a free service where they will help you find trials in which you might qualify. Here is the link: http://www.emergingmed.com/networks/MRF/
I haven’t looked recently but I’m sure there are probably a few vaccine trials and I know there are some trials comparing interferon and Yervoy.
Good luck with your pending results and your treatment choice.
Brian
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- September 21, 2013 at 1:01 am
Thanks everyone for your input! 🙂
Brian thanks for laying out options… I have yet to meet with a medical oncologist but will absolutely ask about all of these. I live in Canada and we have slightly different clinical trials than the States but im sure they are similar. A lot of these clinical trials seem to depend on what subset stage you are (IE. Stage IIIb or c). I am anxious to find out what the results of my CLND are… one step at a time I guess.
Lets get er done,
Samuel
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- September 21, 2013 at 1:01 am
Thanks everyone for your input! 🙂
Brian thanks for laying out options… I have yet to meet with a medical oncologist but will absolutely ask about all of these. I live in Canada and we have slightly different clinical trials than the States but im sure they are similar. A lot of these clinical trials seem to depend on what subset stage you are (IE. Stage IIIb or c). I am anxious to find out what the results of my CLND are… one step at a time I guess.
Lets get er done,
Samuel
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- September 21, 2013 at 1:01 am
Thanks everyone for your input! 🙂
Brian thanks for laying out options… I have yet to meet with a medical oncologist but will absolutely ask about all of these. I live in Canada and we have slightly different clinical trials than the States but im sure they are similar. A lot of these clinical trials seem to depend on what subset stage you are (IE. Stage IIIb or c). I am anxious to find out what the results of my CLND are… one step at a time I guess.
Lets get er done,
Samuel
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- September 20, 2013 at 3:07 am
Hey Samuel,
Sorry you are in this position with some tough decisions ahead of you. This may be oversimplifying it a bit but I see your choices as the following:
1) Interferon. Since you are looking for other options I’m assuming you’ve done your research on interferon so I won’t give my 2 cents.
2) Watch and wait. For stage III NED it’s definitely a viable option. I think if you do go this route you should seriously consider changes to your diet, get on a good exercise plan, and be extremely vigilant with your self examines and regular derm check ups.
3) BIO/Chemo. Probably viewed as a very aggressive approach to stage III NED due to the toxicity involved with many of these treatments. Many probably felt in the past that the results of these treatments did not justify the toxicity but some of the cocktails they are coming up with today do sound promising. Here is a recent thread about the subject:
4) Clinical trial. As previously mentioned you can research clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov. MRF also has a free service where they will help you find trials in which you might qualify. Here is the link: http://www.emergingmed.com/networks/MRF/
I haven’t looked recently but I’m sure there are probably a few vaccine trials and I know there are some trials comparing interferon and Yervoy.
Good luck with your pending results and your treatment choice.
Brian
-
- September 20, 2013 at 3:07 am
Hey Samuel,
Sorry you are in this position with some tough decisions ahead of you. This may be oversimplifying it a bit but I see your choices as the following:
1) Interferon. Since you are looking for other options I’m assuming you’ve done your research on interferon so I won’t give my 2 cents.
2) Watch and wait. For stage III NED it’s definitely a viable option. I think if you do go this route you should seriously consider changes to your diet, get on a good exercise plan, and be extremely vigilant with your self examines and regular derm check ups.
3) BIO/Chemo. Probably viewed as a very aggressive approach to stage III NED due to the toxicity involved with many of these treatments. Many probably felt in the past that the results of these treatments did not justify the toxicity but some of the cocktails they are coming up with today do sound promising. Here is a recent thread about the subject:
4) Clinical trial. As previously mentioned you can research clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov. MRF also has a free service where they will help you find trials in which you might qualify. Here is the link: http://www.emergingmed.com/networks/MRF/
I haven’t looked recently but I’m sure there are probably a few vaccine trials and I know there are some trials comparing interferon and Yervoy.
Good luck with your pending results and your treatment choice.
Brian
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- September 20, 2013 at 11:27 pm
I also have stage 3c and went with the interferon. The 4 week treatment left me pretty exhausted but the shots have not been too bad. 1st shot I had a reaction of chills but have been fine since. I could have gone with biochemo but I could not have gotten radiation, plus the fact that you have to be hospitalized due to toxicity. I feel positive about my choice. -
- September 20, 2013 at 11:27 pm
I also have stage 3c and went with the interferon. The 4 week treatment left me pretty exhausted but the shots have not been too bad. 1st shot I had a reaction of chills but have been fine since. I could have gone with biochemo but I could not have gotten radiation, plus the fact that you have to be hospitalized due to toxicity. I feel positive about my choice. -
- September 20, 2013 at 11:27 pm
I also have stage 3c and went with the interferon. The 4 week treatment left me pretty exhausted but the shots have not been too bad. 1st shot I had a reaction of chills but have been fine since. I could have gone with biochemo but I could not have gotten radiation, plus the fact that you have to be hospitalized due to toxicity. I feel positive about my choice.
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