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A quick history of my melanoma
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A quick history of my melanoma

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › A quick history of my melanoma

  • Post
    • January 31, 2020 at 4:18 pm
    Richard_K
    Participant
      Diagnosed December 1998, stage I b on my left cheek, wide local excision, sentinel node biopsy, ok, good to go.

      September 2009 a persistent cough turns out to be stage IV melanoma in my lungs.

      December 2009, fail IL2.

      March 2010 start stage 2 clinical trial for vemurafenib. Hypermetabolic activity stops in December 2010 and tumors stop shrinking February 2010. (Probable remains as scar tissue.)

      September 2014, melanoma stage I a removed from my back with wide local excision.

      August 2019, stopped taking vemurafenib, 9 1/2 years after starting.

      October 2019 and January 2020, follow up scans and blood work are all good.

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    • Replies
        • January 31, 2020 at 5:17 pm
        Bubbles
        Participant
          Thanks for sharing and the update! You rock, Dick K!!!! I always point to you as one incredible representative of the potential for long term positive results from targeted therapy! May it long continue! celeste
          • January 31, 2020 at 8:56 pm
          marta010
          Participant
            Dick – my husband, Larry, was diagnosed in March 2012 and I remember reading your story on one of the forums. We were in the initial shocked reaction stage and I was particularly interested as Larry’s first treatment (along with gamma knife for a brain met) was vemurafenib. I was so encouraged by your success and it seemed like a ray of hope during a very dark time. We started seeing a reduction in Larry’s lymph nodes in his neck almost within days. I prayed that he would have a long term response like yours. but he only lasted about 9 months before progression. Moved on to Ipi and only had a partial response. Next up was Dabrafenib, which he is still taking 7+ years later. You guys are the poster children for targeted therapy! Prayers for continued success!
            Ann
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