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Is surgery realistic?
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Is surgery realistic?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Is surgery realistic?

  • Post
    • December 29, 2011 at 10:03 am
    deardad
    Participant

      Hi excuse me if this question sounds naive, but I'm just wondering whether surgery is an option even though you have tumors in spleen, liver, one lung, in skin near kidney? I know that surgery is a palliative option but is it worth going in and being aggressive with surgery to increase overall survival? At the  moment Zelboraf is shrinking tumors but I know it's going to stop one day and I just can't help thinking …go in and remove what you can…can't this help?

      Thanks in advance

      Nahmi from Melbourne

      Hi excuse me if this question sounds naive, but I'm just wondering whether surgery is an option even though you have tumors in spleen, liver, one lung, in skin near kidney? I know that surgery is a palliative option but is it worth going in and being aggressive with surgery to increase overall survival? At the  moment Zelboraf is shrinking tumors but I know it's going to stop one day and I just can't help thinking …go in and remove what you can…can't this help?

      Thanks in advance

      Nahmi from Melbourne

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • December 29, 2011 at 10:48 am
        FormerCaregiver
        Participant

          Nahmi, this is a good question. The wisdom of having local surgery for a systemic
          disease has been a subject of controversy. A lot depends on the individual
          circumstances.

          However, I feel that if the tumour burden can be reduced by surgical resection, then
          this could possibly give systemic treatments a better chance of success. You would
          need to consult a surgical oncologist about this. See:
          http://journals.lww.com/melanomaresearch/Fulltext/2008/02000/Evidence_and_interdisciplinary_consensus_based.10.aspx

          Take care

          Frank from Australia

          • December 29, 2011 at 10:48 am
          FormerCaregiver
          Participant

            Nahmi, this is a good question. The wisdom of having local surgery for a systemic
            disease has been a subject of controversy. A lot depends on the individual
            circumstances.

            However, I feel that if the tumour burden can be reduced by surgical resection, then
            this could possibly give systemic treatments a better chance of success. You would
            need to consult a surgical oncologist about this. See:
            http://journals.lww.com/melanomaresearch/Fulltext/2008/02000/Evidence_and_interdisciplinary_consensus_based.10.aspx

            Take care

            Frank from Australia

            • December 29, 2011 at 10:48 am
            FormerCaregiver
            Participant

              Nahmi, this is a good question. The wisdom of having local surgery for a systemic
              disease has been a subject of controversy. A lot depends on the individual
              circumstances.

              However, I feel that if the tumour burden can be reduced by surgical resection, then
              this could possibly give systemic treatments a better chance of success. You would
              need to consult a surgical oncologist about this. See:
              http://journals.lww.com/melanomaresearch/Fulltext/2008/02000/Evidence_and_interdisciplinary_consensus_based.10.aspx

              Take care

              Frank from Australia

              • December 29, 2011 at 11:53 am
              P Brown
              Participant

                Nahmi,

                I haven't posted here since summer when I asked the same question as you and got no responses.  It must not be a common thing.

                My wife had her nearly completely cancerous spleen removed this July even though she had other mets in liver, lungs and some previously treated in brain.  The thought was the spleen was spreading the cells as fast as we could treat the cancer, so why not remove it.  Since then we have been hitting the remaining cancer with chemo with the intention of moving to yervoy after the new year.  (she already had yervoy a year ago and had some response)

                So, yes, it does happen.  She continues to live a mostly normal life and we haven't regretted the surgery once.

                Hope this helps,

                Paul

                • December 29, 2011 at 11:53 am
                P Brown
                Participant

                  Nahmi,

                  I haven't posted here since summer when I asked the same question as you and got no responses.  It must not be a common thing.

                  My wife had her nearly completely cancerous spleen removed this July even though she had other mets in liver, lungs and some previously treated in brain.  The thought was the spleen was spreading the cells as fast as we could treat the cancer, so why not remove it.  Since then we have been hitting the remaining cancer with chemo with the intention of moving to yervoy after the new year.  (she already had yervoy a year ago and had some response)

                  So, yes, it does happen.  She continues to live a mostly normal life and we haven't regretted the surgery once.

                  Hope this helps,

                  Paul

                    • December 29, 2011 at 10:17 pm
                    deardad
                    Participant

                       

                      Thanks for the responses.

                      Frank from the link it sounds like surgery could be an option down the track. Thanks for the link.

                      Paul, Im glad to hear your wife is doing ok.. I noticed you didn't fill in a profile page, when was she diagnosed and where? Did she try the GSK trial and how long till a reocurrence? Sorry for all the questions but sounds like my father and your wife have the same organ involvement.

                      Take care and hope that she continues to do well.

                      Ps sorry no-one got back to you, usually they always do…probably cirucumstances.

                      Nahmi from MelbourneT

                      • December 29, 2011 at 10:17 pm
                      deardad
                      Participant

                         

                        Thanks for the responses.

                        Frank from the link it sounds like surgery could be an option down the track. Thanks for the link.

                        Paul, Im glad to hear your wife is doing ok.. I noticed you didn't fill in a profile page, when was she diagnosed and where? Did she try the GSK trial and how long till a reocurrence? Sorry for all the questions but sounds like my father and your wife have the same organ involvement.

                        Take care and hope that she continues to do well.

                        Ps sorry no-one got back to you, usually they always do…probably cirucumstances.

                        Nahmi from MelbourneT

                        • December 29, 2011 at 10:17 pm
                        deardad
                        Participant

                           

                          Thanks for the responses.

                          Frank from the link it sounds like surgery could be an option down the track. Thanks for the link.

                          Paul, Im glad to hear your wife is doing ok.. I noticed you didn't fill in a profile page, when was she diagnosed and where? Did she try the GSK trial and how long till a reocurrence? Sorry for all the questions but sounds like my father and your wife have the same organ involvement.

                          Take care and hope that she continues to do well.

                          Ps sorry no-one got back to you, usually they always do…probably cirucumstances.

                          Nahmi from MelbourneT

                        • December 29, 2011 at 11:53 am
                        P Brown
                        Participant

                          Nahmi,

                          I haven't posted here since summer when I asked the same question as you and got no responses.  It must not be a common thing.

                          My wife had her nearly completely cancerous spleen removed this July even though she had other mets in liver, lungs and some previously treated in brain.  The thought was the spleen was spreading the cells as fast as we could treat the cancer, so why not remove it.  Since then we have been hitting the remaining cancer with chemo with the intention of moving to yervoy after the new year.  (she already had yervoy a year ago and had some response)

                          So, yes, it does happen.  She continues to live a mostly normal life and we haven't regretted the surgery once.

                          Hope this helps,

                          Paul

                      Viewing 5 reply threads
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