Melanoma discovered in stomach

yOU need to have it surgically removed, then try for some type of trial.

 

Take Care,

Sherron, wife to Jim FOREVER

yOU need to have it surgically removed, then try for some type of trial.

 

Take Care,

Sherron, wife to Jim FOREVER

yOU need to have it surgically removed, then try for some type of trial.

 

Take Care,

Sherron, wife to Jim FOREVER

Hello Nick, researching melanoma is very overwhelming. If you haven’t already done so, click on the Learn More tab for info from this site. There is a brief list of questions to ask the doctor. Also, the aimatmelanoma.org website has a link to questions. You are already asking pertinent questions so be sure to write these down for your visit with your Dad’s doctor. The doctor will probably do some bloodwork on your Dad and review pathology reports; also order some scans (CT, MRI, PET). One thing that is done lately is lab analysis of the biopsy to determine genetic mutations which help determine the course of treatment; ask the doctor about this. This testing is also used to determine which clinical trials are appropriate.

Best wishes,

Jule

Hello Nick, researching melanoma is very overwhelming. If you haven’t already done so, click on the Learn More tab for info from this site. There is a brief list of questions to ask the doctor. Also, the aimatmelanoma.org website has a link to questions. You are already asking pertinent questions so be sure to write these down for your visit with your Dad’s doctor. The doctor will probably do some bloodwork on your Dad and review pathology reports; also order some scans (CT, MRI, PET). One thing that is done lately is lab analysis of the biopsy to determine genetic mutations which help determine the course of treatment; ask the doctor about this. This testing is also used to determine which clinical trials are appropriate.

Best wishes,

Jule

Hello Nick, researching melanoma is very overwhelming. If you haven’t already done so, click on the Learn More tab for info from this site. There is a brief list of questions to ask the doctor. Also, the aimatmelanoma.org website has a link to questions. You are already asking pertinent questions so be sure to write these down for your visit with your Dad’s doctor. The doctor will probably do some bloodwork on your Dad and review pathology reports; also order some scans (CT, MRI, PET). One thing that is done lately is lab analysis of the biopsy to determine genetic mutations which help determine the course of treatment; ask the doctor about this. This testing is also used to determine which clinical trials are appropriate.

Best wishes,

Jule

Someone should go with him to take notes and help absorb the information received.

Nick, They usually want to get copies of all the related doctors paperwork relating to the melanoma, Bloodwork, endoscopy reports, radiology, PET/CT scans, pathology reports. If you can get these and take copies with you it can speed things up. If not they will have you sign releases for them to mail to the other medical locations to get copies. This can take time. They may want the removed tissue to run their own tests on for verification or may want to take some more of the tissue to run tests on (endoscopy or surgery). Find out which. If you have not had them, they will likely run a combined PET/CT to determine if there is likely further spread of the melanoma. This will determine if surgery is a viable option or if they should go straight to a systemic approach. They use a team approach and the surgical and medical oncologists work together very well. IF there are widespread tumors, a systemic approach is likely required. If just a few closely located tumors they may well want to go ahead and remove them surgically. There are many types of melanoma so know what the pathology reports says about the type of melanoma. If it began in the mucosal tissue and moved to the stomach, and were to reoccur after removal it may have a different type of oncoprotein and DNA mutation than one that started from other locations and so need different subsequent treatment.

It sounds like no primary melanoma was located unless it is the mole they removed. If the tumors can be surgically removed, they may not be any trials available and one often when NED (No Evidence of Disease on scans) goes on a watch and wait. Dr Slingluff also conducts vaccine trials that often involve NED melanoma patients.

UVA is a good place to go. I went there after a general oncologist told me over 5 ½ years ago that I had a life expectancy of 2 to 6 months. Dr Slingluff (Melanoma surgeon) and Dr Weiss (head of the Hematology/medical oncology department) are my doctors and are great PEOPLE, as well as great Doctors. They are extremely knowledgeable, caring and compassionate men and have staff personnel that complement them very well. Read my profile on here and you will see why I think so much of them. A nurse that had fired two Oncologists asked me for a referral to Dr Weiss about 5 years ago. She is now approaching her 5^th anniversary of being NED after Dr Weiss provided her IL-2 treatments. I have not meet the other Oncologists there but have heard very good reports on them from other patients.

If they decide that a systemic approach is needed there are a couple of options. Dr Weiss has worked with the IL-2 immunology treatments since the early 1980's (FDA approved it in the late 1990's for melanoma.) It still has the longest lasting results for some and helps about as many people as the new treatments approved last year. Dr Weiss is one of the best in the world at giving and monitoring the IL-2 treatments and has a well trained staff to assist him with them. They also now administer the Yervoy approved last year by the FDA.

Dr Slingluff is also participating in the anti-PdD-1 clinical trials (which currently appears to be the best clinical trial to get into).

Someone should go with him to take notes and help absorb the information received.

Nick, They usually want to get copies of all the related doctors paperwork relating to the melanoma, Bloodwork, endoscopy reports, radiology, PET/CT scans, pathology reports. If you can get these and take copies with you it can speed things up. If not they will have you sign releases for them to mail to the other medical locations to get copies. This can take time. They may want the removed tissue to run their own tests on for verification or may want to take some more of the tissue to run tests on (endoscopy or surgery). Find out which. If you have not had them, they will likely run a combined PET/CT to determine if there is likely further spread of the melanoma. This will determine if surgery is a viable option or if they should go straight to a systemic approach. They use a team approach and the surgical and medical oncologists work together very well. IF there are widespread tumors, a systemic approach is likely required. If just a few closely located tumors they may well want to go ahead and remove them surgically. There are many types of melanoma so know what the pathology reports says about the type of melanoma. If it began in the mucosal tissue and moved to the stomach, and were to reoccur after removal it may have a different type of oncoprotein and DNA mutation than one that started from other locations and so need different subsequent treatment.

It sounds like no primary melanoma was located unless it is the mole they removed. If the tumors can be surgically removed, they may not be any trials available and one often when NED (No Evidence of Disease on scans) goes on a watch and wait. Dr Slingluff also conducts vaccine trials that often involve NED melanoma patients.

UVA is a good place to go. I went there after a general oncologist told me over 5 ½ years ago that I had a life expectancy of 2 to 6 months. Dr Slingluff (Melanoma surgeon) and Dr Weiss (head of the Hematology/medical oncology department) are my doctors and are great PEOPLE, as well as great Doctors. They are extremely knowledgeable, caring and compassionate men and have staff personnel that complement them very well. Read my profile on here and you will see why I think so much of them. A nurse that had fired two Oncologists asked me for a referral to Dr Weiss about 5 years ago. She is now approaching her 5^th anniversary of being NED after Dr Weiss provided her IL-2 treatments. I have not meet the other Oncologists there but have heard very good reports on them from other patients.

If they decide that a systemic approach is needed there are a couple of options. Dr Weiss has worked with the IL-2 immunology treatments since the early 1980's (FDA approved it in the late 1990's for melanoma.) It still has the longest lasting results for some and helps about as many people as the new treatments approved last year. Dr Weiss is one of the best in the world at giving and monitoring the IL-2 treatments and has a well trained staff to assist him with them. They also now administer the Yervoy approved last year by the FDA.

Dr Slingluff is also participating in the anti-PdD-1 clinical trials (which currently appears to be the best clinical trial to get into).

Someone should go with him to take notes and help absorb the information received.

Nick, They usually want to get copies of all the related doctors paperwork relating to the melanoma, Bloodwork, endoscopy reports, radiology, PET/CT scans, pathology reports. If you can get these and take copies with you it can speed things up. If not they will have you sign releases for them to mail to the other medical locations to get copies. This can take time. They may want the removed tissue to run their own tests on for verification or may want to take some more of the tissue to run tests on (endoscopy or surgery). Find out which. If you have not had them, they will likely run a combined PET/CT to determine if there is likely further spread of the melanoma. This will determine if surgery is a viable option or if they should go straight to a systemic approach. They use a team approach and the surgical and medical oncologists work together very well. IF there are widespread tumors, a systemic approach is likely required. If just a few closely located tumors they may well want to go ahead and remove them surgically. There are many types of melanoma so know what the pathology reports says about the type of melanoma. If it began in the mucosal tissue and moved to the stomach, and were to reoccur after removal it may have a different type of oncoprotein and DNA mutation than one that started from other locations and so need different subsequent treatment.

It sounds like no primary melanoma was located unless it is the mole they removed. If the tumors can be surgically removed, they may not be any trials available and one often when NED (No Evidence of Disease on scans) goes on a watch and wait. Dr Slingluff also conducts vaccine trials that often involve NED melanoma patients.

UVA is a good place to go. I went there after a general oncologist told me over 5 ½ years ago that I had a life expectancy of 2 to 6 months. Dr Slingluff (Melanoma surgeon) and Dr Weiss (head of the Hematology/medical oncology department) are my doctors and are great PEOPLE, as well as great Doctors. They are extremely knowledgeable, caring and compassionate men and have staff personnel that complement them very well. Read my profile on here and you will see why I think so much of them. A nurse that had fired two Oncologists asked me for a referral to Dr Weiss about 5 years ago. She is now approaching her 5^th anniversary of being NED after Dr Weiss provided her IL-2 treatments. I have not meet the other Oncologists there but have heard very good reports on them from other patients.

If they decide that a systemic approach is needed there are a couple of options. Dr Weiss has worked with the IL-2 immunology treatments since the early 1980's (FDA approved it in the late 1990's for melanoma.) It still has the longest lasting results for some and helps about as many people as the new treatments approved last year. Dr Weiss is one of the best in the world at giving and monitoring the IL-2 treatments and has a well trained staff to assist him with them. They also now administer the Yervoy approved last year by the FDA.

Dr Slingluff is also participating in the anti-PdD-1 clinical trials (which currently appears to be the best clinical trial to get into).