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My Melanoma Story

This topic has 1 reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 7 months ago by Mark_DC.

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- January 30, 2021 at 6:00 pm
- Quote
LuanneC
Participant
Here is my story:

when I was 19 and pregnant a mole on my leg turned colors, when the baby was 6 months old I finally had it looked at and they removed it and found it to be melanoma. I had a wider excision with a skin graft from my thigh, went back and forth to Mayo Clinic for about 7 years for rechecks and was pronounced cured. Fast forward, 40 years, I started getting pea sized lumps in three or more places on my body. My primary care physician removed a couple of them and it was back. Further scans showed I had lots of spots, with the worst one next to my pancreas. After a 2nd opinion, my doctor and I decided to start out with the targeted therapy(Braftovi/Mektovi). I did that for 4 months and added in Keytruda infusions. All my scans since have been clear, Thank you God. After doing both treatments side by side for about 5 months, we decided to drop the chemotherapy and now I am just doing the Keytruda. Still clean scans! I will be doing the Keytruda for 2 years coming up in August 2021. I’m thinking my doctor may want to discontinue the immunotherapy at that point. Sounded like a plan when he first mentioned it but now I’m starting to worry what if it comes back? I feel so fortunate that I have done as well as I have and pray it continues. I read so many posts here and realize how little I actually know about melanoma, even though I’ve had it twice! Any thoughts?

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- - January 30, 2021 at 9:42 pm
  - Quote
  Mark_DC
  Participant
  Hi Luanne,
  
  I think the good news is that you seem to be responding – I hope to the keytruda as this can have a more long-lasting effect. There are others more expert here, but my sense is that two years on immunotherapy is typical. That there may be no benefits from going beyond this. but of course, that depends on having clear scans – so we cannot take things for granted.
  
  I think Ed on this board (one of the experts) has been on immunotherapy longer and am not sure he has stopped.
  
  Even if you stop (and this is good for side effects dissipating!) am sure you will have regular scans (I am every three months), so this plus skin checks mean you should catch it plus the immunotherapy is still in your system for a while. So there is a lot of active monitoring. I am also a bit worried being off treatment but have kind of got used to it. You will still be monitored, and the doctor can always revisit at the two year mark.
  
  well done and good luck
  
  mark

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