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Second lung surgery or watch and wait?
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Second lung surgery or watch and wait?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Second lung surgery or watch and wait?

  • Post
    • August 30, 2019 at 8:04 pm
    Christiane29
    Participant
      Hello you all,

      I hope you will understand my bad English. in march this year I was diagnosed stage IV with solitary lung met. This was removed but unfortunately not completely as the later lab diagnostic showed. I’m on Taf/Mek combo since April. Pet Scan in July showed a 1,5cm spot lightening. The radiologist thinks that it’s residual tumor but it also could be scar tissue from the lung surgery. I went for a second opinion today and the thoracic surgeon also was not sure but he wants to do a second surgery to remove the supposed residual. My dermatologist wants to watch and wait.

      What do you think. What should I do now?

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        • August 30, 2019 at 10:47 pm
        NewEra
        Participant
          I would ask if they can do a biopsy first to confirm what they are seeing on the imaging. If it is scar tissue, no major surgery is needed. If it is mel, then you know either 1. the didn’t get it all, or 2. there is a recurrence. Either of those options means you don’t (yet) have a response from the targeted therapy. All good info without a “major” surgery.

          If this was me, that’s what I’d insist on.

            • August 31, 2019 at 1:09 pm
            Christiane29
            Participant
              Thanks for the reply. I definitely know that they didn’t get it all with the first surgery because the lab stated that the metastatic tissue examined was (in German “randbildend”) which means, that there have been cancer cells at the edge of examined tissue. My dematologist/oncologist told me that the Taf/Mek could manage the risk of a later recurrence but the surgeon yesterday told me that another surgery would be the safest option.

              I’m very afraid of another big surgery because there have been many complications with the last one in march and my daughter is only 9 months old and needs a mother who is able to carry her and play with her. I really don’t know if I should watch and wait or do this surgery.

              • August 31, 2019 at 1:50 pm
              ed williams
              Participant
                There is an old rule in melanoma that old timers followed before the latest advances of Immunotherapy and targeted therapy, “when in doubt, cut it out!!!” Now, that rule only applies if there are no other sites of tumors in the body. If they have done a pet-ct and no other tumors of active sites show up then surgery might be an option, but don’t forget both Immunotherpy and targeted therapy come with risks of their own. Good luck!!! Ed
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