Stage II C Considering Radiation and Interferon

Hi Jackfish, my only advice before going forward with what has been recommended to you is who made the recommendation? If it is not coming from someone who specializes in Melanoma then you might want to get a second opinion. Do some research on what benefit you might expect from the treatment that they are offering, Interferon is tough!!! Wishing you the best!!! Ed

Hi Jackfish, my only advice before going forward with what has been recommended to you is who made the recommendation? If it is not coming from someone who specializes in Melanoma then you might want to get a second opinion. Do some research on what benefit you might expect from the treatment that they are offering, Interferon is tough!!! Wishing you the best!!! Ed

Hi Jackfish, my only advice before going forward with what has been recommended to you is who made the recommendation? If it is not coming from someone who specializes in Melanoma then you might want to get a second opinion. Do some research on what benefit you might expect from the treatment that they are offering, Interferon is tough!!! Wishing you the best!!! Ed

Hi Jackfish,

I'm speaking on behalf of my husband, who was diagnosed in early 2014 with either Stage IIb/c or Stage 4 (he actually is hard to stage because the tumor, which was 19 mm, on his upper back had no skin component so he could be considered stage 4 but they are not sure).  He is seen at MD Anderson.  He had the WLE surgery and SNB was negative.  His oncologist was pretty against interferon as the quality of life factors  in return for such a small possibility of success, she said she would not really recommend it.  I've been involved in outcomes research and I have to agree with the onocologist.  It's a lot of risk for very low reward.  My husband has decided on a wait and watch approach and his oncologist (she is a Melanoma specialist here at MD Anderson) agrees with his approach.  So he goes for scans every 3 to 4 months and he also gets an ultrasound of his lymph nodes at each visit.  He follows up with both the oncologist and his melanoma surgeon at each visit.  My husband seems totally okay with this, he has no desire for any treatment until he needs it (harder for me though, I'm an action oriented person).  Radiation wasn't discussed with us, it was either wait and watch or immunotherapy (and maybe get into a vaccination trial in the meantime) if he was interested due to high risk nature.  It's a difficult choice either way so do the best you can and go with what your gut tells you to do and try not to second guess too much. 

Good luck,

Jackie

Hi Jackfish,

I'm speaking on behalf of my husband, who was diagnosed in early 2014 with either Stage IIb/c or Stage 4 (he actually is hard to stage because the tumor, which was 19 mm, on his upper back had no skin component so he could be considered stage 4 but they are not sure).  He is seen at MD Anderson.  He had the WLE surgery and SNB was negative.  His oncologist was pretty against interferon as the quality of life factors  in return for such a small possibility of success, she said she would not really recommend it.  I've been involved in outcomes research and I have to agree with the onocologist.  It's a lot of risk for very low reward.  My husband has decided on a wait and watch approach and his oncologist (she is a Melanoma specialist here at MD Anderson) agrees with his approach.  So he goes for scans every 3 to 4 months and he also gets an ultrasound of his lymph nodes at each visit.  He follows up with both the oncologist and his melanoma surgeon at each visit.  My husband seems totally okay with this, he has no desire for any treatment until he needs it (harder for me though, I'm an action oriented person).  Radiation wasn't discussed with us, it was either wait and watch or immunotherapy (and maybe get into a vaccination trial in the meantime) if he was interested due to high risk nature.  It's a difficult choice either way so do the best you can and go with what your gut tells you to do and try not to second guess too much. 

Good luck,

Jackie

Hi Jackfish,

I'm speaking on behalf of my husband, who was diagnosed in early 2014 with either Stage IIb/c or Stage 4 (he actually is hard to stage because the tumor, which was 19 mm, on his upper back had no skin component so he could be considered stage 4 but they are not sure).  He is seen at MD Anderson.  He had the WLE surgery and SNB was negative.  His oncologist was pretty against interferon as the quality of life factors  in return for such a small possibility of success, she said she would not really recommend it.  I've been involved in outcomes research and I have to agree with the onocologist.  It's a lot of risk for very low reward.  My husband has decided on a wait and watch approach and his oncologist (she is a Melanoma specialist here at MD Anderson) agrees with his approach.  So he goes for scans every 3 to 4 months and he also gets an ultrasound of his lymph nodes at each visit.  He follows up with both the oncologist and his melanoma surgeon at each visit.  My husband seems totally okay with this, he has no desire for any treatment until he needs it (harder for me though, I'm an action oriented person).  Radiation wasn't discussed with us, it was either wait and watch or immunotherapy (and maybe get into a vaccination trial in the meantime) if he was interested due to high risk nature.  It's a difficult choice either way so do the best you can and go with what your gut tells you to do and try not to second guess too much. 

Good luck,

Jackie

My husband had a 10.5 mm lesion on his head and had a WLE, skin graft and SNB done with everything coming back neg.  He had 3 more surgeries with 2 more on the head with yet another skin graft and 1 on the neck collarbone area where they had to take out the nerve as the lymph nodes in that area rap around the nerve.

He later had a unresectable tumor at the cervical C1-C2 vertebra and with scans was determined to also have some in his liver and some in the lungs.  He never did any interferon because he said he would rather have quality life for 1 year than have flu like symptoms for 1 year.  HE was never offered radiation but I am sure he wouldn't have taken it as well.

He was accepted into the Ipi 10 mg/kg with GM-CSF clinical trial in 2011.  He became NED on this trial and has been for almost 3 years.  If you would like to read more check out his profile.

Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

My husband had a 10.5 mm lesion on his head and had a WLE, skin graft and SNB done with everything coming back neg.  He had 3 more surgeries with 2 more on the head with yet another skin graft and 1 on the neck collarbone area where they had to take out the nerve as the lymph nodes in that area rap around the nerve.

He later had a unresectable tumor at the cervical C1-C2 vertebra and with scans was determined to also have some in his liver and some in the lungs.  He never did any interferon because he said he would rather have quality life for 1 year than have flu like symptoms for 1 year.  HE was never offered radiation but I am sure he wouldn't have taken it as well.

He was accepted into the Ipi 10 mg/kg with GM-CSF clinical trial in 2011.  He became NED on this trial and has been for almost 3 years.  If you would like to read more check out his profile.

Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

My husband had a 10.5 mm lesion on his head and had a WLE, skin graft and SNB done with everything coming back neg.  He had 3 more surgeries with 2 more on the head with yet another skin graft and 1 on the neck collarbone area where they had to take out the nerve as the lymph nodes in that area rap around the nerve.

He later had a unresectable tumor at the cervical C1-C2 vertebra and with scans was determined to also have some in his liver and some in the lungs.  He never did any interferon because he said he would rather have quality life for 1 year than have flu like symptoms for 1 year.  HE was never offered radiation but I am sure he wouldn't have taken it as well.

He was accepted into the Ipi 10 mg/kg with GM-CSF clinical trial in 2011.  He became NED on this trial and has been for almost 3 years.  If you would like to read more check out his profile.

Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

Hi Jack fish, I just came across something on "Onclive" about radiation in Melanoma patients. I watched the video last summer but the information is still valid. The panel of experts talk about several different topics but in the one tiltled " Role of adjuvant Radiation Therapy in Melanoma" they get into detail the pros and cons of radiations. If you go to (youtube) and type in the following title " Melanoma Onclive peer exchange",  it will bring you right to the peer exchange which features about 14 different melanoma videos on various melanoma topics. The panel include some of the top Oncologist in the field and two surgeons from different regions of the country. Wishing you the best!!! Ed

Hi Jack fish, I just came across something on "Onclive" about radiation in Melanoma patients. I watched the video last summer but the information is still valid. The panel of experts talk about several different topics but in the one tiltled " Role of adjuvant Radiation Therapy in Melanoma" they get into detail the pros and cons of radiations. If you go to (youtube) and type in the following title " Melanoma Onclive peer exchange",  it will bring you right to the peer exchange which features about 14 different melanoma videos on various melanoma topics. The panel include some of the top Oncologist in the field and two surgeons from different regions of the country. Wishing you the best!!! Ed

Hi Jack fish, I just came across something on "Onclive" about radiation in Melanoma patients. I watched the video last summer but the information is still valid. The panel of experts talk about several different topics but in the one tiltled " Role of adjuvant Radiation Therapy in Melanoma" they get into detail the pros and cons of radiations. If you go to (youtube) and type in the following title " Melanoma Onclive peer exchange",  it will bring you right to the peer exchange which features about 14 different melanoma videos on various melanoma topics. The panel include some of the top Oncologist in the field and two surgeons from different regions of the country. Wishing you the best!!! Ed