› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Stage III in Canada
- This topic has 18 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 7 months ago by
heg50heg.
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- October 27, 2011 at 5:35 pm
My husband, Stephen, was recently diagnosed with Stage III melanoma. He went through exculpatrory surgery on his knee, sentinal biopsy with a few nodes removed.
He declined to have all nodes removed from his groin basin. We were told that the next step would be Interferon.
His oncologist stated that here in Canada that would be our only course of treatment, that there was nothing else offered. Have any other Canadians experienced this?
My husband, Stephen, was recently diagnosed with Stage III melanoma. He went through exculpatrory surgery on his knee, sentinal biopsy with a few nodes removed.
He declined to have all nodes removed from his groin basin. We were told that the next step would be Interferon.
His oncologist stated that here in Canada that would be our only course of treatment, that there was nothing else offered. Have any other Canadians experienced this?
We decided to go with the wait and watch approach. Steve went for his CT scan almost two weeks ago, we are expecting the results on Monday. I am really nervous now. I was fine last week but now I am scared of what the scan will read. SO fingers crossed that it will come back NED.
Anyhow, if there are any other Canadians that have been offered any other treatments or clinical trials or even if you could point me in the right direction. I just want to make sure we are informed on all decisions we make.
Thank you all so much, I am very grateful to be able to share with you.
Karrie
- Replies
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- October 27, 2011 at 6:03 pm
You didn't say what the out come of the sentinel biopsy was. Since he is Stage 3 I have to assume there were positive nodes, but were they microscopic or larger?
Unfortunately, even in the U.S. there still isn't any other choice unless you are Stage 3 with an "unresectable" tumor. I had all my lymph nodes removed under my arm and then chose to wait and watch. Doing good so far after 18 months. Whatever he decides, go forward and don't look back and don't consider the "what-if's". No one knows what Melanoma will do so all we can do is take our best shot at it. .
Good Luck,
Mary
Stage 3a
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- October 27, 2011 at 6:03 pm
You didn't say what the out come of the sentinel biopsy was. Since he is Stage 3 I have to assume there were positive nodes, but were they microscopic or larger?
Unfortunately, even in the U.S. there still isn't any other choice unless you are Stage 3 with an "unresectable" tumor. I had all my lymph nodes removed under my arm and then chose to wait and watch. Doing good so far after 18 months. Whatever he decides, go forward and don't look back and don't consider the "what-if's". No one knows what Melanoma will do so all we can do is take our best shot at it. .
Good Luck,
Mary
Stage 3a
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- October 27, 2011 at 6:03 pm
You didn't say what the out come of the sentinel biopsy was. Since he is Stage 3 I have to assume there were positive nodes, but were they microscopic or larger?
Unfortunately, even in the U.S. there still isn't any other choice unless you are Stage 3 with an "unresectable" tumor. I had all my lymph nodes removed under my arm and then chose to wait and watch. Doing good so far after 18 months. Whatever he decides, go forward and don't look back and don't consider the "what-if's". No one knows what Melanoma will do so all we can do is take our best shot at it. .
Good Luck,
Mary
Stage 3a
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- October 27, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Karrie,
You may want to contact:
Tammy Udall
Director, Program Development
Melanoma Network of Canada
Direct Line: (289) 814-2884
[email protected]I am sorry you have to go through this melanoma journey.
Best regards,
Jimmy B
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- October 27, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Hi Karrie,
I'm sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. I"m in Toronto and when I was Stage 3 earlier this year, I was offered Interferon or an ipi clinical trial. My oncologist didn't like the numbers for Interferon and encouraged me to take part in the ipi trial which I signed up for. It was a blind trial, so I wouldn't know if I got the placebo or drug. I'm not even too sure if they offer ipi for Stage 3 patients which is completely stupid.
Interferon has been around for a long time and it has worked on some people, but not on others. It has also made people sick for a year which my oncologust didn't want me to experience. IPI is new and targets the immune system and I personally feel there is more hope with that than Interferon with Stage 3. I also think it's a great idea to boost his immune system the best he can with supplements and immune boosting foods.
Hopefully your husband is with a good melanoma specialist who'll help him the best he can. You'll also know how things are when you get the PET scan results shortly. I would encourage your husband to do something then nothing, especially if he had either a deep tumour or lymph node involvement.
Wishing you all the very best!
Lisa
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- October 28, 2011 at 12:48 am
Hi Karrie,
My husband was diagnosed in 2001 at stage 3, he progressed to stage IV June 2010, he is currently a late responder to ipi and we are waiting for our 3 mos scans. There are definitely more choices in the US but we do have many here, I am not sure what cancer centre you are at, we have been to Kingston, Sunnybrook, and are now at PMH in Toronto. Contact Annette Cyr at the Melanoma Network of Canada (can google it) and she will be really up to date on what is available. Derek did do interferon for a year June 2007 to June 2008. He did pretty well and I think it worked in that it delayed his progression to stage 4 by 8-12 months (there was a lymph node in his right lung that held more or less steady until about 11 mos after interferon then it began to grow. It is a tough decision but once he makes his decision don't look back. Email me if you wouldlike – [email protected]
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- October 28, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Thank you everyone. He is being treated at the Ottawa Cancer Centre- at the General Hospital. I think I just wanted to know if I am doing everything I possibly can to make sure he gets through this. All the information you have provided has proved very helpful and its nice to know I am not alone!
Thank you all again.
Karrie
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- October 28, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Thank you everyone. He is being treated at the Ottawa Cancer Centre- at the General Hospital. I think I just wanted to know if I am doing everything I possibly can to make sure he gets through this. All the information you have provided has proved very helpful and its nice to know I am not alone!
Thank you all again.
Karrie
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- October 28, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Thank you everyone. He is being treated at the Ottawa Cancer Centre- at the General Hospital. I think I just wanted to know if I am doing everything I possibly can to make sure he gets through this. All the information you have provided has proved very helpful and its nice to know I am not alone!
Thank you all again.
Karrie
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- October 28, 2011 at 12:48 am
Hi Karrie,
My husband was diagnosed in 2001 at stage 3, he progressed to stage IV June 2010, he is currently a late responder to ipi and we are waiting for our 3 mos scans. There are definitely more choices in the US but we do have many here, I am not sure what cancer centre you are at, we have been to Kingston, Sunnybrook, and are now at PMH in Toronto. Contact Annette Cyr at the Melanoma Network of Canada (can google it) and she will be really up to date on what is available. Derek did do interferon for a year June 2007 to June 2008. He did pretty well and I think it worked in that it delayed his progression to stage 4 by 8-12 months (there was a lymph node in his right lung that held more or less steady until about 11 mos after interferon then it began to grow. It is a tough decision but once he makes his decision don't look back. Email me if you wouldlike – [email protected]
-
- October 28, 2011 at 12:48 am
Hi Karrie,
My husband was diagnosed in 2001 at stage 3, he progressed to stage IV June 2010, he is currently a late responder to ipi and we are waiting for our 3 mos scans. There are definitely more choices in the US but we do have many here, I am not sure what cancer centre you are at, we have been to Kingston, Sunnybrook, and are now at PMH in Toronto. Contact Annette Cyr at the Melanoma Network of Canada (can google it) and she will be really up to date on what is available. Derek did do interferon for a year June 2007 to June 2008. He did pretty well and I think it worked in that it delayed his progression to stage 4 by 8-12 months (there was a lymph node in his right lung that held more or less steady until about 11 mos after interferon then it began to grow. It is a tough decision but once he makes his decision don't look back. Email me if you wouldlike – [email protected]
-
- October 27, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Hi Karrie,
I'm sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. I"m in Toronto and when I was Stage 3 earlier this year, I was offered Interferon or an ipi clinical trial. My oncologist didn't like the numbers for Interferon and encouraged me to take part in the ipi trial which I signed up for. It was a blind trial, so I wouldn't know if I got the placebo or drug. I'm not even too sure if they offer ipi for Stage 3 patients which is completely stupid.
Interferon has been around for a long time and it has worked on some people, but not on others. It has also made people sick for a year which my oncologust didn't want me to experience. IPI is new and targets the immune system and I personally feel there is more hope with that than Interferon with Stage 3. I also think it's a great idea to boost his immune system the best he can with supplements and immune boosting foods.
Hopefully your husband is with a good melanoma specialist who'll help him the best he can. You'll also know how things are when you get the PET scan results shortly. I would encourage your husband to do something then nothing, especially if he had either a deep tumour or lymph node involvement.
Wishing you all the very best!
Lisa
-
- October 27, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Hi Karrie,
I'm sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. I"m in Toronto and when I was Stage 3 earlier this year, I was offered Interferon or an ipi clinical trial. My oncologist didn't like the numbers for Interferon and encouraged me to take part in the ipi trial which I signed up for. It was a blind trial, so I wouldn't know if I got the placebo or drug. I'm not even too sure if they offer ipi for Stage 3 patients which is completely stupid.
Interferon has been around for a long time and it has worked on some people, but not on others. It has also made people sick for a year which my oncologust didn't want me to experience. IPI is new and targets the immune system and I personally feel there is more hope with that than Interferon with Stage 3. I also think it's a great idea to boost his immune system the best he can with supplements and immune boosting foods.
Hopefully your husband is with a good melanoma specialist who'll help him the best he can. You'll also know how things are when you get the PET scan results shortly. I would encourage your husband to do something then nothing, especially if he had either a deep tumour or lymph node involvement.
Wishing you all the very best!
Lisa
-
- October 27, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Karrie,
You may want to contact:
Tammy Udall
Director, Program Development
Melanoma Network of Canada
Direct Line: (289) 814-2884
[email protected]I am sorry you have to go through this melanoma journey.
Best regards,
Jimmy B
-
- October 27, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Karrie,
You may want to contact:
Tammy Udall
Director, Program Development
Melanoma Network of Canada
Direct Line: (289) 814-2884
[email protected]I am sorry you have to go through this melanoma journey.
Best regards,
Jimmy B
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- October 29, 2011 at 3:38 am
Interferon for me did not work out as we planned for as I had to quit it after 3 months because of getting so sick. Ends up I developed pancreatitus and spent almost 2 months in hospitals trying to get over it. I do believ however that getting throu the first month of high doses has kept me from progressing to stage 4 as it has been since march of this year when I started it and quit in late may. Still stage 3 and hope to stay that way.
-
- October 29, 2011 at 3:38 am
Interferon for me did not work out as we planned for as I had to quit it after 3 months because of getting so sick. Ends up I developed pancreatitus and spent almost 2 months in hospitals trying to get over it. I do believ however that getting throu the first month of high doses has kept me from progressing to stage 4 as it has been since march of this year when I started it and quit in late may. Still stage 3 and hope to stay that way.
-
- October 29, 2011 at 3:38 am
Interferon for me did not work out as we planned for as I had to quit it after 3 months because of getting so sick. Ends up I developed pancreatitus and spent almost 2 months in hospitals trying to get over it. I do believ however that getting throu the first month of high doses has kept me from progressing to stage 4 as it has been since march of this year when I started it and quit in late may. Still stage 3 and hope to stay that way.
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