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Where to get detailed statistics for treatment options?
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Where to get detailed statistics for treatment options?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Where to get detailed statistics for treatment options?

  • Post
    • February 22, 2014 at 9:59 am
    GeeCee
    Participant
      Hi, I'm trying to find detailed survival and adverse event statistics so I can advise my stage IV 70 year old fathe with metastatic sites in the liver and both lungs.
       
      We're trying to decide whether to start chemo (Bacarbazine) whilst waiting for another liver biopsy looking for any mutation (the first biopsy missed all cancerous cells!). We expect this to take 4 weeks (in the UK on the National Health Service).
       
      I know that Bacarbazine is ineffective in 85% of cases! but that's for all patient groups! what's its efficacy for 70 year old men?
       
      Similarly, Bacarbazine is considered well tolerated, but again that's for all patient groups, my father is not in good health. What are the instances of adverse events for him likely to be?
       
      Can anyone point me at studies that publish these detailed statistics please?
       
      Many thanks.
    Viewing 14 reply threads
    • Replies
        • February 22, 2014 at 3:54 pm
        Janner
        Participant

          I don't think you are going to find all that stats you want.  Everyone responds differently.  But something to keep in mind is that men over 60 are the most likely to get melanoma.  So any info showing tolerance is likely to have many in the male over 60 category.  If you do find tolerance stats by age/gender, please post them here.

          • February 22, 2014 at 3:54 pm
          Janner
          Participant

            I don't think you are going to find all that stats you want.  Everyone responds differently.  But something to keep in mind is that men over 60 are the most likely to get melanoma.  So any info showing tolerance is likely to have many in the male over 60 category.  If you do find tolerance stats by age/gender, please post them here.

            • February 22, 2014 at 3:54 pm
            Janner
            Participant

              I don't think you are going to find all that stats you want.  Everyone responds differently.  But something to keep in mind is that men over 60 are the most likely to get melanoma.  So any info showing tolerance is likely to have many in the male over 60 category.  If you do find tolerance stats by age/gender, please post them here.

              • February 22, 2014 at 5:18 pm
              POW
              Participant

                I have never seen a compilation of all of the statistics for all treatment options, much less any that were broken down by patient age. If your father is trying to choose between two particular treatment options, we might be able to help you with that. 

                • February 22, 2014 at 5:18 pm
                POW
                Participant

                  I have never seen a compilation of all of the statistics for all treatment options, much less any that were broken down by patient age. If your father is trying to choose between two particular treatment options, we might be able to help you with that. 

                  • February 22, 2014 at 5:18 pm
                  POW
                  Participant

                    I have never seen a compilation of all of the statistics for all treatment options, much less any that were broken down by patient age. If your father is trying to choose between two particular treatment options, we might be able to help you with that. 

                    • February 23, 2014 at 12:43 am
                    jim Breitfeller
                    Participant
                      • February 23, 2014 at 12:43 am
                      jim Breitfeller
                      Participant
                        • February 23, 2014 at 12:43 am
                        jim Breitfeller
                        Participant
                          • February 23, 2014 at 12:52 am
                          Charlie S
                          Participant

                            Though I undedrstand your need, please understand that cancer statistics alone are only a representation of what happened to a certain group of people in the past; and are in  no way a prediction  of what will happen to any one individual in the future.

                            That said and with the caveat of only expressing an opinion; chemotherapy, in the context of modern treatment approaches to melanoma is quite out dated.

                            Charlie S

                             

                            • February 23, 2014 at 12:52 am
                            Charlie S
                            Participant

                              Though I undedrstand your need, please understand that cancer statistics alone are only a representation of what happened to a certain group of people in the past; and are in  no way a prediction  of what will happen to any one individual in the future.

                              That said and with the caveat of only expressing an opinion; chemotherapy, in the context of modern treatment approaches to melanoma is quite out dated.

                              Charlie S

                               

                              • February 23, 2014 at 12:52 am
                              Charlie S
                              Participant

                                Though I undedrstand your need, please understand that cancer statistics alone are only a representation of what happened to a certain group of people in the past; and are in  no way a prediction  of what will happen to any one individual in the future.

                                That said and with the caveat of only expressing an opinion; chemotherapy, in the context of modern treatment approaches to melanoma is quite out dated.

                                Charlie S

                                 

                                • February 23, 2014 at 7:55 am
                                NursePhyllis
                                Participant

                                  there are several places to get statistics that aren't biased, such as http://www.nih.gov, the CDC. the american cancer society.  if you want to find out the results of specific studies you can usually find them under http://www.clintrials.gov

                                  • February 23, 2014 at 7:55 am
                                  NursePhyllis
                                  Participant

                                    there are several places to get statistics that aren't biased, such as http://www.nih.gov, the CDC. the american cancer society.  if you want to find out the results of specific studies you can usually find them under http://www.clintrials.gov

                                    • February 23, 2014 at 7:55 am
                                    NursePhyllis
                                    Participant

                                      there are several places to get statistics that aren't biased, such as http://www.nih.gov, the CDC. the american cancer society.  if you want to find out the results of specific studies you can usually find them under http://www.clintrials.gov

                                        • February 24, 2014 at 6:25 am
                                        GeeCee
                                        Participant

                                          Thanks for all the replies. I've spent the last few hours on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov but couldn't find a study that just showed Dacarbazine vs a placebo, and none that gave response rates by age group. It seems crazy to me that the baseline chemo treatment hasn't been evaluated on its own for efficacy.

                                          I did find some studies that showed Dacarbazine on its own, but as the competitor for other drugs, however no breakdown by age and gender eg:

                                          http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00110994

                                          Anyone know how to get the detailed results or original published paper?

                                          either way, looking at the studies, it seems that with chemo (Bacarbazine) you are still talking a life expectancy of less than a year. Whilst if there's a response, you can expect to be progression free for a few months, the likelihood of serious adverse events is about 25%, and of other adverse events is high with a broad range of likely side effects.

                                          Is it worth extending life by a few months, only to have those months filled with more medical complications and misery? That's the key question.

                                           

                                          • February 24, 2014 at 6:25 am
                                          GeeCee
                                          Participant

                                            Thanks for all the replies. I've spent the last few hours on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov but couldn't find a study that just showed Dacarbazine vs a placebo, and none that gave response rates by age group. It seems crazy to me that the baseline chemo treatment hasn't been evaluated on its own for efficacy.

                                            I did find some studies that showed Dacarbazine on its own, but as the competitor for other drugs, however no breakdown by age and gender eg:

                                            http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00110994

                                            Anyone know how to get the detailed results or original published paper?

                                            either way, looking at the studies, it seems that with chemo (Bacarbazine) you are still talking a life expectancy of less than a year. Whilst if there's a response, you can expect to be progression free for a few months, the likelihood of serious adverse events is about 25%, and of other adverse events is high with a broad range of likely side effects.

                                            Is it worth extending life by a few months, only to have those months filled with more medical complications and misery? That's the key question.

                                             

                                            • February 24, 2014 at 6:25 am
                                            GeeCee
                                            Participant

                                              Thanks for all the replies. I've spent the last few hours on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov but couldn't find a study that just showed Dacarbazine vs a placebo, and none that gave response rates by age group. It seems crazy to me that the baseline chemo treatment hasn't been evaluated on its own for efficacy.

                                              I did find some studies that showed Dacarbazine on its own, but as the competitor for other drugs, however no breakdown by age and gender eg:

                                              http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00110994

                                              Anyone know how to get the detailed results or original published paper?

                                              either way, looking at the studies, it seems that with chemo (Bacarbazine) you are still talking a life expectancy of less than a year. Whilst if there's a response, you can expect to be progression free for a few months, the likelihood of serious adverse events is about 25%, and of other adverse events is high with a broad range of likely side effects.

                                              Is it worth extending life by a few months, only to have those months filled with more medical complications and misery? That's the key question.

                                               

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