I don’t know what’s going on or who to talk too

Hello Chezzadolittle, I’m sorry to hear about your Dad’s diagnosis and how anxious it’s making you feel. I am a metastatic melanoma patient who was diagnosed in 2015 at the age of 56 so I’m hoping the fact that I’m still here gives you some hope. I am assuming that when you say your Dad has skin cancer that has spread to his lymph nodes and liver that it probably is a melanoma diagnosis, as the wide excision, biopsy, scans and mention of immunotherapy seem very familiar. 

With melanoma that has spread the treatment is usually either targeted therapy drugs (if the patient has a mutated BRAF gene like I did) or immunotherapy which I have had and was lucky enough to have very few side effects while on it and also that it worked so well on the many enlarged lymph nodes in my pelvic and abdominal region that No evidence of disease was seen for over a year. Some people are not so lucky and the drugs unfortunately do not work as well as that, or have side effects that are harsher and unfortunately medics can not tell how people will respond. I am encouraged that you have mentioned the tumour as only being 2 Cm and you have mentioned 5 tumours. Immunotherapy works on the whole body and fingers crossed I hope your Dad will see an improvement when he has his first scan after his treatment starts. 

So you are right when you say your questions are difficult to answer, my own experience is that I have met many people (by attending several melanoma patient conferences) that have had good and durable responses to immunotherapy but equally my own melanoma has returned and I am still undergoing treatment, and others who have sadly passed. My two daughters my husband and I feel it’s important to keep positive, and I try to eat a well balanced diet and exercise to help my immune system. Although I am classed as incurable I am still treatable and new treatments come along, infact I am currently enrolled on a trial for when my current treatment ceases to work. I made planned to write my will and do power of attorney as my prognosis at first was not good but new treatments became available and I’m still here and looking well. If you click on my user name you could read my profile if that helps. 

There are people in the melanoma group, if that is your Dads diagnosis that can also give their experience of immunotherapy. I had Pembrolizumab but others have had Ipilumamab or Ipilumamab and Nivolumab. Macmillan also have lots of info on the treatments as does the cancer research site. 

The Melanoma forum, can be found by just clicking on the link I’ve just put in.or you may want to also join the Family and friends - Discussion Forum as they will have been through the same how long quandaries.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Your response has really given me some hope and I’m so glad you are doing well. 
I honestly thought their was no chance but now I feel this isn’t the end. I have sent my dad your response to hopefully get his spirits up so he is more positive to beat this. He has his appointment on Wednesday to find out more about exactly what he has and what treatment he will be receive. 
I will update then but again thank you so much 

Thank you, I hope Wednesday’s consultation brings some good news for you both.