Another knockback

Hi there. I am so sorry to hear this and hope you hear quickly what her hospital proposes. I heard on 23 February that the result of a PETscan had moved me to Stage 4 melanoma. What started in a right arm mole then spread to an armpit node now was agreed to have appeared as a nodule in the left lung. 

I was offered a chance in a trial but that fell through because I failed on some criterion for eligibility. After further discussion I consented to starting on Pembro six-weekly from 29 March.

I do you your wife hears soon about the next step x Rob

Thanks for your reply Rob and sorry to hear your situation but glad there’s a plan and you’re starting treatment.They say there’s treatment options but recovery from the surgery is priority first as the further treatment could be gruelling.I know the consultants/surgeons are brilliant at what they do but the way they sometimes break the news is like they’ve just dropped a hand grenade on the bed,walked away and left you to deal with it

Hello Paull,

Similar to the experience of your wife, I was diagnosed with nodular melanoma after the removal of a mole from my right shoulder area in late 2019. A subsequent biopsy of my armpit lymph node revealed the spread of the melanoma into my system. A PET-scan detected further shadowing in my left lung upper lobe area. I was immediately started on the one-year Pembro/Keytruda immunotherapy regimen at my local oncology clinic which was completed in2021.

Immunotherapy presents different problems for different people, but I was fortunate and had little to no side effects from the treatment. Itchy skin and Keytruda- induced colonitis were my main concerns but these were temporary and never bad enough to result in missing work or planned family events.

4 PET-scans, innumerable blood draws and many CT-scans later I have been diagnosed as "full remission and cancer-free" and will only be required to have annual CT scans. I'm posting this to you to let you know that immunotherapy was truly a Godsend for me personally and I have read of so many others with successful outcomes from this treatment. Many successful outcomes at the clinic where I am a patient. I know how overwhelming the news of melanoma can be, but sometimes we just have to trust the process. Advancements in the field of melanoma treatment have helped so many of us. I wish you both the best in your journey.

God bless,

Dave

Hi Paul, sorry to hear about your wife. I was diagnosed in Jan with stage 4D Melanoma. Found in Liver, Brain, spine and many other parts. I've had 1 session of Ippy and Nivo immunotherapy as well as radiotherapy on both brain and spine. I suffered hepatitis of the liver twice now and been on steroids and immunosuppressive drugs. The good news is my latest pet scans and MRI scans shows the tumors have reduced in size and once off the drugs I will start on the Nivo maintenance programme.  So I supposed my point is I've been waiting for treatment and worried how I will get on with fighting the cancer without getting regular treatment. But once your wife has recovered from the surgery you can concentrate on the treatment side. Focus on the now not the when.  I've been looking at my diet and introducing detox ingredients like Amla powder and if you read enough there are foods out there which will boost your wife's immune system and help to fight the cancer until she starts her drug sessions. Take a look at ' how to starve cancer' by Jane McClelland..

Evening.  I am sorry to read about your wife’s diagnosis.  
I was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma November 2020.  Original melanoma was a mole on my chest which had spread to my stomach and small bowels.  My oncologists plan of action was December major surgery  for a bowel resection then had to recover before the next plan for treatment.  I started my first round of ipi/nivo in the March of 2021 I went downhill quite quickly as the tumour in my duodenum was causing a complete blockage and anything I ate or drank came straight back up.  So April 2021 I had palliative surgery on my stomach  the tumour in my stomach removed but couldn’t remove the tumour in my duodenum so my surgery entailed bypassing my duodenum.  In the May I continued with the ipi/nivo had 2 further combination treatments then a 6 week break before starting on just nivolumab.  Fast forward nearly 2 years and been having nivolumab every 4 weeks and my last 2 scans are showing no evidence of disease. So it really has been a lifesaver for me.  I would trust my oncologist with my life and will be guided by what he says and advises.  Having a positive mental attitude I think makes a big difference. 

Hi Rob,thinking about you and hoping you’ve started your treatment and it is going well?
my wife is starting Ipilimumab and Nivolumab on the 24th April,every 3 weeks for 4 sessions then drop to one of the treatments every 3weeks for two years.She had a bad day at the weekend,angry,sad and upset and obviously the why question but she is generally doing okay,though she did crack her ribs 2 weeks after the surgery trying to have a bath,while I was out,so we’ve had a tough time with pain management for the last 3 weeks.Not ideal when they told us she needed to recover and get as well as she can eh?
We hope this immunotherapy treatment can make a difference and I hope the side effects aren’t too bad for her or yourself.

Paul

Hi Paul. So sorry to hear about your wife's fall.  I hope the treatment starting in ten days time begins to give you both a more hopeful outlook re the cancer.  I've now been on Pembro for two weeks so too early to report news.  Apparently any side effects are most likely to appear from June onwards.  At present I try to remind myself that many people have these treatments with only passing side effects!!  Good wishes to you both for the coming weeks.

Rob