Skin cancer

Dear Sad eyes     I know exactly where you are. I had a mole on my neck removed. I knew it was naughty but the wait for confirmation was worrying. My very supportive wife always works on "Prepare for worst, hope for the best". So what we did was begin to get my lifestyle tidied up in case of future surgeries and or medication. I stepped up my exercise, reviewed my diet including reading some scientific papers on the role of biome in possibly supporting  immunotherapy treatment. We resurrected a former habit of meditating twice a day together. Above all, I determined to be positive. This damned cancer has to cope with me  - NOT - me cope with it. Like my football team, we tried to make the home ground hostile to "visitors".  Wide margin surgery came and went but the melanoma escaped into local lymph nodes. I have had the first round of immunotherapy. I'm good - but under no illusion that side effects could get significant.  I have to say it really helped me getting into a very positive frame of mind ahead of all this. It has become a habit and I've coped with disappointment of "failed" surgery and having to face three-weekly infusions. Throughout - support from NHS and Macmillan has been fabulous. You can fight this Sad eyes! I'm not saying I don't get scared. I did 500 parachute jumps and was always frightened, but use that fear and turn it on the cancer. Make it small; overwhelm it; don't let it grind you down. Stacks of evidence to show that a positive mindset supports your immune system. Good luck. Keep chatting. We all suport you. 

Dear Sigfreid

please can you share the info you found about biomes and diet relating to Immunotherapy. I have treatment every 6 weeks for a year as it was also in my Lymph nodes - I have had 7 treatments and 2 left. I have had a lot more fresh and veges and fruit and mostly organic for all including meat and fish. Would love more guidance if there is. Many thanks 

Hi Siegfreid, love your positivity it’s really inspiring! I think I’ll feel better when I get my full diagnosis & know a plan, but the waiting is torture as I’m sure you can imagine! I’m trying to kp busy but it’s getting abit tedious nowas I seem to never be going forward! Fingers crossed I’ll have news soon! I hope your treatment continues to go well ! We’re all in this together

Siegfried sorry to highjack sad eyes post but would you mind telling me a bit more about the mole on your neck? I've just had mine removed yesterday and I'm really panicking as I'm led to believe on the neck isn't ideal xx

Hi Jazz5. This is a paper that first caught my eye co-authored by Tim Spector, currently  known for his regular reports on Covid on the Oxford Zoe platform.  

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32889369/

Other interesting papers that don't really give specific dietary advice are 1. 

https://www.oncobiome.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Trial-watch-the-gut-microbiota-as-a-tool-to-boost-the-clinical-efficacy-of-anticancer-immunotherapy.pdf

and 2.  

https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/Suppl_3/A409.1     

You can get at more through Pubmed. A doctor called Jeffrey Weber in New York is, I believe, doing work on microbime in relation to immunotherapy that might eventually give out more practical advice.  I am currently cautious but Tim Spector talks about fermented foods having a beneficial effect on the biome. I am limiting myself to drinking quality, accredited Kefir.  It is not a proven science but compelling. I'd discuss it with your medical team before making radical changes to your diet.

Thanks, Sad eyes - I had a message just now from a former colleague. He just had lunch with a doctor friend who underwent the immunotherapy nine years ago for Grade IV metastatic melanoma. Nine years ago!  and he is currently CLEAR - Well enough, apparently, to have downed four pints for lunch! (cor, I remember those days - just!). success stories are out there. Let's make them ours!!!

Hi Buddie21. We'd been keeping an eye on a pigmented area of my neck that didn't change much but my wife was always suspicious of it. I presented it to my GP over 18mnths ago and he thought it was ok. A year on and my wife sent me back again when a referral was arranged for 5 weeks on. But then it really did become different looking and darker and the GP contacted the dermatologist who saw me promptly. The mole was removed two weeks later and confirmed melanoma with good margins but by the time the surgeon did a post op review there were 2 masses under my skin at the angle of my jaw.

Sentinel lymph nodes couldn't be found but skin margins were taken anyway. Then 2 weeks after that surgery a biopsy of one of the masses confirmed the melanoma had escaped. The surgeon explained there was no point removing the mass as the melanoma would already be escaping along local tissue routes like nerves, lymphatics etc.  So then I had full head and neck scans. Fortunately no obvious metastases elsewhere were seen and I was directed to the oncologist to get organised with immunotherapy.  You are right about the neck, Buddie21. As no 1 son said, "Hmm, it's a bit of a bottleneck, isn't it, Dad?" My fear was will it affect my quality of life before the immunotherapy starts or has time to work? Well, I've just had one treatment so far but I feel sure the masses feel smaller already . So we wait and see. I still feel very positive and touch wood, only a little occasional pain. I really hope your result is good and that is the end of it for you. Let us know how you get on. The waiting is awful and if you need to - come back and chat some more. Yell at your medical team if you notice any odd bumps or lumps in the surgical area. Good luck!

Thank you Siegfried. I love your positive attitude. I think because my neck is still tender and the Doctor said to rest I feel sorry for myself as I love to exercise. The dermatologist did say the concern is where it is and she really does believe it is a melanoma. But for now I wait and try my best to not get carried away with worst case scenarios and see what the results say on the 29th. I'm just annoyed I didn't get it checked sooner xx 

Buddie21. Don't be annoyed. It's wasted energy. You'll soon be able to exercise again. Look forward not back. 

1. You are very right!x