Stage 3b acral awaiting urgent scans - help!

Hi bb18

I have stage 3b melanoma diagnosed during COVID and had surgery twice (WLE and SNTB] and one year of immunotherapy. I’m now clear of it. immunotherapy for me was exhausting but so far it has worked. I am hopeful that I’m over it all now.  Take one day at a time do the treatment and read up about your condition on web. I found being knowledgeable about the type of cancer helped me stay in control and calm. Not knowing scares me. From my research it does seem like melanoma is more and more treatable now than five years ago. So fingers crossed you will come out the other side of this. 

Good luck. Feel free to ask any questions. Happy to help. I found this online community very comforting and useful, 

Hello, thank you so much for this - it’s great that your treatment has worked. I’m the same as you and have done some more research today. I like to know and understand though can’t help panic about some of the stuff I’ve read! Feeling more positive tonight though as I have appointments for scans in the diary at least. Thank you again. 

Hi BB18,

Mbl97100 has given you most excellent advice and I wanted to chime in in the hope that I may offer encouragement.

I was diagnosed Stage 3 melanoma in early 2021. My melanoma presented on my right shoulder and melanoma was found in my lymph nodes in my armpit area. Initial PET-scans also revealed further shadowing in my lung. I immediately began the 1-year immunotherapy treatment prescribed by my oncologist. After completion of treatment, subsequent PET-scans and further CT-scans my oncologist has declared me cancer-free. At the Oncology Clinic I have met others with similar and successful treatment results.

Immuntherapy is a game-changer. In my opinion you should not research or dwell on out-dated life-expectancy studies that do not reflect recent advances in melanoma treatment, particularly immunotherapy, because statistics have not caught up with all of the recent beneficial medical advances. I initially made the mistake of looking at the older studies and it scared me to death. It's a scary time for you, but stay positive and trust the treatment program.

Immunotherapy was very easy for me, but it is different for everyone. I am a 65-year old male, BTW. I found it helpful to concentrate on the things in my control. Eating right, exercising daily (walking is good), prayer/meditation and just taking care of myself might have been contributing factors. My only problems were Keytruda -induced colitis, itchy skin and occasional weird memory lapses. Never missed a day of work or any family event.

I hope that you will stay positive and know that this is a treatable disease today. I wish you well and all the best along your treatment journey.

God Bless,

Dave

Hi Dave, thank you so much for sharing all of this. I’m feeling much more positive and you have both really helped me get there! 

That’s a really interesting point you make about treatment advances and stats and one to remember. 

I’ve also got my scans and oncology appts in the diary which is a relief - there’s so much admin around all of this! 

Thank you again & I’m so glad to hear you’re doing well.