Hello new here, saying hello

Hi Ms Win6ea1f0 and a very warm welcome to the group which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

I don't have experience with Stage 3 melanoma, but I know that no matter what stage it is, waiting for treatment to start can be a very emotional time.

There are lots of people who have Stage 3 melanoma in the group and I'm sure they'll be happy to share their treatment experiences with you if you want to know anything before or after you've seen the oncologist.

Anne

Thanks for replying. Yes I hope someone with stage 3 will contact me.

Hi. I’m a stage 3, but only a 3A, meaning only one of the removed lymph nodes had melanoma in it. I’ve had the MRI and CT scans and it was not found to have spread. I would suspect that your treatment would involve immunotherapy, which for your stage would happen regardless of whether or not it was found in the lymph (this is what I was told by my oncologist). I was offered immunotherapy, but declined.

Hi,

I started as Stage 3 however ended up as Stage 4 after cancer was detected in my liver and lungs.

Almost certainly you’ll be offered immunotherapy, and whilst the list of potential side-effects is daunting, in my case nothing like as daunting as the prognosis without treatment….

In my case, I had very few short term side effects (a little fatigue in the couple of days after treatment - easily sorted with a one-hour nap), and the cancer in my liver and lungs shrank away in the first few months of treatment.

Immunotherapy is a game changer in melanoma treatment, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly - even though some people do struggle with the side effects.

Good luck going forwards.

Hi

I'm also a stage 3, not sure which one yet, due for a WLE of a Metastasis on my leg in September.

I'm due to start adjuvant immunotherapy either later on this year or early next year.

I'm finding the not knowing about which kind of immunotherapy I'm going to have. My biopsy should have been sent for BRAF testing but it's not been done yet.

Some days will be better than others. Do you have any supportive friends or family? Sometimes just having a chat can make you feel better.

Hi, I had Stage 3 Melanoma. I’ve just had my last treatment with immunotherapy Nivolumab. My melanoma was slightly unusual by the fact that nothing has ever been found on my skin instead I had a large lump (golf club size) come up overnight in my neck. I had an operation June 24 and started treatment September 24. Although scans did pick up some other things I’ve had no sign of melanoma. I’m Braf negative so went straight on immunotherapy. Treatment has been relatively easy. Mainly tiredness although I have more recently had problems with adrenal glands. I think immunotherapy is a game changer and I’m sure you will be offered it. It is a very emotional time and it takes a while to get your head round it. I always get very anxious until I get results of a scan but at the same time I’m also anxious that scans will now only be every 6 months rather than 3/4 months. Hope starting treatment will ease your mind a bit 

Thanks for that. Yes I have been told I will be having immunotherapy. First Oncology meeting with Consultant is 15th September. I presume I won't actually start treatment till after that appointment at Glan Clwyd Hospital