Melanoma...Now Metastasis??

kelliep910
kelliep910 Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Skin Cancer #1
My father was diagnosed with melanoma several months ago. He had surgery to remove the whole cheek area from his face and had plastic surgery to correct any abnormalities the surgery left...Biopsies of the lymph nodes revealed no cancer had spread. He had his last radiation treatmet 3 weeks ago...However, he developed a film over his right eye and went to the eye doctor and they said it was just a fast growing cateract which would require cateract surgery. He is scared the cancer from his face has metastasized to his eye...What are the chances of this if the biopsies came back clear??

Comments

  • Carvs
    Carvs Member Posts: 30
    #2
    Hi,
    I am sorry about your father. I know how scary this must all be. My guess would be that if your father's eye doctor thinks that it is cateracts that is probably accurate. However, to reassure you and your father perhaps he should check with his oncologist. I know that the type of melanoma which shows up in the eye is very rare. I have stage 3 melanoma. Mine was on my thigh and metastasized to one lymph node (only a small focus of melanoma made it to the node). I have found the MPIP to be a very good source of information on melanoma and they have an active board so you and your father may want to check that out. Following is that link http://www.mpip.org/
    Good luck
  • LLukin
    LLukin Member Posts: 3
    #3
    I have not anything become metastasized. It seems that if the nodes are clear I would think it hasn't spread. Are they saying is has?
  • johnfrancis
    johnfrancis Member Posts: 2
    #4
    Carvs said:

    Hi,
    I am sorry about your father. I know how scary this must all be. My guess would be that if your father's eye doctor thinks that it is cateracts that is probably accurate. However, to reassure you and your father perhaps he should check with his oncologist. I know that the type of melanoma which shows up in the eye is very rare. I have stage 3 melanoma. Mine was on my thigh and metastasized to one lymph node (only a small focus of melanoma made it to the node). I have found the MPIP to be a very good source of information on melanoma and they have an active board so you and your father may want to check that out. Following is that link http://www.mpip.org/
    Good luck

    Hello Carvs:
    My wife had a melanoma 2 years ago, and it was removed, along with one lymph node. All other tests came out clear, so we thought we were out of the woods. Last week, she had a pain in her upper right arm. After a bone scan and a needle biopsy, they determined it has metastasized and formed a tumor in her upper left arm bone. Last test is next Wednesday, when we do a Pet-Scan to see if it has spread to the soft tissue (we hope not)., Then, we meet with the oncologist at Dana Farber on Thursday to discuss treatment options.
    Right now, I don't know enough about this disease. What is the survival rate? Is medicine and treatments catching up to this disease? What are our chances? Can you share some info about your own history? I would like to know if you and my wife have similarities, and what your successes/experiences have been to date.
    Thanx,

    John
  • strykfrce
    strykfrce Member Posts: 2
    #5
    Hi there,im 35 and was diagnosed with stageIII melanoma,which i discovered i had a lump under the right arm pit area.Went to the specialists,and he wanted to do surgery,thought it may be a lymphnode,sure enough while still under anestesia,come to find out a tumor was removed and tested to melanoma,when they told me this i could not believe what i was hearing.1 month later i had several moles removed from my chest and back,all came back binign.Went to have a pet scan and come to find out other nodes showed activity,so now wet to undergo another surgery to remove 35 mor lymphnodes from the same area and 6 were found to be cancerous.Shorty after the 2nd surgery my right eye started getting spots or looked to be spots moving,so i went to wills eye in phila.and found out i had a rare thing call m.a.r melanoma associated retropaty,due to melanoma,most likely from the nerves that associate around the eyes and lymphnodes placement.Im not blind but visibility at night becomes blurry,during the day is fine.Im in my 2nd month of treatment of temadar and a trial study at the university of penn and the trial drug bay 43-9006,not much side effects from the chempo pill temadar except a little bit of weight loss,the bay however is very hard due to the side effects,which are very sore feet and hands which makes it hard to walk or use your hands swelling of face and redness and rashes.The experirence with the bay drug has been truly hard for me because i do flooring for a living and have my own business,but the will power i have,no matter how much pain im in im working,and the positive attitude is the key.Ive had days where i wish i could keel over, but reality is for me , i have a job to do keeping fit and doiung all that i have been doing,and staying encouraged is most inportant.I just had my 2month cat scan yesterday,and will be going to university of penn on tues to see how the treatment is working.My body feels great thanlfully since the pet scan,it only showed activity in my lower ab and pelvis,but no swollen lymphnodes,i pray every day to stay stong and confident,and with that is what keeps me going.

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