Metastatic Malignant Melanoma

packy1 said:

my husband was diagnosed
my husband was diagnosed 5/5/08 with stage IV. He had a brain tumor removed on that date then radiation and chemo. Now he is scanned every 3 months. He will be scanned in 2 weeks. We live for a good sign every 3 months.

brain metastasis
HI Packy1. I am new here. I am curious as to symptoms leading to brain diagnosis.

I was diagnosed in 1992 with mid-central back lesion, and have been through numerous resections through 2003, including small intestine, chest wall, thigh and glutes, multiple lymph nodes. 2003 was my last known tumor and I have been disease free since, BUT I have not had a brain MRI in ten years.

I have been dizzy and fuzzy headed for several years (could be anything), had a supraclavicular lymphadenopathy for 4 years. I am tired all the time now and have developed severe anxiety along with mild headaches and mild nausea and mild low back pain for several months. CT of chest abdomen and pelvis are OK (no typical presentations) according to my doc.

This may be nothing, or nothing related to melanoma, but no one has been able to relieve these symptoms and it just occurred to me that I have had no brain check for ten years.
Worry overcomes me rarely since I am a miracle according to statistics but I do not want to be ignorant. Your help and any others would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Afamily Member said:

Trying to keep hope
My sister had malanoma 2 yrs ago..she had chemo and beat it. Last Tuesday she went in to the emergency room because her leg was giving out and her hip was hurting lots. She had a MRI and PET Scan n found that the malanoma had spread. She had it in spine and 3 small tumors in brain. The doctors give her 2-4 weeks. This was devastating to our family because we had no clue this was going on...she thought it was a pinched nerve. Does anyone have suggestions as to what treatments may prolong her life. She has 3 small children. Thank you all!

Never Give Up!
To A Family Member -

My significant other was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma earlier this year. It started with a mole on his back, traveled to lymph nodes, and now three small spots in the brain. He had stereotactic radiation on April 11 and started a combination treatment of Yervoy and Dacarbazine on April 17. The initial report of his latest MRI on Thursday is that there are no additional lesions and the three are not any larger. They appear to have dark centers on the MRI which indicates they may be dying. We are waiting to get the final report from the radiologist . . . fingers and toes are crossed.

While melanoma is uncurable at this time, there are some new drugs being used which show promising results; as well as some on the horizon.

We can never give up hope. Doctors may place a time limit; however, they don't know everything. God is the healer; the doctors are merely the tools to carry out the plan.

Thoughts and prayers are with you!