Mom with Melanoma

gyadres
gyadres Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Skin Cancer #1
My mother was just diagnosed with Stage 3 melanoma. So far, she had the mole removed and her first injection of interferon this morning. I have been reading some of the messages posted in this website and some of you had posted that the infected lymph node was also surgically removed. I hace some concerns because the doctor that my mother went to advised against the surgical removal of the lymph node saying that the disease might spread further if removed. Is this advisable? Has there been reported cases that the cancer did spread upon removal of the infected lymph node?
The doctor just recommended the one year treatment with interferon plus chemotheraphy.
I still can't seem to accept that my mother has melanoma. She was always the person who will be using an umbrella even on a cloudy day. I've been slacking off work researching on the web on information regarding melanoma. I have read a lot regarding melanoma and its treatment for the past 5 hours. Hope you could reply to my concern...

Comments

  • blujae
    blujae Member Posts: 7
    #2
    I go by the name blujae here at csn and i have a gallery page with my picture and story. I am sorry that your mother has been diagnosed with melanom. I too have melanoma. I am 41 and have been battling vaginal melanoma now for 14 months. I have 3 children 16, 18, 20. I got melanoma where the sun does not shine and found that this desease is not discriminating to any part of the body. Mine however, is very rare. The doctors did wide local incision to remove the tumors, which I found too late, unfortunately, for a good prognosis. They did palliative radiation also. Burned me beyong belief. But, I have survived now longer than they first expected. They did not remove any lymph nodes from me either. They said it would not make a difference for me if they did and it would risk the cancer spreading to those areas if it had not already. I wish you and your mother much luck in her battle with this dreaded desease and for your own sake, you should be checked by a dermatologist every year. My kids will be...you see both my grandmothers died of melanoma and I am dying also. It is a hereditary cancer and you should find out if there had been any one else in your families with it. Good luck and God Bless. Blujae
  • Bruce2768
    Bruce2768 Member Posts: 9
    #3
    How is your mom doing? My husband has stage 4, had stage 3 prior...Dr Donald Morton is the surgeon who invented the blue node technique of checking the lymph nodes. I hope that you have had a second opinion. It's interesting the doctor comments. My husband did go to stage 4 - 6 months after the removal of his lymph nodes in his groin. He is currently doing Interleulkin 2 and daily shots of same, following a strong bio chemotherapy regimen, that did put it in remission for nearly a year. Now he has had soft tissue recurrences. I hope you receive this. I'd like to talk again.

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