Very scared-please help. Stage II Melanoma

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  • cubsgirl21
    cubsgirl21 Member Posts: 12
    #22
    washoegal said:

    so if Chris heard them right......
    He owes you a great night out and a huge apology for worrying you so much! He may have heard a Clarks Level 2 at some time, which is different from the staging but I would doubt that this would go along with a in situ Melanoma.

    "The tumor is confined to epidermis and has not entered the dermis, a deeper layer of the skin. This stage of melanoma is also called Melanoma in situ. The tumor and some surrounding tissue are removed surgically. Usually no further treatment is necessary; however, continued skin examination to evaluate for a new melanoma or other skin cancer will continue."

    Mary

    Yeah i agree with you about
    Yeah i agree with you about him taking me out to dinner. I wish he would listen better. He definately is going to check himself often now. I think U of M told him he has to come back every once in a while to get checked again. He has a few other moles that he's going to ask about when he goes as well. They don't look like what the other one looked like, but he's going to ask about it anyways. I've been checking myself and my daughter lately more than usual. ;-) She doesn't have a spot on her and i have a few freckles, but nothing of concern. I hope Chris's surgery goes well. The thing i'm worried about is the spot where his mole was. It's right in the middle of his chest so there's not much skin there until you hit bone, so it's a really thin area. ;-(
  • Shines
    Shines Member Posts: 15
    #23
    cubsgirl21 said:

    Yeah i agree with you about
    Yeah i agree with you about him taking me out to dinner. I wish he would listen better. He definately is going to check himself often now. I think U of M told him he has to come back every once in a while to get checked again. He has a few other moles that he's going to ask about when he goes as well. They don't look like what the other one looked like, but he's going to ask about it anyways. I've been checking myself and my daughter lately more than usual. ;-) She doesn't have a spot on her and i have a few freckles, but nothing of concern. I hope Chris's surgery goes well. The thing i'm worried about is the spot where his mole was. It's right in the middle of his chest so there's not much skin there until you hit bone, so it's a really thin area. ;-(

    I agree
    Sounds good. Or better anyways.
    I think Chris will be okay from the wide excision, its amazing what they can do. My husbands was also on his chest but more in the fatty area. I think Mary was right sounds like he might of heard Clarks Level II. Which is so much better than stage II. Sounds like you caught it early. Which is GREAT. My husband is also a big golfer and now that he has gone through this he is always putting on the sun screen. (Tell Chris SUNSCREEN!!!!) Never did before as he never burned. He's always tanned. Not like me with red in my hair and freckles galore. Would of thought it was me that would of gotten it. Just goes to show you never know.
    Take care.
    Suzi
  • vertramper
    vertramper Member Posts: 4
    #24
    cubsgirl21 said:

    Yeah I do plan on talking to
    Yeah I do plan on talking to a doctor when i go pick Chris up for sure. Before I leave there, i want to know everything. So how long does he have to stay in the hospital when the surgery is over? Just wondering what to expect after surgery. It's scheduled for 2pm on the 29th. So Mary, you flew to the hospital? There wasn't anywhere closer that could do the surgery?

    Talk To Others
    Talk about it with others that have been there. Listen to the doc and take someone with you when you do talk to the doc. I only heard about half of what they ever said to me so my wife would fill in the blanks when I regained consciousness. This will change your life, your mental health is just as important if not more. When you settle on a treatment do lots of research and know all the in’s and out’s. vertramper@aol.com Bryan
  • cubsgirl21
    cubsgirl21 Member Posts: 12
    #25
    Shines said:

    I agree
    Sounds good. Or better anyways.
    I think Chris will be okay from the wide excision, its amazing what they can do. My husbands was also on his chest but more in the fatty area. I think Mary was right sounds like he might of heard Clarks Level II. Which is so much better than stage II. Sounds like you caught it early. Which is GREAT. My husband is also a big golfer and now that he has gone through this he is always putting on the sun screen. (Tell Chris SUNSCREEN!!!!) Never did before as he never burned. He's always tanned. Not like me with red in my hair and freckles galore. Would of thought it was me that would of gotten it. Just goes to show you never know.
    Take care.
    Suzi

    Hi everyone. Sorry it took so long to update everyone. Just have been busy the last week. So he went to U of M and the doctor there told him they downgraded his diagnosis to having just abnormal cells. It wasn't even Melanoma anymore. I'm not sure it was even clarks level II when his primary doctor diagnosed him. Chris doesn't listen very well. So they stil had to cut some skin off his chest around where his mole was. He has some stitches there and looks like he had open heart surgery. ;-( I think there's like 15 stitches there and he has to get them taken out in a week. He was awake when they were cutting him and he said he felt nausious...he said it was more mental though just the thought of them cutting his skin. ;-( He did fine though and everything went smoothly. They tested the skin they removed and it came back all clear. ;-) I don't know if he has to go back every once in a while to get tested again or what. He also never really wore sunscreen, so now i'm going to make sure there's sunscreen in his golf bag and his car and everywhere in the house so he doesn't forget. ;-) Thanks everyone for your support and yes i know Chris needs to write things down when he's talking to the doctor. U of M was also very nice. Everyone was very friendly and Chris said when his surgery was over, there was a table out with all this food out for patients to eat. Bagels with cream cheese, cookies, etc. ;-) His doctor was Jeffrey Orringer. God bless and good luck to everyone. I usually stay out of the sun because i'm so fair and burn easily, but i will definately wear sunscreen anyways as much as i can. ;-)
  • Shines
    Shines Member Posts: 15
    #26
    cubsgirl21 said:

    Hi everyone. Sorry it took so long to update everyone. Just have been busy the last week. So he went to U of M and the doctor there told him they downgraded his diagnosis to having just abnormal cells. It wasn't even Melanoma anymore. I'm not sure it was even clarks level II when his primary doctor diagnosed him. Chris doesn't listen very well. So they stil had to cut some skin off his chest around where his mole was. He has some stitches there and looks like he had open heart surgery. ;-( I think there's like 15 stitches there and he has to get them taken out in a week. He was awake when they were cutting him and he said he felt nausious...he said it was more mental though just the thought of them cutting his skin. ;-( He did fine though and everything went smoothly. They tested the skin they removed and it came back all clear. ;-) I don't know if he has to go back every once in a while to get tested again or what. He also never really wore sunscreen, so now i'm going to make sure there's sunscreen in his golf bag and his car and everywhere in the house so he doesn't forget. ;-) Thanks everyone for your support and yes i know Chris needs to write things down when he's talking to the doctor. U of M was also very nice. Everyone was very friendly and Chris said when his surgery was over, there was a table out with all this food out for patients to eat. Bagels with cream cheese, cookies, etc. ;-) His doctor was Jeffrey Orringer. God bless and good luck to everyone. I usually stay out of the sun because i'm so fair and burn easily, but i will definately wear sunscreen anyways as much as i can. ;-)

    Great News.
    Happy Happy Happy....
    So good to hear good news.
    Take Care
  • NAD
    NAD Member Posts: 6
    #27
    Shines said:

    Great News.
    Happy Happy Happy....
    So good to hear good news.
    Take Care

    finding a specialist oncologist fort treatment melanomas
    Hi there
    reading all the messages you all sound quite knowledgeable in the subject. I need to find a specialist in the USA for a dear friend who has just been told he has stage IV melanoma . He lives in the UK and was hoping to go on a trial for a new drug Brim 3 but apparently he does not have the right type of melanoma for that study, his tumour is "braf cell "negative. can anyone recommend a specialist melanoma oncologist . the USA is much more ahead than the United Kingdom for cancer treatment .
    Can anyone help please?
  • washoegal
    washoegal Member Posts: 45
    #28
    NAD said:

    finding a specialist oncologist fort treatment melanomas
    Hi there
    reading all the messages you all sound quite knowledgeable in the subject. I need to find a specialist in the USA for a dear friend who has just been told he has stage IV melanoma . He lives in the UK and was hoping to go on a trial for a new drug Brim 3 but apparently he does not have the right type of melanoma for that study, his tumour is "braf cell "negative. can anyone recommend a specialist melanoma oncologist . the USA is much more ahead than the United Kingdom for cancer treatment .
    Can anyone help please?

    Specialist
    There are quite a few Specialists, but for many trials you must have failed a treatment first. It would be helpful to know if he has a preference as to where in the U.S., does he have relatives over here or know someone he can stay with during treatment. Your friend was tested for one type of Melanoma - BRAF and he does not have that type. If there is no one to stay with, I would suggest seeking out an trial that matches his/her needs, Go to Clinical Trial Finder on this site, then choosing the appropriate doctor from there. It will be terribly expensive to come to the U.S. for care even in a clinical trial.
  • Plucas
    Plucas Member Posts: 5
    #29
    NAD said:

    finding a specialist oncologist fort treatment melanomas
    Hi there
    reading all the messages you all sound quite knowledgeable in the subject. I need to find a specialist in the USA for a dear friend who has just been told he has stage IV melanoma . He lives in the UK and was hoping to go on a trial for a new drug Brim 3 but apparently he does not have the right type of melanoma for that study, his tumour is "braf cell "negative. can anyone recommend a specialist melanoma oncologist . the USA is much more ahead than the United Kingdom for cancer treatment .
    Can anyone help please?

    Trials
    Don't know if you have a area of the country that your friend wants to come to.But I would recommend Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Fl. Dr. Weber is one of the nations top doctors for melanoma.My wife is stage IV and is on ipilimumab and is doing great.www,moffitt.org Good luck,and TAKE CARE
  • driverclark
    driverclark Member Posts: 3
    #30
    NAD said:

    finding a specialist oncologist fort treatment melanomas
    Hi there
    reading all the messages you all sound quite knowledgeable in the subject. I need to find a specialist in the USA for a dear friend who has just been told he has stage IV melanoma . He lives in the UK and was hoping to go on a trial for a new drug Brim 3 but apparently he does not have the right type of melanoma for that study, his tumour is "braf cell "negative. can anyone recommend a specialist melanoma oncologist . the USA is much more ahead than the United Kingdom for cancer treatment .
    Can anyone help please?

    stage 4 melanoma
    Hello NAD,

    Have your friend go to any of Boston's Cancer Hospitals or go to NYC to Sloane Kettering.
    I am 43 and I have/had stage 4 metastatic melanoma to distant sites including my brain. I was supposed to be dead quite some time ago.

    I was in a clinical trial at Dana Farber where I received chemo. and Ipilimumab - my tumors became inflamed and then disappeared - that was almost 3 years ago. My oncologist just told me that Ipilimumab is supposed to get FDA approval by December. There also a few different BRAF mutations in trials I have a "K" mutation someone else might have an "E" mutation these newer drugs/inhibitors work somewhat selectively.

    All I can say is I'm still here after one dose of Ipi (I got kicked off my trial - liver issue). Best of luck to your friend and be persistent!!
  • driverclark
    driverclark Member Posts: 3
    #31
    Plucas said:

    Trials
    Don't know if you have a area of the country that your friend wants to come to.But I would recommend Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Fl. Dr. Weber is one of the nations top doctors for melanoma.My wife is stage IV and is on ipilimumab and is doing great.www,moffitt.org Good luck,and TAKE CARE

    stage 4 for how long?
    I was in an Ipi trial 3 years ago and am still here.
    I am wondering how long your wife has been doing well?
    I find that I am having a hard time "moving forward" now that the dust has settled.
    My oncologist says he has no idea how long (if not forever) the tumors are undetectable.
    I get scanned numerous time a year.
    Looking for people in my boat.
    Thanks and good luck to your wife!
  • Plucas
    Plucas Member Posts: 5
    #32
    driverclark said:

    stage 4 melanoma
    Hello NAD,

    Have your friend go to any of Boston's Cancer Hospitals or go to NYC to Sloane Kettering.
    I am 43 and I have/had stage 4 metastatic melanoma to distant sites including my brain. I was supposed to be dead quite some time ago.

    I was in a clinical trial at Dana Farber where I received chemo. and Ipilimumab - my tumors became inflamed and then disappeared - that was almost 3 years ago. My oncologist just told me that Ipilimumab is supposed to get FDA approval by December. There also a few different BRAF mutations in trials I have a "K" mutation someone else might have an "E" mutation these newer drugs/inhibitors work somewhat selectively.

    All I can say is I'm still here after one dose of Ipi (I got kicked off my trial - liver issue). Best of luck to your friend and be persistent!!

    Stage 4 on ipi
    Hello, Driverclark my wife's melanoma was found in her sinus 11/05/08 her birth day.She had three months of radation and pet scan was O.K.By 05/20/09 it had went to both kidneys and liver.Started at Moffitt in Tampa with Dr. Weber 06/09 went on bio-chemo(5drugs plus IL-2 )for 6 months tumors had shrank by 50% went on maintiance with IL-2 and Leukine injections for 3 months.Scans showed tumors growing agian so we stopped that.Went on ipi 05/10/10 did one cycle scans showed regresssion so Dr, Weber gave her 12 weeks off she takes no pain meds only meds for nerves and depression.She has gained all her weight back is doing work around the house is working out with light weights for her arms and sqweezing a foam ball for her hand stength.She is eatting good and often tells me she doesn't even feel like she has cancer.I know there are NO guarantees but she is doing great now.We have our next scans 10/22 hopefully everthing will still be heading in the right direction.TAKE CARE !!!!!

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