Skin Cancer/ Melanoma to Tumors in Lungs

Hi Trey,

There are many folks on this board who will be there to support your family and help answer your questions. If your father has tumors in his lungs he has Stage IV cancer. If all the repeated skin lesions you remember were melanoma (not basal or squamous cell) he may well have melanoma to his lungs, but usually a biopsy is needed to be certain of the type of lung tumor he is dealing with. Regardless of type of lung cancer, scans of the rest of his body and an MRI of his brain would probably be wise to make sure there is nothing else going on.

If your father does have Stage IV melanoma, it is very important that he is followed by an oncologist/facility who works with melanoma patients…not just a general oncologist. I know Huntsman does good work.  If lung tumors are large they are sometimes removed surgically. They can also be treated with specially directed radiation (SRS – stereotactic radiation). If there are many small tumors..or they are simply inoperable due to location…and even if you have one of the procedures I described…systemic therapy would be needed.  On that front…things are very much improved in melanoma….with three types of systemic treatments FDA approved today that were not available in 2010:  BRAF inhibitors that melanoma patients can take orally if their tumors have a certain mutation, anti-PD1 (2 products: Keytruda and Opdivo), as well as anti-CTLA4 (often referred to as ipi or Yervoy)….with those last two given in an IV. So if your dad has melanoma…he does have treatment options. I have been dealing with melanoma since 2003…had brain and lung mets in 2010…was treated much as described above…and am disease free.

As you have more questions, folks on this board will help you find answers.  Your dad has reason to hope. I wish you and your family well.  Celeste

Hi Trey,

There are many folks on this board who will be there to support your family and help answer your questions. If your father has tumors in his lungs he has Stage IV cancer. If all the repeated skin lesions you remember were melanoma (not basal or squamous cell) he may well have melanoma to his lungs, but usually a biopsy is needed to be certain of the type of lung tumor he is dealing with. Regardless of type of lung cancer, scans of the rest of his body and an MRI of his brain would probably be wise to make sure there is nothing else going on.

If your father does have Stage IV melanoma, it is very important that he is followed by an oncologist/facility who works with melanoma patients…not just a general oncologist. I know Huntsman does good work.  If lung tumors are large they are sometimes removed surgically. They can also be treated with specially directed radiation (SRS – stereotactic radiation). If there are many small tumors..or they are simply inoperable due to location…and even if you have one of the procedures I described…systemic therapy would be needed.  On that front…things are very much improved in melanoma….with three types of systemic treatments FDA approved today that were not available in 2010:  BRAF inhibitors that melanoma patients can take orally if their tumors have a certain mutation, anti-PD1 (2 products: Keytruda and Opdivo), as well as anti-CTLA4 (often referred to as ipi or Yervoy)….with those last two given in an IV. So if your dad has melanoma…he does have treatment options. I have been dealing with melanoma since 2003…had brain and lung mets in 2010…was treated much as described above…and am disease free.

As you have more questions, folks on this board will help you find answers.  Your dad has reason to hope. I wish you and your family well.  Celeste

Hi Trey,

There are many folks on this board who will be there to support your family and help answer your questions. If your father has tumors in his lungs he has Stage IV cancer. If all the repeated skin lesions you remember were melanoma (not basal or squamous cell) he may well have melanoma to his lungs, but usually a biopsy is needed to be certain of the type of lung tumor he is dealing with. Regardless of type of lung cancer, scans of the rest of his body and an MRI of his brain would probably be wise to make sure there is nothing else going on.

If your father does have Stage IV melanoma, it is very important that he is followed by an oncologist/facility who works with melanoma patients…not just a general oncologist. I know Huntsman does good work.  If lung tumors are large they are sometimes removed surgically. They can also be treated with specially directed radiation (SRS – stereotactic radiation). If there are many small tumors..or they are simply inoperable due to location…and even if you have one of the procedures I described…systemic therapy would be needed.  On that front…things are very much improved in melanoma….with three types of systemic treatments FDA approved today that were not available in 2010:  BRAF inhibitors that melanoma patients can take orally if their tumors have a certain mutation, anti-PD1 (2 products: Keytruda and Opdivo), as well as anti-CTLA4 (often referred to as ipi or Yervoy)….with those last two given in an IV. So if your dad has melanoma…he does have treatment options. I have been dealing with melanoma since 2003…had brain and lung mets in 2010…was treated much as described above…and am disease free.

As you have more questions, folks on this board will help you find answers.  Your dad has reason to hope. I wish you and your family well.  Celeste

Hey Trey,

Celeste is one of the best folks on this board – I echo everything she told you! I especially agree with finding a specialist. 

I have less medical advice and simply know this disease as a patient. My biggest piece of advice is to stay positive. The people I've seen who do well remain positive. Also, now is the time to have melanoma (I know, no one wants this, but results are much better now than 5+ years ago.) 

I had tumors in my liver (basically throughout ALL my liver) and throughout my body. Later they found some in my lungs. I am at this moment cancer free because of new treatment options and a great specialist. 

There is hope – stay positive!

Ashley

Hey Trey,

Celeste is one of the best folks on this board – I echo everything she told you! I especially agree with finding a specialist. 

I have less medical advice and simply know this disease as a patient. My biggest piece of advice is to stay positive. The people I've seen who do well remain positive. Also, now is the time to have melanoma (I know, no one wants this, but results are much better now than 5+ years ago.) 

I had tumors in my liver (basically throughout ALL my liver) and throughout my body. Later they found some in my lungs. I am at this moment cancer free because of new treatment options and a great specialist. 

There is hope – stay positive!

Ashley

Hey Trey,

Celeste is one of the best folks on this board – I echo everything she told you! I especially agree with finding a specialist. 

I have less medical advice and simply know this disease as a patient. My biggest piece of advice is to stay positive. The people I've seen who do well remain positive. Also, now is the time to have melanoma (I know, no one wants this, but results are much better now than 5+ years ago.) 

I had tumors in my liver (basically throughout ALL my liver) and throughout my body. Later they found some in my lungs. I am at this moment cancer free because of new treatment options and a great specialist. 

There is hope – stay positive!

Ashley

Hi Trey,

In 2009 they found 8 tumors spread across both my lungs. Because there were that many they felt surgery was not an option, they felt more disease was probably present if there were that many. 

In 2010 after a biopsy to confirm they were melanoma, they were put into remission by a very low percentage of success systemic treatment, called high dose IL2. So far those haven't recurred. Some disease escaped elsewhere, via lymph nodes or lungs probably. Treatments have kept those from running too far amok  so far. 

Systemic tratments have come a long way since 2010. Your Dad probably stands a good chance of getting imto a combo (multi drug) clinical trial if he wants. That's what I've been doing foe the last 21 months. 

So that's my story with lung mets.

Hi Trey,

In 2009 they found 8 tumors spread across both my lungs. Because there were that many they felt surgery was not an option, they felt more disease was probably present if there were that many. 

In 2010 after a biopsy to confirm they were melanoma, they were put into remission by a very low percentage of success systemic treatment, called high dose IL2. So far those haven't recurred. Some disease escaped elsewhere, via lymph nodes or lungs probably. Treatments have kept those from running too far amok  so far. 

Systemic tratments have come a long way since 2010. Your Dad probably stands a good chance of getting imto a combo (multi drug) clinical trial if he wants. That's what I've been doing foe the last 21 months. 

So that's my story with lung mets.

Hi Trey,

In 2009 they found 8 tumors spread across both my lungs. Because there were that many they felt surgery was not an option, they felt more disease was probably present if there were that many. 

In 2010 after a biopsy to confirm they were melanoma, they were put into remission by a very low percentage of success systemic treatment, called high dose IL2. So far those haven't recurred. Some disease escaped elsewhere, via lymph nodes or lungs probably. Treatments have kept those from running too far amok  so far. 

Systemic tratments have come a long way since 2010. Your Dad probably stands a good chance of getting imto a combo (multi drug) clinical trial if he wants. That's what I've been doing foe the last 21 months. 

So that's my story with lung mets.

Hi Trey! I know this is a scary time for your family, and I am sorry you are going through this. You have received great information from the posts above, and again, it's extremely important to seek out a melanoma specialist. I was first diagnosed in 2006… Had surgery and was cancer free until my latest diagnosis in January 2015. I had an in-transit met in my back (close to my original site) and multiple mets in my lungs and small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes. I had the tumor in my back surgically removed, and started on the yervoy and Opdivo combination trial in late February. After one dose of the two meds, all of my tumors shrunk, and some disappeared altogether! I only had the one dose of the two meds combined due to side effects, but continued with doses of just Opdivo every two weeks. So far, my scans show stable disease since June, and my next scan is on Thursday! I have continued to work 40 hour work weeks with only a few minor bumps in the road… My quality of life during treatments has been outstanding! I am hoping your family receives some good news this week… Best of luck!

Hi Trey! I know this is a scary time for your family, and I am sorry you are going through this. You have received great information from the posts above, and again, it's extremely important to seek out a melanoma specialist. I was first diagnosed in 2006… Had surgery and was cancer free until my latest diagnosis in January 2015. I had an in-transit met in my back (close to my original site) and multiple mets in my lungs and small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes. I had the tumor in my back surgically removed, and started on the yervoy and Opdivo combination trial in late February. After one dose of the two meds, all of my tumors shrunk, and some disappeared altogether! I only had the one dose of the two meds combined due to side effects, but continued with doses of just Opdivo every two weeks. So far, my scans show stable disease since June, and my next scan is on Thursday! I have continued to work 40 hour work weeks with only a few minor bumps in the road… My quality of life during treatments has been outstanding! I am hoping your family receives some good news this week… Best of luck!

Hi Trey! I know this is a scary time for your family, and I am sorry you are going through this. You have received great information from the posts above, and again, it's extremely important to seek out a melanoma specialist. I was first diagnosed in 2006… Had surgery and was cancer free until my latest diagnosis in January 2015. I had an in-transit met in my back (close to my original site) and multiple mets in my lungs and small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes. I had the tumor in my back surgically removed, and started on the yervoy and Opdivo combination trial in late February. After one dose of the two meds, all of my tumors shrunk, and some disappeared altogether! I only had the one dose of the two meds combined due to side effects, but continued with doses of just Opdivo every two weeks. So far, my scans show stable disease since June, and my next scan is on Thursday! I have continued to work 40 hour work weeks with only a few minor bumps in the road… My quality of life during treatments has been outstanding! I am hoping your family receives some good news this week… Best of luck!