› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Recently Diagnosed
- This topic has 24 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 9 months ago by
lissa_luv.
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- March 11, 2014 at 2:33 am
Help! I need some advice from someone who has gone thru this. I was recently diagnosed with melanoma in January of this year. I had the wide excision surgery to remove the primary on my right leg. I had the Sentinel Node Dissection. 4 lymph nodes were removed, and 2 were found positive for melanoma. My surgeon suggested a radical surgery to remove all lymph nodes in the area. After speaking with my oncologist today, I was told that this surgery would not be necessary due to the complications that it might cause. I was told that I should start immunotherapy with Interferon. I'm not sure if I should go thru with the surgery or just start treatment. Should I get a second opinion?
Thanks!
- Replies
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- March 11, 2014 at 3:33 am
Lissa
you came to the right place…
First of all where are you from and where are you being treated?
where is surgeon and oncologist etc.
At this point I would get to a Melanoma Specialist at a Melanoma Treatment facility if at all possible.
Im not sure about why they would not choose to do a full dissection to try and keep the Melanoma from spreading beyond the lymph nodes….im also not sure why there are no other options given to you beyond signing up for Interferon automatically.
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- March 11, 2014 at 3:33 am
Lissa
you came to the right place…
First of all where are you from and where are you being treated?
where is surgeon and oncologist etc.
At this point I would get to a Melanoma Specialist at a Melanoma Treatment facility if at all possible.
Im not sure about why they would not choose to do a full dissection to try and keep the Melanoma from spreading beyond the lymph nodes….im also not sure why there are no other options given to you beyond signing up for Interferon automatically.
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- March 11, 2014 at 3:33 am
Lissa
you came to the right place…
First of all where are you from and where are you being treated?
where is surgeon and oncologist etc.
At this point I would get to a Melanoma Specialist at a Melanoma Treatment facility if at all possible.
Im not sure about why they would not choose to do a full dissection to try and keep the Melanoma from spreading beyond the lymph nodes….im also not sure why there are no other options given to you beyond signing up for Interferon automatically.
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- March 11, 2014 at 3:43 am
Yes, definitely get a second opinion from both a surgical and a medical oncologist as far as if the surgery makes sense and if Interferon is the best treatment. For the second opinions travel to a major melanoma center which does clinical trials. It's an important decision. Don't hesitate getting second opinons!!
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- March 11, 2014 at 3:43 am
Yes, definitely get a second opinion from both a surgical and a medical oncologist as far as if the surgery makes sense and if Interferon is the best treatment. For the second opinions travel to a major melanoma center which does clinical trials. It's an important decision. Don't hesitate getting second opinons!!
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- March 11, 2014 at 3:43 am
Yes, definitely get a second opinion from both a surgical and a medical oncologist as far as if the surgery makes sense and if Interferon is the best treatment. For the second opinions travel to a major melanoma center which does clinical trials. It's an important decision. Don't hesitate getting second opinons!!
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- March 11, 2014 at 4:10 am
I could not agree more.
I see you are in NV…or Vegas Area Lissa?
I would try to get to sothern california.. or houston etc even if it is just for a short trip to get that second opinion with melanoma specialists….I believe in my heart just from the little info you told us there would be atleast one, possibly two other courses of action that need to be explored.
City Of Hope Duarte Ca east of Los Angeles
UCLA in Los Angeles
MD Anderson in Houston
It was the first thing I did was just call the new patient hotline and started the process…i have been to each of those three for various treatments…but there are others…sometimes people find one close to a family member etc.
just some thoughts but you can find a list of centers here under the "Understanding Melanoma " link
Matt
PS You really have come to the right place….you are not alone.
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- March 11, 2014 at 4:10 am
I could not agree more.
I see you are in NV…or Vegas Area Lissa?
I would try to get to sothern california.. or houston etc even if it is just for a short trip to get that second opinion with melanoma specialists….I believe in my heart just from the little info you told us there would be atleast one, possibly two other courses of action that need to be explored.
City Of Hope Duarte Ca east of Los Angeles
UCLA in Los Angeles
MD Anderson in Houston
It was the first thing I did was just call the new patient hotline and started the process…i have been to each of those three for various treatments…but there are others…sometimes people find one close to a family member etc.
just some thoughts but you can find a list of centers here under the "Understanding Melanoma " link
Matt
PS You really have come to the right place….you are not alone.
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- March 11, 2014 at 4:10 am
I could not agree more.
I see you are in NV…or Vegas Area Lissa?
I would try to get to sothern california.. or houston etc even if it is just for a short trip to get that second opinion with melanoma specialists….I believe in my heart just from the little info you told us there would be atleast one, possibly two other courses of action that need to be explored.
City Of Hope Duarte Ca east of Los Angeles
UCLA in Los Angeles
MD Anderson in Houston
It was the first thing I did was just call the new patient hotline and started the process…i have been to each of those three for various treatments…but there are others…sometimes people find one close to a family member etc.
just some thoughts but you can find a list of centers here under the "Understanding Melanoma " link
Matt
PS You really have come to the right place….you are not alone.
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- March 11, 2014 at 4:51 am
Lissa.
Great.
I would say atleast get in and meet with Melanoma Oncologist…
I can give you a few names if you need them….
You want to have your Pathology reports and all your insurance info etc and call to get in the new patient program of whichever place …..
UCLA Westwood Oncology Center Or Jonnson Cancer Center Both at Ronold Reagan Medical Center.
City Of Hope (although limited on clinical trials back in nov)
The Angeles Clinic
It seems like work getting everything in order but it is absolutely vital.
In my honest opinion….your second opinion will turn into your new course of action through a new treatment center (even if temp).
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- March 11, 2014 at 4:51 am
Lissa.
Great.
I would say atleast get in and meet with Melanoma Oncologist…
I can give you a few names if you need them….
You want to have your Pathology reports and all your insurance info etc and call to get in the new patient program of whichever place …..
UCLA Westwood Oncology Center Or Jonnson Cancer Center Both at Ronold Reagan Medical Center.
City Of Hope (although limited on clinical trials back in nov)
The Angeles Clinic
It seems like work getting everything in order but it is absolutely vital.
In my honest opinion….your second opinion will turn into your new course of action through a new treatment center (even if temp).
-
- March 11, 2014 at 4:51 am
Lissa.
Great.
I would say atleast get in and meet with Melanoma Oncologist…
I can give you a few names if you need them….
You want to have your Pathology reports and all your insurance info etc and call to get in the new patient program of whichever place …..
UCLA Westwood Oncology Center Or Jonnson Cancer Center Both at Ronold Reagan Medical Center.
City Of Hope (although limited on clinical trials back in nov)
The Angeles Clinic
It seems like work getting everything in order but it is absolutely vital.
In my honest opinion….your second opinion will turn into your new course of action through a new treatment center (even if temp).
-
- March 11, 2014 at 6:00 am
Hi,I would highly recommend Dr. Peter Bosaberg. His clinic is in Santa Monica and it is a premiere Melanoma Treatment Center. He has many clinical trials available and is one of the principal investigators of Yervoy.
We took my Mom to him for a 3rd opinion. He discovered that the radiologist missed the fact that my Mom had brain cancer (brain mets) as did two other doctors. – They never looked at the scans. – He took the time to look and found not one, but 3 tumors that the radiologist “overlooked”.
A link to his clinic & biography is below:
http://www.theangelesclinic.org/Home/MeetOurTeam/Doctors/tabid/19273/Default.aspx -
- March 11, 2014 at 6:00 am
Hi,I would highly recommend Dr. Peter Bosaberg. His clinic is in Santa Monica and it is a premiere Melanoma Treatment Center. He has many clinical trials available and is one of the principal investigators of Yervoy.
We took my Mom to him for a 3rd opinion. He discovered that the radiologist missed the fact that my Mom had brain cancer (brain mets) as did two other doctors. – They never looked at the scans. – He took the time to look and found not one, but 3 tumors that the radiologist “overlooked”.
A link to his clinic & biography is below:
http://www.theangelesclinic.org/Home/MeetOurTeam/Doctors/tabid/19273/Default.aspx -
- March 11, 2014 at 6:00 am
Hi,I would highly recommend Dr. Peter Bosaberg. His clinic is in Santa Monica and it is a premiere Melanoma Treatment Center. He has many clinical trials available and is one of the principal investigators of Yervoy.
We took my Mom to him for a 3rd opinion. He discovered that the radiologist missed the fact that my Mom had brain cancer (brain mets) as did two other doctors. – They never looked at the scans. – He took the time to look and found not one, but 3 tumors that the radiologist “overlooked”.
A link to his clinic & biography is below:
http://www.theangelesclinic.org/Home/MeetOurTeam/Doctors/tabid/19273/Default.aspx -
- March 24, 2014 at 12:04 am
I actually just went to see Dr. Boasberg last week. I'm glad that I found him. He is an amazing doctor! He found that there was an error on my pathology report. It was contradicting itself, because it stated that the primary was NOT ulcerated, but the report also stated that it was a T3b, which would mean that it was ulcerated. He just got back to me today saying that the primary was, in fact, NOT ulcerated. In which case, interferon would not work. He suggested that I not have surgery yet to remove the existing lymph nodes in my groin, but to start Yervoy treatments.
He recommended that I do my research on this treatment and get back to him with any questions I may have. I'm finally at ease, even though I know this is not the end of my battle.
Who knows what would've happened if I didn't get his opinion.
Thank you for your input and support!
-
- March 24, 2014 at 12:04 am
I actually just went to see Dr. Boasberg last week. I'm glad that I found him. He is an amazing doctor! He found that there was an error on my pathology report. It was contradicting itself, because it stated that the primary was NOT ulcerated, but the report also stated that it was a T3b, which would mean that it was ulcerated. He just got back to me today saying that the primary was, in fact, NOT ulcerated. In which case, interferon would not work. He suggested that I not have surgery yet to remove the existing lymph nodes in my groin, but to start Yervoy treatments.
He recommended that I do my research on this treatment and get back to him with any questions I may have. I'm finally at ease, even though I know this is not the end of my battle.
Who knows what would've happened if I didn't get his opinion.
Thank you for your input and support!
-
- March 24, 2014 at 12:04 am
I actually just went to see Dr. Boasberg last week. I'm glad that I found him. He is an amazing doctor! He found that there was an error on my pathology report. It was contradicting itself, because it stated that the primary was NOT ulcerated, but the report also stated that it was a T3b, which would mean that it was ulcerated. He just got back to me today saying that the primary was, in fact, NOT ulcerated. In which case, interferon would not work. He suggested that I not have surgery yet to remove the existing lymph nodes in my groin, but to start Yervoy treatments.
He recommended that I do my research on this treatment and get back to him with any questions I may have. I'm finally at ease, even though I know this is not the end of my battle.
Who knows what would've happened if I didn't get his opinion.
Thank you for your input and support!
-
- March 13, 2014 at 1:01 pm
I am sorry for all of this for you. It is always so difficult being faced with these types of decisions. Sometimes I have felt the weight of that so greatly. I am not the one with all the knowledge the Drs have, yet I am so often in the spot of having to make such difficult decisions. My recommendation would be definitely to get in to a mel specialist ASAP for a 2nd opinion on your treatment options. If you ask on here, folks can offer advice on some great Drs to consider in your area ( hopefully) and if not, there are many mel specialists around. Are you in the US? A second opinion, in my experience is a very great idea in times like this.
Keep us posted!
Tina
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- March 13, 2014 at 1:01 pm
I am sorry for all of this for you. It is always so difficult being faced with these types of decisions. Sometimes I have felt the weight of that so greatly. I am not the one with all the knowledge the Drs have, yet I am so often in the spot of having to make such difficult decisions. My recommendation would be definitely to get in to a mel specialist ASAP for a 2nd opinion on your treatment options. If you ask on here, folks can offer advice on some great Drs to consider in your area ( hopefully) and if not, there are many mel specialists around. Are you in the US? A second opinion, in my experience is a very great idea in times like this.
Keep us posted!
Tina
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- March 13, 2014 at 1:01 pm
I am sorry for all of this for you. It is always so difficult being faced with these types of decisions. Sometimes I have felt the weight of that so greatly. I am not the one with all the knowledge the Drs have, yet I am so often in the spot of having to make such difficult decisions. My recommendation would be definitely to get in to a mel specialist ASAP for a 2nd opinion on your treatment options. If you ask on here, folks can offer advice on some great Drs to consider in your area ( hopefully) and if not, there are many mel specialists around. Are you in the US? A second opinion, in my experience is a very great idea in times like this.
Keep us posted!
Tina
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