Re: Newly diagnosed Stage IV, just started Dacarbazine – Im …

Hello Simone…I'm so sorry to hear that you have progressed to stage IV.  It is very difficult to tell whether dacarbazine will work for you, it does for some and you jmight be a fortunate responder…you are young and it just might be the solution for you!! I would recommend a back-up plan though. Dacarbazine is considered a stage IV drug…would it be possible to ask your doctors that if you do have progression on this trial IF you can come off of it and perhaps try something else.  Ipilimumab or perhaps IL-2.  Ipi is showing quite a bit of promise and there is a trial that seems to be gaining in the States and Canada called the 'compassionate ipilimumab trial', I'd be very surprised if it hasn't arrived or is coming soon to Australia.  What I do like about it (and odds are that is my next step since temodar appears not to be working) is that it has only one arm…iplimumab THAT is what you would get!  Qualification is that you must have had a stage IV drug and show progression, dacarbazine would qualify..so that is good news, speak to your doctors about this.  Some centres likes M.D. Anderson in Texas have trials that are also combining ipi and temodar. Stay strong and explore avenues for options. Thinking of you, Val, stage iv