› Forums › General Melanoma Community › 82 year old father with stage 4 melanoma
- This topic has 24 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 4 months ago by
meeshka6059.
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- December 10, 2012 at 11:54 pm
My father is 82 years old and was diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma about a month and a half ago. He has tumors in his brain, liver, kidneys, adrenals, lymphs, and elsewhere. He woke up one morning and couldn't move his left arm and was diagnosed at that time. He had full brain radiation for 10 days and has been on Zelboraf for about a week and a half now. His side effects are debilitating exhaustion, lack of appetite, and skin rash. Doc is taking him off for him to "detox" and may put him back on a lower dose. Fortunately he has no pain or nausea.
My father is 82 years old and was diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma about a month and a half ago. He has tumors in his brain, liver, kidneys, adrenals, lymphs, and elsewhere. He woke up one morning and couldn't move his left arm and was diagnosed at that time. He had full brain radiation for 10 days and has been on Zelboraf for about a week and a half now. His side effects are debilitating exhaustion, lack of appetite, and skin rash. Doc is taking him off for him to "detox" and may put him back on a lower dose. Fortunately he has no pain or nausea. I'm so glad to have found this website. Thank you for being here. Sending love to you all. ~m
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- December 11, 2012 at 12:17 am
I'm sorry. I read the profile – is there any other cancer type at all that has the ability to come back 30 years later? Why is melanoma so notorious for recurring so many years later like this? Other cancers after 5 years NED it's unlikely it would ever return.
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- December 11, 2012 at 12:17 am
I'm sorry. I read the profile – is there any other cancer type at all that has the ability to come back 30 years later? Why is melanoma so notorious for recurring so many years later like this? Other cancers after 5 years NED it's unlikely it would ever return.
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- December 11, 2012 at 1:14 am
I also read your file and my melanoma came back after 27 years. I am currently doing WBR. I have been warned that I will be exhausted when treatment is done. My Drs decided 15 days. This could be making your father so tired.
I took zelboraf until last week. I was exhausted when taking it. Rashes, hives ect. My dr took me off for a week and put me on steroids because of the excessive itching. He put me back on 3 X 2. A few weeks later I started having red bumps around my eyes so I was taken off again and then put on 2 x 2. Last scan I was taken off because of additional brain mets.
For some people Zelboraf have no issues and respond for quite a time, for others it's toxic or doesn't respond for long.
Linda
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- December 11, 2012 at 4:47 am
Thank you for your reply. What is WBR? I hope they can put him back on successfully at a lower dose and extend his life with quality. This is no way to live, that's for sure. Yes, toxic. Treatments seem so toxic at the same time they give us hope.
I'm sorry your melanoma came back after so long, too. I hope you are doing well, Linda. I hope you haven't suffered and will continue to thrive.
Sending Love, Michelle
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- December 11, 2012 at 4:47 am
Thank you for your reply. What is WBR? I hope they can put him back on successfully at a lower dose and extend his life with quality. This is no way to live, that's for sure. Yes, toxic. Treatments seem so toxic at the same time they give us hope.
I'm sorry your melanoma came back after so long, too. I hope you are doing well, Linda. I hope you haven't suffered and will continue to thrive.
Sending Love, Michelle
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- December 11, 2012 at 4:47 am
Thank you for your reply. What is WBR? I hope they can put him back on successfully at a lower dose and extend his life with quality. This is no way to live, that's for sure. Yes, toxic. Treatments seem so toxic at the same time they give us hope.
I'm sorry your melanoma came back after so long, too. I hope you are doing well, Linda. I hope you haven't suffered and will continue to thrive.
Sending Love, Michelle
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- December 11, 2012 at 1:14 am
I also read your file and my melanoma came back after 27 years. I am currently doing WBR. I have been warned that I will be exhausted when treatment is done. My Drs decided 15 days. This could be making your father so tired.
I took zelboraf until last week. I was exhausted when taking it. Rashes, hives ect. My dr took me off for a week and put me on steroids because of the excessive itching. He put me back on 3 X 2. A few weeks later I started having red bumps around my eyes so I was taken off again and then put on 2 x 2. Last scan I was taken off because of additional brain mets.
For some people Zelboraf have no issues and respond for quite a time, for others it's toxic or doesn't respond for long.
Linda
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- December 11, 2012 at 1:14 am
I also read your file and my melanoma came back after 27 years. I am currently doing WBR. I have been warned that I will be exhausted when treatment is done. My Drs decided 15 days. This could be making your father so tired.
I took zelboraf until last week. I was exhausted when taking it. Rashes, hives ect. My dr took me off for a week and put me on steroids because of the excessive itching. He put me back on 3 X 2. A few weeks later I started having red bumps around my eyes so I was taken off again and then put on 2 x 2. Last scan I was taken off because of additional brain mets.
For some people Zelboraf have no issues and respond for quite a time, for others it's toxic or doesn't respond for long.
Linda
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- December 11, 2012 at 4:49 am
Dad's docs all said they had never seen a recurrance after 20 years. Leave it my Dad to break a record. What is NED? I am new and don't know the acronyms used here yet.
I hope you are doing alright, Anonymous.
Peace, Michelle
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- December 11, 2012 at 6:02 am
NED is no evidence of disease. It basically means that with melanoma cells can keep sleeping and many years ago it can be activated. When you have a scan there can be small tumors will not be seen.
WBR is whole brain radiation. The first choice with melanoma is gamma knife. It is a radiation where it only aims at the tumors and not other healthy cells of the brain. They will only do that when the tumors mass is less than 2.5cm. Sometimes they will go a little larger if the tumor is elongated. Once you have wbr you can have gamma knife. You often have to go to a large hospital. I had something called SRS that is just slightly different than gamma (I have to tell you that I can't spell it!)
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- December 11, 2012 at 6:02 am
NED is no evidence of disease. It basically means that with melanoma cells can keep sleeping and many years ago it can be activated. When you have a scan there can be small tumors will not be seen.
WBR is whole brain radiation. The first choice with melanoma is gamma knife. It is a radiation where it only aims at the tumors and not other healthy cells of the brain. They will only do that when the tumors mass is less than 2.5cm. Sometimes they will go a little larger if the tumor is elongated. Once you have wbr you can have gamma knife. You often have to go to a large hospital. I had something called SRS that is just slightly different than gamma (I have to tell you that I can't spell it!)
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- December 11, 2012 at 6:02 am
NED is no evidence of disease. It basically means that with melanoma cells can keep sleeping and many years ago it can be activated. When you have a scan there can be small tumors will not be seen.
WBR is whole brain radiation. The first choice with melanoma is gamma knife. It is a radiation where it only aims at the tumors and not other healthy cells of the brain. They will only do that when the tumors mass is less than 2.5cm. Sometimes they will go a little larger if the tumor is elongated. Once you have wbr you can have gamma knife. You often have to go to a large hospital. I had something called SRS that is just slightly different than gamma (I have to tell you that I can't spell it!)
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- December 11, 2012 at 4:49 am
Dad's docs all said they had never seen a recurrance after 20 years. Leave it my Dad to break a record. What is NED? I am new and don't know the acronyms used here yet.
I hope you are doing alright, Anonymous.
Peace, Michelle
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- December 11, 2012 at 4:49 am
Dad's docs all said they had never seen a recurrance after 20 years. Leave it my Dad to break a record. What is NED? I am new and don't know the acronyms used here yet.
I hope you are doing alright, Anonymous.
Peace, Michelle
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- December 11, 2012 at 12:17 am
I'm sorry. I read the profile – is there any other cancer type at all that has the ability to come back 30 years later? Why is melanoma so notorious for recurring so many years later like this? Other cancers after 5 years NED it's unlikely it would ever return.
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- December 12, 2012 at 11:18 pm
Update: Dad seems to be regaining strength today. His rash and itchiness are also going away. The docs say he can re-try Zel at a lower dose. Frankly I'm afraid of that. It's rough for an 82 year old man to get up after being knocked down too many times. He's tough though. Quite the fighter. Gawd bless him.
Thank you for all your support.
Love,
Meeshka
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- December 12, 2012 at 11:18 pm
Update: Dad seems to be regaining strength today. His rash and itchiness are also going away. The docs say he can re-try Zel at a lower dose. Frankly I'm afraid of that. It's rough for an 82 year old man to get up after being knocked down too many times. He's tough though. Quite the fighter. Gawd bless him.
Thank you for all your support.
Love,
Meeshka
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- December 12, 2012 at 11:18 pm
Update: Dad seems to be regaining strength today. His rash and itchiness are also going away. The docs say he can re-try Zel at a lower dose. Frankly I'm afraid of that. It's rough for an 82 year old man to get up after being knocked down too many times. He's tough though. Quite the fighter. Gawd bless him.
Thank you for all your support.
Love,
Meeshka
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- December 14, 2012 at 2:35 pm
So sorry to hear about your father. My husband also has the disease that had spread to all the same places. He is only 57. He had whole brain radiation too. He is also now starting to get the terrible side effects from Zelboraf. My prayers are with you.
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- December 14, 2012 at 2:35 pm
So sorry to hear about your father. My husband also has the disease that had spread to all the same places. He is only 57. He had whole brain radiation too. He is also now starting to get the terrible side effects from Zelboraf. My prayers are with you.
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- December 14, 2012 at 4:23 pm
So sorry to hear about your husband, SidneyGracie. Will he continue using the Zelboraf? We haven't begun to discuss if Dad will try again at a lower dose. Mom and I don't want him to, but Dad is a fighter and may decide to try again. Sending prayers to the universe for a cure to this dreadful disease and comfort to those who suffer from it, and their loved one. Peace,
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- December 14, 2012 at 4:23 pm
So sorry to hear about your husband, SidneyGracie. Will he continue using the Zelboraf? We haven't begun to discuss if Dad will try again at a lower dose. Mom and I don't want him to, but Dad is a fighter and may decide to try again. Sending prayers to the universe for a cure to this dreadful disease and comfort to those who suffer from it, and their loved one. Peace,
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- December 14, 2012 at 4:23 pm
So sorry to hear about your husband, SidneyGracie. Will he continue using the Zelboraf? We haven't begun to discuss if Dad will try again at a lower dose. Mom and I don't want him to, but Dad is a fighter and may decide to try again. Sending prayers to the universe for a cure to this dreadful disease and comfort to those who suffer from it, and their loved one. Peace,
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- December 14, 2012 at 2:35 pm
So sorry to hear about your father. My husband also has the disease that had spread to all the same places. He is only 57. He had whole brain radiation too. He is also now starting to get the terrible side effects from Zelboraf. My prayers are with you.
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