9th Recurrence in almost 15 yearsSame Leg

I received immunotherapy for melanoma in several bones. After cancer disappeared from my bones, a PET scan showed cancer in a lymph node. My oncologist sent me to talk with a surgeon, who said that surgery would not help. I was still receiving opdivo immunotherapy. I received radiation to that lymph node. This combination of radiation and immunotherapy seemed to work; the cancer disappeared.

In September 2015 I received radiation to a rib with melanoma. That helped reduce the pain, but melanoma spread to several more bones. I began receiving immunotherapy in November 2015. I hope today the practice would be to start immunotherapy with or before radiation.

I had a recurrence in August. My primary was from August 2018. I noticed a lump in my foot and then another one in my ankle in a matter of months. My oncologist had me start on the combo ipi/nivo before having surgery. I did two treatments and tolerated side effects pretty well up until a week before surgery which was December 14. My liver enzymes were elevated so I had to be put on prednisone so my liver enzymes would come down for surgery. They came down enough for surgery and I had both tumors removed. I was supposed to go back on nivolumab after healing but my liver enzymes spiked again after removing me from prednisone after surgery. Now I am struggling to get my liver enzymes down. They say that the combo works great before surgery but it hard on your body. Hopefully everything goes well with the plan they have set out for you.