Advice for Stage I and IIs

I could not disagree more. Exceptions are not the rule. Here is a user-friendly explanation of the statistics. It is for England but I believe it is still useful.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/melanoma/treatment/melanoma-statistics-and-outlook

It really is a case of the people who post on his website are not representative of the whole population of melanoma patients.

Stage I and Stage II patients do have treatment. They have the cancer cells removed, along with as much normal skin as necessary until they have 'clear margins'.

To give them the current systemic treatments, with all the risks those involve, would be irresponsible. I am not absolutely sure, but I think more people would die from consequences of the treatment than from any reoccurring melanoma!

The situation would be different if there was a systemic treatment with high response rates and negligible side effects. Even if that were the case, I doubt if such treatment will ever be offered to stage I patients.

I could not disagree more. Exceptions are not the rule. Here is a user-friendly explanation of the statistics. It is for England but I believe it is still useful.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/melanoma/treatment/melanoma-statistics-and-outlook

It really is a case of the people who post on his website are not representative of the whole population of melanoma patients.

Stage I and Stage II patients do have treatment. They have the cancer cells removed, along with as much normal skin as necessary until they have 'clear margins'.

To give them the current systemic treatments, with all the risks those involve, would be irresponsible. I am not absolutely sure, but I think more people would die from consequences of the treatment than from any reoccurring melanoma!

The situation would be different if there was a systemic treatment with high response rates and negligible side effects. Even if that were the case, I doubt if such treatment will ever be offered to stage I patients.

I could not disagree more. Exceptions are not the rule. Here is a user-friendly explanation of the statistics. It is for England but I believe it is still useful.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/melanoma/treatment/melanoma-statistics-and-outlook

It really is a case of the people who post on his website are not representative of the whole population of melanoma patients.

Stage I and Stage II patients do have treatment. They have the cancer cells removed, along with as much normal skin as necessary until they have 'clear margins'.

To give them the current systemic treatments, with all the risks those involve, would be irresponsible. I am not absolutely sure, but I think more people would die from consequences of the treatment than from any reoccurring melanoma!

The situation would be different if there was a systemic treatment with high response rates and negligible side effects. Even if that were the case, I doubt if such treatment will ever be offered to stage I patients.

My answer is based on the English statistics.

If a stage I melanoma is really a stage I and it is cut out properly, it will not 'come back'. All the melanoma cells have been restricted to the original place and will have been cut out. The only exception should be the small number of people who develop a second primary leision. Doing skin checks should be enough.

Stage II is less certain. The cancer cells have developed the abiity to invade other tissues and have started to do so. They doctors cannot find any evidence that it has got any further than the local area. They believe they cut out all the cells. However, they are wrong in some cases and some malignant cells have got past them. Doing an SLNB for stage II patients makes it less likely that they will misdiagnose stage III as stage II.

The English statistics suggest that the doctors get all the cancer cells for 8 out of 10 male stage II patients and for 9 out of 10 female stage II patients. I guess the 'unluckly' ones are either really stage III (some cells have got into the lymphatic system and travelled away from the original site) or possibly stage II where the margins of the WLE looked clear but were not.

For us stage III patients the numbers are a lot less promising.

I am stage IIIC – the advanced side of stage III. My doctor and I looked at the statiscs together. Even with a WLE and a CLND, I had only a 25% chance that the melanoma would not come back.as stage IV. Probably worth running the risks involved with Ipi/Yervoy, even if there was only a 15% chance of it working.

On the other hand, I could have been one of the 25% of stage IIIc patients who have the WLE and the CLND and the melanoma never comes back.

As for there being 'no exceptions' – there are always exceptions! Especially with melanoma where we know the melanoma cells are attacked by the body's ummune system.

My answer is based on the English statistics.

If a stage I melanoma is really a stage I and it is cut out properly, it will not 'come back'. All the melanoma cells have been restricted to the original place and will have been cut out. The only exception should be the small number of people who develop a second primary leision. Doing skin checks should be enough.

Stage II is less certain. The cancer cells have developed the abiity to invade other tissues and have started to do so. They doctors cannot find any evidence that it has got any further than the local area. They believe they cut out all the cells. However, they are wrong in some cases and some malignant cells have got past them. Doing an SLNB for stage II patients makes it less likely that they will misdiagnose stage III as stage II.

The English statistics suggest that the doctors get all the cancer cells for 8 out of 10 male stage II patients and for 9 out of 10 female stage II patients. I guess the 'unluckly' ones are either really stage III (some cells have got into the lymphatic system and travelled away from the original site) or possibly stage II where the margins of the WLE looked clear but were not.

For us stage III patients the numbers are a lot less promising.

I am stage IIIC – the advanced side of stage III. My doctor and I looked at the statiscs together. Even with a WLE and a CLND, I had only a 25% chance that the melanoma would not come back.as stage IV. Probably worth running the risks involved with Ipi/Yervoy, even if there was only a 15% chance of it working.

On the other hand, I could have been one of the 25% of stage IIIc patients who have the WLE and the CLND and the melanoma never comes back.

As for there being 'no exceptions' – there are always exceptions! Especially with melanoma where we know the melanoma cells are attacked by the body's ummune system.

My answer is based on the English statistics.

If a stage I melanoma is really a stage I and it is cut out properly, it will not 'come back'. All the melanoma cells have been restricted to the original place and will have been cut out. The only exception should be the small number of people who develop a second primary leision. Doing skin checks should be enough.

Stage II is less certain. The cancer cells have developed the abiity to invade other tissues and have started to do so. They doctors cannot find any evidence that it has got any further than the local area. They believe they cut out all the cells. However, they are wrong in some cases and some malignant cells have got past them. Doing an SLNB for stage II patients makes it less likely that they will misdiagnose stage III as stage II.

The English statistics suggest that the doctors get all the cancer cells for 8 out of 10 male stage II patients and for 9 out of 10 female stage II patients. I guess the 'unluckly' ones are either really stage III (some cells have got into the lymphatic system and travelled away from the original site) or possibly stage II where the margins of the WLE looked clear but were not.

For us stage III patients the numbers are a lot less promising.

I am stage IIIC – the advanced side of stage III. My doctor and I looked at the statiscs together. Even with a WLE and a CLND, I had only a 25% chance that the melanoma would not come back.as stage IV. Probably worth running the risks involved with Ipi/Yervoy, even if there was only a 15% chance of it working.

On the other hand, I could have been one of the 25% of stage IIIc patients who have the WLE and the CLND and the melanoma never comes back.

As for there being 'no exceptions' – there are always exceptions! Especially with melanoma where we know the melanoma cells are attacked by the body's ummune system.

I do not buy this for a second.  What you have on this forum are the rare people who have had an early stage melanoma return. 

Hell Troy Aikman was stage 2 melanoma in 1998 !   Most people who have a wide excision will not have to deal with this issue again.  

I do not buy this for a second.  What you have on this forum are the rare people who have had an early stage melanoma return. 

Hell Troy Aikman was stage 2 melanoma in 1998 !   Most people who have a wide excision will not have to deal with this issue again.  

I do not buy this for a second.  What you have on this forum are the rare people who have had an early stage melanoma return. 

Hell Troy Aikman was stage 2 melanoma in 1998 !   Most people who have a wide excision will not have to deal with this issue again.  

This is a topic that pops up frequently on this forum…and I have been on this forum for nearly 6 years now…ever since my diagnosis with Stage IIA Acral Lentiginous melanoma. In November 2010 I had a WLE and SLNB and have, thankfully, been NED ever since. At the time, they took so much skin from my foot (about the size of the average lemon) that they needed to perform a full-thinckness skin graft to cover it.

After my initial treatment, I had check ups every 3 months for the first 3 years, and have since had twice per year check ups. At all of these visits, my doctor has checked my lymph nodes by palpating and feeling for swelling. They also look me over very thoroughly and ask if I have noticed anything new pop up. Many times I have asked them…"what would a recurrence look like?…to which they usually say…"a hard lump under the skin."

I hope my response gives you some comfort….but never let your guard down. I have not been on this site for many months, but I try to get back on it occasionally to remind myself that I need to be vigilant in this lifelong fight.

I do believe it is true that the horror stories of recurrence on this site seem more common because the healthy survivors are off happily living their lives.

Mark

This is a topic that pops up frequently on this forum…and I have been on this forum for nearly 6 years now…ever since my diagnosis with Stage IIA Acral Lentiginous melanoma. In November 2010 I had a WLE and SLNB and have, thankfully, been NED ever since. At the time, they took so much skin from my foot (about the size of the average lemon) that they needed to perform a full-thinckness skin graft to cover it.

After my initial treatment, I had check ups every 3 months for the first 3 years, and have since had twice per year check ups. At all of these visits, my doctor has checked my lymph nodes by palpating and feeling for swelling. They also look me over very thoroughly and ask if I have noticed anything new pop up. Many times I have asked them…"what would a recurrence look like?…to which they usually say…"a hard lump under the skin."

I hope my response gives you some comfort….but never let your guard down. I have not been on this site for many months, but I try to get back on it occasionally to remind myself that I need to be vigilant in this lifelong fight.

I do believe it is true that the horror stories of recurrence on this site seem more common because the healthy survivors are off happily living their lives.

Mark

This is a topic that pops up frequently on this forum…and I have been on this forum for nearly 6 years now…ever since my diagnosis with Stage IIA Acral Lentiginous melanoma. In November 2010 I had a WLE and SLNB and have, thankfully, been NED ever since. At the time, they took so much skin from my foot (about the size of the average lemon) that they needed to perform a full-thinckness skin graft to cover it.

After my initial treatment, I had check ups every 3 months for the first 3 years, and have since had twice per year check ups. At all of these visits, my doctor has checked my lymph nodes by palpating and feeling for swelling. They also look me over very thoroughly and ask if I have noticed anything new pop up. Many times I have asked them…"what would a recurrence look like?…to which they usually say…"a hard lump under the skin."

I hope my response gives you some comfort….but never let your guard down. I have not been on this site for many months, but I try to get back on it occasionally to remind myself that I need to be vigilant in this lifelong fight.

I do believe it is true that the horror stories of recurrence on this site seem more common because the healthy survivors are off happily living their lives.

Mark

these survival stats are 5 years. . but many of the stories are 7 years, 8 years, 9 years later….

these survival stats are 5 years. . but many of the stories are 7 years, 8 years, 9 years later….

these survival stats are 5 years. . but many of the stories are 7 years, 8 years, 9 years later….

My two cents for stage I & II folks would be… did you live your life before your diagnosis worried every day you would get into a car accident and die or end up in really bad shape? I would say, probably not. There are more people dying from bad car accidents than progressing from stage I to IV and dying of melanoma. Live your life, take care of your body, and see your derm for skin checks. There isn't much else to do. Obviously you'll never forget you had melanoma and you'll never forget that it's not 100% cureable. But, just remember, every day you wake up and you're alive and healthy and make it home safely from the chaotic world out there, is another wonderful blessing. I am IIIB, my odds of making it to stage IV are MUCH greater than any stage I or II person, but I honestly hardly ever think about that anymore. I am living, I am breathing, and I am thankful for every beautiful second I have on this planet. I hope others struggling with the anxiety this disease brings can get to a place of peace as well.

My two cents for stage I & II folks would be… did you live your life before your diagnosis worried every day you would get into a car accident and die or end up in really bad shape? I would say, probably not. There are more people dying from bad car accidents than progressing from stage I to IV and dying of melanoma. Live your life, take care of your body, and see your derm for skin checks. There isn't much else to do. Obviously you'll never forget you had melanoma and you'll never forget that it's not 100% cureable. But, just remember, every day you wake up and you're alive and healthy and make it home safely from the chaotic world out there, is another wonderful blessing. I am IIIB, my odds of making it to stage IV are MUCH greater than any stage I or II person, but I honestly hardly ever think about that anymore. I am living, I am breathing, and I am thankful for every beautiful second I have on this planet. I hope others struggling with the anxiety this disease brings can get to a place of peace as well.

My two cents for stage I & II folks would be… did you live your life before your diagnosis worried every day you would get into a car accident and die or end up in really bad shape? I would say, probably not. There are more people dying from bad car accidents than progressing from stage I to IV and dying of melanoma. Live your life, take care of your body, and see your derm for skin checks. There isn't much else to do. Obviously you'll never forget you had melanoma and you'll never forget that it's not 100% cureable. But, just remember, every day you wake up and you're alive and healthy and make it home safely from the chaotic world out there, is another wonderful blessing. I am IIIB, my odds of making it to stage IV are MUCH greater than any stage I or II person, but I honestly hardly ever think about that anymore. I am living, I am breathing, and I am thankful for every beautiful second I have on this planet. I hope others struggling with the anxiety this disease brings can get to a place of peace as well.