Excision Clinical Trial
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Excision Clinical Trial

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Excision Clinical Trial

  • Post
    • May 18, 2016 at 9:52 pm
    youngann
    Participant

    So my surgery for lymphoscintigraphy and excision is set for June 2nd. My doctor has requested that I join a clinical trial whereby instead of 2cm margins on the incision, I may be chosen to have only 1cm margins taken.

    Apparently, this is a world-wide trial and they're trying to see if smaller margins result ONLY in a smaller scar as opposed to missed cancer cells.

    I'm a bit nervous about being part of this trial and would like some opinions please.I've been clinically staged at 2b with more than 1 mitosis/mm2

    Ann

Viewing 8 reply threads
  • Replies
      • May 19, 2016 at 12:38 am
      Janner
      Participant

      Once upon a time, they did this trial before.  Maybe not the exact thing, but margins USED to be much larger.  They studied larger versus smaller margins and opted to go smaller.   I'd say that you see more people on here who have mets to their sentinel node than have local recurrences.  If your sentinel node is clear, then you could watch for anything going on locally.  You could always attempt the trial and if you still feel anxious later, drop and have larger margins.  One thing to consider is you might get more/better followup in a trial than you would otherwise get with a local onc.  

      I've had 3 primaries – stage 1b – and no local or distant recurrence.  (24 years now).  My father was stage II at diagnosis and also had lymph node involvement but no local involvement.  It's a tough call and you have to go with what you could live with.  Honestly, the extra followup given in a trial might sway me to try it.  Let us know what you decide!

      • May 19, 2016 at 12:38 am
      Janner
      Participant

      Once upon a time, they did this trial before.  Maybe not the exact thing, but margins USED to be much larger.  They studied larger versus smaller margins and opted to go smaller.   I'd say that you see more people on here who have mets to their sentinel node than have local recurrences.  If your sentinel node is clear, then you could watch for anything going on locally.  You could always attempt the trial and if you still feel anxious later, drop and have larger margins.  One thing to consider is you might get more/better followup in a trial than you would otherwise get with a local onc.  

      I've had 3 primaries – stage 1b – and no local or distant recurrence.  (24 years now).  My father was stage II at diagnosis and also had lymph node involvement but no local involvement.  It's a tough call and you have to go with what you could live with.  Honestly, the extra followup given in a trial might sway me to try it.  Let us know what you decide!

      • May 19, 2016 at 12:38 am
      Janner
      Participant

      Once upon a time, they did this trial before.  Maybe not the exact thing, but margins USED to be much larger.  They studied larger versus smaller margins and opted to go smaller.   I'd say that you see more people on here who have mets to their sentinel node than have local recurrences.  If your sentinel node is clear, then you could watch for anything going on locally.  You could always attempt the trial and if you still feel anxious later, drop and have larger margins.  One thing to consider is you might get more/better followup in a trial than you would otherwise get with a local onc.  

      I've had 3 primaries – stage 1b – and no local or distant recurrence.  (24 years now).  My father was stage II at diagnosis and also had lymph node involvement but no local involvement.  It's a tough call and you have to go with what you could live with.  Honestly, the extra followup given in a trial might sway me to try it.  Let us know what you decide!

        • May 19, 2016 at 1:01 am
        youngann
        Participant

        Thank you! I actually feel a little better knowing that this type of trial has been done before and they opted to go with the smaller margins.

        I'm not sure that I'd get more/better followup with the trial as melanoma is one of my oncologist's specialties.

        • May 19, 2016 at 1:01 am
        youngann
        Participant

        Thank you! I actually feel a little better knowing that this type of trial has been done before and they opted to go with the smaller margins.

        I'm not sure that I'd get more/better followup with the trial as melanoma is one of my oncologist's specialties.

        • May 19, 2016 at 1:01 am
        youngann
        Participant

        Thank you! I actually feel a little better knowing that this type of trial has been done before and they opted to go with the smaller margins.

        I'm not sure that I'd get more/better followup with the trial as melanoma is one of my oncologist's specialties.

        • May 19, 2016 at 3:10 am
        Janner
        Participant

        Melanoma might be a specialty of your doc, but a clinical trial may demand scans or followups that are more rigorous than your doc might do otherwise.  Clinical trials have a pretty strict protocol defined for each trial and it often provides more surveillance or higher frequency for longer periods of time than you might get normally.   It is worth asking the question on followups.  Even people who do a trial that have a placebo option might have closer scrutiny because clinical trials demand it.  That's one perk of clinical trials that I think should be considered by everyone.

        • May 19, 2016 at 3:10 am
        Janner
        Participant

        Melanoma might be a specialty of your doc, but a clinical trial may demand scans or followups that are more rigorous than your doc might do otherwise.  Clinical trials have a pretty strict protocol defined for each trial and it often provides more surveillance or higher frequency for longer periods of time than you might get normally.   It is worth asking the question on followups.  Even people who do a trial that have a placebo option might have closer scrutiny because clinical trials demand it.  That's one perk of clinical trials that I think should be considered by everyone.

        • May 19, 2016 at 3:10 am
        Janner
        Participant

        Melanoma might be a specialty of your doc, but a clinical trial may demand scans or followups that are more rigorous than your doc might do otherwise.  Clinical trials have a pretty strict protocol defined for each trial and it often provides more surveillance or higher frequency for longer periods of time than you might get normally.   It is worth asking the question on followups.  Even people who do a trial that have a placebo option might have closer scrutiny because clinical trials demand it.  That's one perk of clinical trials that I think should be considered by everyone.

        • May 19, 2016 at 10:56 am
        youngann
        Participant

        I hadn't thought of that. Thank you!

        • May 19, 2016 at 10:56 am
        youngann
        Participant

        I hadn't thought of that. Thank you!

        • May 19, 2016 at 10:56 am
        youngann
        Participant

        I hadn't thought of that. Thank you!

      • May 19, 2016 at 1:55 am
      LaurieGayle
      Participant

      That's a tough call. I don't know what I would do. I think I would ask what the follow-up would be and what the data is so far. Maybe take the time to write down all your questions and make sure you get answers.

      Good luck!

       

      • May 19, 2016 at 1:55 am
      LaurieGayle
      Participant

      That's a tough call. I don't know what I would do. I think I would ask what the follow-up would be and what the data is so far. Maybe take the time to write down all your questions and make sure you get answers.

      Good luck!

       

      • May 19, 2016 at 1:55 am
      LaurieGayle
      Participant

      That's a tough call. I don't know what I would do. I think I would ask what the follow-up would be and what the data is so far. Maybe take the time to write down all your questions and make sure you get answers.

      Good luck!

       

      • May 19, 2016 at 1:55 am
      LaurieGayle
      Participant

      That's a tough call. I don't know what I would do. I think I would ask what the follow-up would be and what the data is so far. Maybe take the time to write down all your questions and make sure you get answers.

      Good luck!

       

      • May 19, 2016 at 1:55 am
      LaurieGayle
      Participant

      That's a tough call. I don't know what I would do. I think I would ask what the follow-up would be and what the data is so far. Maybe take the time to write down all your questions and make sure you get answers.

      Good luck!

       

      • May 19, 2016 at 1:55 am
      LaurieGayle
      Participant

      That's a tough call. I don't know what I would do. I think I would ask what the follow-up would be and what the data is so far. Maybe take the time to write down all your questions and make sure you get answers.

      Good luck!

       

        • May 19, 2016 at 10:58 am
        youngann
        Participant

        Thank you. I'll definitely check up on that.

        • May 19, 2016 at 10:58 am
        youngann
        Participant

        Thank you. I'll definitely check up on that.

        • May 19, 2016 at 10:58 am
        youngann
        Participant

        Thank you. I'll definitely check up on that.

        • May 25, 2016 at 6:44 pm
        youngann
        Participant

        Very relieved to find out that I've been randomly selected to get the 2cm margins instead of 1 cm. This means that I still get all the extra follow-up without the risk of a small incision.

        • May 25, 2016 at 6:44 pm
        youngann
        Participant

        Very relieved to find out that I've been randomly selected to get the 2cm margins instead of 1 cm. This means that I still get all the extra follow-up without the risk of a small incision.

        • August 3, 2016 at 8:55 pm
        karimg
        Participant

        Congrats! Is there any other CTs you know of ?

        • August 3, 2016 at 8:55 pm
        karimg
        Participant

        Congrats! Is there any other CTs you know of ?

        • August 3, 2016 at 8:55 pm
        karimg
        Participant

        Congrats! Is there any other CTs you know of ?

        • May 25, 2016 at 6:44 pm
        youngann
        Participant

        Very relieved to find out that I've been randomly selected to get the 2cm margins instead of 1 cm. This means that I still get all the extra follow-up without the risk of a small incision.

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