› Forums › General Melanoma Community › I’m terrified. Hot spots on PET. They are melanoma?
- This topic has 18 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 2 months ago by
JerryfromFauq.
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- February 21, 2014 at 5:18 pm
I'm really scared. My husband was diagnosed in 2012 stage3a melanoma , because he had micrometastasis in the sentinel node , the rest (12) were clean. He had in 2012, 38 years old. He started in October 2012 with high doses of pegylated interferon for two months and after that continuous average dose to date. He was positive despite the side effects of pegylated interferon and was determined to complete the two years of treatment. He had from the diagnostic CT every 6 months thank God for all normal except when some nodes increased in size. So the oncologist decided to make a pet. Yesterday I got the result of my husband's pet. The result is very bad, there are many hot spots in the pelvis iliac chains. I am very distressed. As can be? Almost two years ago on her 12 nodes removed, only the sentinel tested positive with micrometastasis, the rest clean … and now almost 2 years later again melanoma? or is another primary melanoma? now is stage 3 or 4? what will be the decision of the oncologist? The prognostic is going to get worse?
thanks to all
gaby (from argentina)
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- February 21, 2014 at 11:33 pm
Dear Gaby ,
I understand your alarm. The first thing is to try to know exactly what is there.. The CT scan and the PET scans need to be compared. Is the positive finding only in the nodes? Are there other positive areas in the internal organs (lungs,liver, and so on)? Is your husband going to have an MRI of the brain? After you get more information then you can plan. Yes, it is possible to progress after only a micrometastasis in one node and interferon. But, there are also some effective treatments that can be used. Don't panic. Get to work figuring out what is happening and then make plans.
Buena Suerte. Pensamos de Ustedes
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- February 21, 2014 at 11:33 pm
Dear Gaby ,
I understand your alarm. The first thing is to try to know exactly what is there.. The CT scan and the PET scans need to be compared. Is the positive finding only in the nodes? Are there other positive areas in the internal organs (lungs,liver, and so on)? Is your husband going to have an MRI of the brain? After you get more information then you can plan. Yes, it is possible to progress after only a micrometastasis in one node and interferon. But, there are also some effective treatments that can be used. Don't panic. Get to work figuring out what is happening and then make plans.
Buena Suerte. Pensamos de Ustedes
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- February 23, 2014 at 11:03 pm
Hi Brent, He did PET and CT. The last CT show nodes increased in size, and the PET show in this nodes hot spots. It is melanoma? or there is a possibility that another reason? is possible extirpation of these nodes?
the internal organs are clean.
Thanks!
Gaby
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- February 24, 2014 at 4:12 am
Dear Gaby If the nodes are larger and they are hot on the PET scan they are probably melanoma. They can be removed or at least biopsied. Your husband then is at least Stage 3 and you should start looking at preventative (adjunct) therapies. This is difficult because the usual adjunct is interferon which is not very effective. You need to see if there are any clinical trials available in Argentina or consider travelling to trials in the US. Todavia hay muchas cosas a hacer.
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- February 24, 2014 at 4:12 am
Dear Gaby If the nodes are larger and they are hot on the PET scan they are probably melanoma. They can be removed or at least biopsied. Your husband then is at least Stage 3 and you should start looking at preventative (adjunct) therapies. This is difficult because the usual adjunct is interferon which is not very effective. You need to see if there are any clinical trials available in Argentina or consider travelling to trials in the US. Todavia hay muchas cosas a hacer.
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- February 24, 2014 at 4:12 am
Dear Gaby If the nodes are larger and they are hot on the PET scan they are probably melanoma. They can be removed or at least biopsied. Your husband then is at least Stage 3 and you should start looking at preventative (adjunct) therapies. This is difficult because the usual adjunct is interferon which is not very effective. You need to see if there are any clinical trials available in Argentina or consider travelling to trials in the US. Todavia hay muchas cosas a hacer.
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- February 23, 2014 at 11:03 pm
Hi Brent, He did PET and CT. The last CT show nodes increased in size, and the PET show in this nodes hot spots. It is melanoma? or there is a possibility that another reason? is possible extirpation of these nodes?
the internal organs are clean.
Thanks!
Gaby
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- February 23, 2014 at 11:03 pm
Hi Brent, He did PET and CT. The last CT show nodes increased in size, and the PET show in this nodes hot spots. It is melanoma? or there is a possibility that another reason? is possible extirpation of these nodes?
the internal organs are clean.
Thanks!
Gaby
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- February 21, 2014 at 11:33 pm
Dear Gaby ,
I understand your alarm. The first thing is to try to know exactly what is there.. The CT scan and the PET scans need to be compared. Is the positive finding only in the nodes? Are there other positive areas in the internal organs (lungs,liver, and so on)? Is your husband going to have an MRI of the brain? After you get more information then you can plan. Yes, it is possible to progress after only a micrometastasis in one node and interferon. But, there are also some effective treatments that can be used. Don't panic. Get to work figuring out what is happening and then make plans.
Buena Suerte. Pensamos de Ustedes
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- February 22, 2014 at 6:32 am
As stated above, get a more complete picture. I was where your husband is in OCt 2006, except also had the inquinal nodes acting like light bulps. There was really only one treaatment that offered any really positive chance. The IL-2 worked for 20 months, then there was no other clinical trial I qualified for then. i'm still here and there are now 5 additional treatments approved (Melanoma type dependent). and a dozen more treatments in trials, one of which should be approved by our FDA any day now.
Yes, your your husbands situation is serious, but it is not hopeless, going to the lynph nodes should make him stage III now.
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- February 23, 2014 at 11:21 pm
Hi Jerry, the internal organs are clean, only have hot spot on a pelvic nodes. My husband did PET and CT. The oncologist decided to make a pet because my husband has enlarged nodes since January 2013.
Hot spots on enlarged lymph in PET-CT, are always recurrent melanoma? I have hope that the enlarged lymph is by interferon and no recurrence of melanoma ..
Kisses
Gaby
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- February 23, 2014 at 11:21 pm
Hi Jerry, the internal organs are clean, only have hot spot on a pelvic nodes. My husband did PET and CT. The oncologist decided to make a pet because my husband has enlarged nodes since January 2013.
Hot spots on enlarged lymph in PET-CT, are always recurrent melanoma? I have hope that the enlarged lymph is by interferon and no recurrence of melanoma ..
Kisses
Gaby
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- February 23, 2014 at 11:21 pm
Hi Jerry, the internal organs are clean, only have hot spot on a pelvic nodes. My husband did PET and CT. The oncologist decided to make a pet because my husband has enlarged nodes since January 2013.
Hot spots on enlarged lymph in PET-CT, are always recurrent melanoma? I have hope that the enlarged lymph is by interferon and no recurrence of melanoma ..
Kisses
Gaby
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- February 25, 2014 at 6:15 pm
One can never say always nor say never with melanoma. He should get at least an FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration). Your Oncologist did good by doing the PET scan to check the body for possible locations of spread. If the CT scans show enlargement, I would want to get the growing lymph nodes out as soon as possible. My groin nodes went from not showing on a PET, huge and ones I could readily feel in a few months time and then to my lungs a month after the lungs not showing on a PET. Do get the nodes verified as to what the glucose uptake is from.
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- February 25, 2014 at 6:15 pm
One can never say always nor say never with melanoma. He should get at least an FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration). Your Oncologist did good by doing the PET scan to check the body for possible locations of spread. If the CT scans show enlargement, I would want to get the growing lymph nodes out as soon as possible. My groin nodes went from not showing on a PET, huge and ones I could readily feel in a few months time and then to my lungs a month after the lungs not showing on a PET. Do get the nodes verified as to what the glucose uptake is from.
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- February 25, 2014 at 6:15 pm
One can never say always nor say never with melanoma. He should get at least an FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration). Your Oncologist did good by doing the PET scan to check the body for possible locations of spread. If the CT scans show enlargement, I would want to get the growing lymph nodes out as soon as possible. My groin nodes went from not showing on a PET, huge and ones I could readily feel in a few months time and then to my lungs a month after the lungs not showing on a PET. Do get the nodes verified as to what the glucose uptake is from.
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- February 22, 2014 at 6:32 am
As stated above, get a more complete picture. I was where your husband is in OCt 2006, except also had the inquinal nodes acting like light bulps. There was really only one treaatment that offered any really positive chance. The IL-2 worked for 20 months, then there was no other clinical trial I qualified for then. i'm still here and there are now 5 additional treatments approved (Melanoma type dependent). and a dozen more treatments in trials, one of which should be approved by our FDA any day now.
Yes, your your husbands situation is serious, but it is not hopeless, going to the lynph nodes should make him stage III now.
-
- February 22, 2014 at 6:32 am
As stated above, get a more complete picture. I was where your husband is in OCt 2006, except also had the inquinal nodes acting like light bulps. There was really only one treaatment that offered any really positive chance. The IL-2 worked for 20 months, then there was no other clinical trial I qualified for then. i'm still here and there are now 5 additional treatments approved (Melanoma type dependent). and a dozen more treatments in trials, one of which should be approved by our FDA any day now.
Yes, your your husbands situation is serious, but it is not hopeless, going to the lynph nodes should make him stage III now.
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