immunitherapy
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immunitherapy

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  • Post
    • January 7, 2016 at 1:56 pm
    darinohio
    Participant

      I first want to say this is a very helpful forum.  i check in occacionaly the warmth and knowledge 

    you all share is very comforting.  I have a question hopfully someone can relate to. 5 yrs ago I went 

    thru a full year of inferon treatments for stage 3 nodular melanoma. i still see my oncologist regularly.

    it seems about once a year a new mole or spot shows up. He has it removed and they always come back melanoma. Each year there are more spots. I see him in 2 weeks and i have 6 more suspicious spots.

      My question is how long does the interferon therapy last ? Are these considered recurrances?

    Can I do another kind of therapy?  I'm just worried cause the spots are appaering more frequently.

                     Thank You and Gos Bless

Viewing 5 reply threads
  • Replies
      • January 8, 2016 at 4:34 am
      jennunicorn
      Participant

      Interferon is no longer considered the best option for Stage 3 treatment, now that drugs like Yervoy (ipi) have been FDA approved. I would talk with your oncologist about what your options are, if you need more treatment or not. I am Stage 3b and doing Yervoy currently. My oncologist did not offer Interferon since it does not have good statistics in helping someone in our situation. I am sure there are others on here with more expertise on this matter and hopefully they can also answer your questions a little better. I hope your oncologist is a Melanoma specialist, if not, then I would definitely consider finding one. Treatment options have expanded greatly since you went through Interferon 5 years ago. 

      All the best to you,

      Jenn

      • January 8, 2016 at 4:34 am
      jennunicorn
      Participant

      Interferon is no longer considered the best option for Stage 3 treatment, now that drugs like Yervoy (ipi) have been FDA approved. I would talk with your oncologist about what your options are, if you need more treatment or not. I am Stage 3b and doing Yervoy currently. My oncologist did not offer Interferon since it does not have good statistics in helping someone in our situation. I am sure there are others on here with more expertise on this matter and hopefully they can also answer your questions a little better. I hope your oncologist is a Melanoma specialist, if not, then I would definitely consider finding one. Treatment options have expanded greatly since you went through Interferon 5 years ago. 

      All the best to you,

      Jenn

      • January 8, 2016 at 4:34 am
      jennunicorn
      Participant

      Interferon is no longer considered the best option for Stage 3 treatment, now that drugs like Yervoy (ipi) have been FDA approved. I would talk with your oncologist about what your options are, if you need more treatment or not. I am Stage 3b and doing Yervoy currently. My oncologist did not offer Interferon since it does not have good statistics in helping someone in our situation. I am sure there are others on here with more expertise on this matter and hopefully they can also answer your questions a little better. I hope your oncologist is a Melanoma specialist, if not, then I would definitely consider finding one. Treatment options have expanded greatly since you went through Interferon 5 years ago. 

      All the best to you,

      Jenn

      • January 9, 2016 at 8:58 pm
      _Paul_
      Participant

      Like Jenn said it is very important that you see an oncologist that specializes in melanoma because of your recurrences. I had a couple of occurrences after my initial diagnosis and progressed to stage 4. Fortunately I switched to a melanoma oncologist from my first one who was not a specialist and I am doing well. I lead a normal life. But I am convinced that had I not switched I would be either very sick or dead.

      Research and new treatments change so fast in the melanoma world that you need a specialist to stay on top of it all.

      – Paul

      • January 9, 2016 at 8:58 pm
      _Paul_
      Participant

      Like Jenn said it is very important that you see an oncologist that specializes in melanoma because of your recurrences. I had a couple of occurrences after my initial diagnosis and progressed to stage 4. Fortunately I switched to a melanoma oncologist from my first one who was not a specialist and I am doing well. I lead a normal life. But I am convinced that had I not switched I would be either very sick or dead.

      Research and new treatments change so fast in the melanoma world that you need a specialist to stay on top of it all.

      – Paul

      • January 9, 2016 at 8:58 pm
      _Paul_
      Participant

      Like Jenn said it is very important that you see an oncologist that specializes in melanoma because of your recurrences. I had a couple of occurrences after my initial diagnosis and progressed to stage 4. Fortunately I switched to a melanoma oncologist from my first one who was not a specialist and I am doing well. I lead a normal life. But I am convinced that had I not switched I would be either very sick or dead.

      Research and new treatments change so fast in the melanoma world that you need a specialist to stay on top of it all.

      – Paul

Viewing 5 reply threads

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