Interferon, Hypothyroidism, Depression and Celiac.

Has your tumor been tested for any genetic mutations, especially the BRAF mutation?

Oh, and are you going to or at least consulting with an oncologist who specializes in melanoma? Have you gone to a Melanoma Center of Excellence like MD Anderson, Moffitt, Cornell, or someplace like that? Basically, I'm thinking clinical trials and wondering if you have discussed that with a knowledgeable oncologist.

Oh, and are you going to or at least consulting with an oncologist who specializes in melanoma? Have you gone to a Melanoma Center of Excellence like MD Anderson, Moffitt, Cornell, or someplace like that? Basically, I'm thinking clinical trials and wondering if you have discussed that with a knowledgeable oncologist.

Oh, and are you going to or at least consulting with an oncologist who specializes in melanoma? Have you gone to a Melanoma Center of Excellence like MD Anderson, Moffitt, Cornell, or someplace like that? Basically, I'm thinking clinical trials and wondering if you have discussed that with a knowledgeable oncologist.

OK, so you are still in the early stages of your diagnosis. If your tumor was large enough, your surgeon may already have sent a tissue sample out for BRAF testing. That would be a good thing. And you will soon have CT and/or MRI scans to check for distant metastases (hopefully negative!). Then your hematologist oncologist will be able to advise you about your treatment options. 

My brother's original diagnosis was Stage IV, so I don't know a lot about Stage III. Others here will be able to speak more knowledgeably about Stage III. I do know that for Stage IV, 2 news drugs (Zelboraf and Yervoy) were FDA approved in the last year or so. These are the first new drugs available for melanoma in at least 15 years. In addition, several other new anti-melanoma drugs are now in clinical trials and some look very promising. Most of the clinical trials I know about are for stage IV patients. However, I do think that I have read about some trials currently underway or proposed for Stage III patients. 

The advantage of a clinical trial is that only now are medical researchers beginning to get a handle on treating melanoma. None of the previously available treatments worked very well or for very many people. So we have a lot of hope for this newer generation of treatments. If you take a standard treatment first, you may become inelegible for some clinical trials. However, if you do a clinical trial first and it doesn't work, you can always go back and try one of the standard treatments like interferon. 

The problem with clinical trials is that you usually have to find them yourself and then ask your oncologist if a trial of interest is appropriate for you. Most of us use the ClinicalTrials.gov web site to find promising trials. Yes, it's technical and time-consuming, but it's worth the effort. Also, many people on this forum are really "up" on current clinical trials, so you can ask questions here. 

As for depression, that is sometimes a side effect of just about any type of chemotherapy. Heck! Just having a cancer diagnosis is a good reason to feel depressed sometimes. But, like most side effects, depression happens to some people and not to others. Just like fevers, fatigue, rashes, etc. If you recognize the symptoms of depression and have a good psychiatrist who can adjust your medications if necessary, you should be fine.

OK, so you are still in the early stages of your diagnosis. If your tumor was large enough, your surgeon may already have sent a tissue sample out for BRAF testing. That would be a good thing. And you will soon have CT and/or MRI scans to check for distant metastases (hopefully negative!). Then your hematologist oncologist will be able to advise you about your treatment options. 

My brother's original diagnosis was Stage IV, so I don't know a lot about Stage III. Others here will be able to speak more knowledgeably about Stage III. I do know that for Stage IV, 2 news drugs (Zelboraf and Yervoy) were FDA approved in the last year or so. These are the first new drugs available for melanoma in at least 15 years. In addition, several other new anti-melanoma drugs are now in clinical trials and some look very promising. Most of the clinical trials I know about are for stage IV patients. However, I do think that I have read about some trials currently underway or proposed for Stage III patients. 

The advantage of a clinical trial is that only now are medical researchers beginning to get a handle on treating melanoma. None of the previously available treatments worked very well or for very many people. So we have a lot of hope for this newer generation of treatments. If you take a standard treatment first, you may become inelegible for some clinical trials. However, if you do a clinical trial first and it doesn't work, you can always go back and try one of the standard treatments like interferon. 

The problem with clinical trials is that you usually have to find them yourself and then ask your oncologist if a trial of interest is appropriate for you. Most of us use the ClinicalTrials.gov web site to find promising trials. Yes, it's technical and time-consuming, but it's worth the effort. Also, many people on this forum are really "up" on current clinical trials, so you can ask questions here. 

As for depression, that is sometimes a side effect of just about any type of chemotherapy. Heck! Just having a cancer diagnosis is a good reason to feel depressed sometimes. But, like most side effects, depression happens to some people and not to others. Just like fevers, fatigue, rashes, etc. If you recognize the symptoms of depression and have a good psychiatrist who can adjust your medications if necessary, you should be fine.

OK, so you are still in the early stages of your diagnosis. If your tumor was large enough, your surgeon may already have sent a tissue sample out for BRAF testing. That would be a good thing. And you will soon have CT and/or MRI scans to check for distant metastases (hopefully negative!). Then your hematologist oncologist will be able to advise you about your treatment options. 

My brother's original diagnosis was Stage IV, so I don't know a lot about Stage III. Others here will be able to speak more knowledgeably about Stage III. I do know that for Stage IV, 2 news drugs (Zelboraf and Yervoy) were FDA approved in the last year or so. These are the first new drugs available for melanoma in at least 15 years. In addition, several other new anti-melanoma drugs are now in clinical trials and some look very promising. Most of the clinical trials I know about are for stage IV patients. However, I do think that I have read about some trials currently underway or proposed for Stage III patients. 

The advantage of a clinical trial is that only now are medical researchers beginning to get a handle on treating melanoma. None of the previously available treatments worked very well or for very many people. So we have a lot of hope for this newer generation of treatments. If you take a standard treatment first, you may become inelegible for some clinical trials. However, if you do a clinical trial first and it doesn't work, you can always go back and try one of the standard treatments like interferon. 

The problem with clinical trials is that you usually have to find them yourself and then ask your oncologist if a trial of interest is appropriate for you. Most of us use the ClinicalTrials.gov web site to find promising trials. Yes, it's technical and time-consuming, but it's worth the effort. Also, many people on this forum are really "up" on current clinical trials, so you can ask questions here. 

As for depression, that is sometimes a side effect of just about any type of chemotherapy. Heck! Just having a cancer diagnosis is a good reason to feel depressed sometimes. But, like most side effects, depression happens to some people and not to others. Just like fevers, fatigue, rashes, etc. If you recognize the symptoms of depression and have a good psychiatrist who can adjust your medications if necessary, you should be fine.

Has your tumor been tested for any genetic mutations, especially the BRAF mutation?

Has your tumor been tested for any genetic mutations, especially the BRAF mutation?

Colleen,

I had to look up celiac disease as I am unfamiliar with it.  I don't have an answer for you on that other than you will likely be constipated from the interferon.  The best thing to do during interferon treatment is drink lots of water and get plenty of rest

Thanks,

MikeWI

stage 2c, currently NED

Colleen,

I had to look up celiac disease as I am unfamiliar with it.  I don't have an answer for you on that other than you will likely be constipated from the interferon.  The best thing to do during interferon treatment is drink lots of water and get plenty of rest

Thanks,

MikeWI

stage 2c, currently NED

Colleen,

I had to look up celiac disease as I am unfamiliar with it.  I don't have an answer for you on that other than you will likely be constipated from the interferon.  The best thing to do during interferon treatment is drink lots of water and get plenty of rest

Thanks,

MikeWI

stage 2c, currently NED

I did interferon 1 month high dose then found first lump. Had lump excised it was melanoma and falling apart. Thnen did started adjuvant biochemo with IL2, interferon and temozolomide. Lump came back and would go up and down during biochemo treatments. Had third surgery where they took a very large chunk out of my upper inner thigh. This was followed very shortly with first round of Yervoy. While doing Yervoy I had first round of radiation. It was to the entire inner thigh- groin down to almost the knee.

I heve also now done two more rounds of radiation- this time for bone mets to my opposite leg and one of my vertebrae. This was done for pain. It helped nicely.

I just wonder if the radiation had been done following the wide excision, if I would have had the recurrences. You never know. I think it’s worth considering. See what your Drs think. Probably worth a consult with a radiation therapist.

Good luck,

Julie in Las Vegas

I did interferon 1 month high dose then found first lump. Had lump excised it was melanoma and falling apart. Thnen did started adjuvant biochemo with IL2, interferon and temozolomide. Lump came back and would go up and down during biochemo treatments. Had third surgery where they took a very large chunk out of my upper inner thigh. This was followed very shortly with first round of Yervoy. While doing Yervoy I had first round of radiation. It was to the entire inner thigh- groin down to almost the knee.

I heve also now done two more rounds of radiation- this time for bone mets to my opposite leg and one of my vertebrae. This was done for pain. It helped nicely.

I just wonder if the radiation had been done following the wide excision, if I would have had the recurrences. You never know. I think it’s worth considering. See what your Drs think. Probably worth a consult with a radiation therapist.

Good luck,

Julie in Las Vegas

I did interferon 1 month high dose then found first lump. Had lump excised it was melanoma and falling apart. Thnen did started adjuvant biochemo with IL2, interferon and temozolomide. Lump came back and would go up and down during biochemo treatments. Had third surgery where they took a very large chunk out of my upper inner thigh. This was followed very shortly with first round of Yervoy. While doing Yervoy I had first round of radiation. It was to the entire inner thigh- groin down to almost the knee.

I heve also now done two more rounds of radiation- this time for bone mets to my opposite leg and one of my vertebrae. This was done for pain. It helped nicely.

I just wonder if the radiation had been done following the wide excision, if I would have had the recurrences. You never know. I think it’s worth considering. See what your Drs think. Probably worth a consult with a radiation therapist.

Good luck,

Julie in Las Vegas

Colleen,

I am stage 3b and just started a clinical trial at the end of October comparing interferon with ipilimumab (I can finally spell and pronounce it correctly, yay!). I would definitely ask your oncologist about it, it's the only way to get "ipi" without being inoperable stage 3, or stage 4.  The trial has to be started within 12 weeks of surgery, and if you choose to do radiation, has to be 21 days after your last treatment, so timing is very important! If you look up the clinical trial online, the official name is: E1609 "A Phase III Randomized Study of Adjuvant Ipilimumab Anti-CTLA4 Therapy Versus High Dose Interferon a-2b for Resected High-Risk Melanoma"

As far as radiation, most likely, they'd just hit the area where the lymph nodes were taken, that's how mine was. My melanoma was on my shoulder, and the affected lymph nodes were under my arm, so they just radiated the underarm area. Basically it's just in case any cancer cells were left behind after surgery. It will most likely require another doctor, a Radiation Oncologist, but it's worth getting an opinion about. For me, it wasn't a big deal, because it mostly affects just the area it's treating. If it's your head or torso, it can be a lot worse. The worst thing I dealt with was an itchy rash.

Also, definitely ask your doctor about the Celiac disease, but I would think controlling your diet would control the Celiac and interferon shouldn't make it worse, but with no medical or personal experience, I can't really say that with total certainty! And I also have no experience with severe depression, but I think that already being on meds for that will help, same with hypothyroid (I can't remember if you said you were already on meds for the thyroid though).

I wish you the best of luck, and please feel free to email me directly (email is on my profile) if you have more questions about the clinical trial, or ipilimumab (I've only had 2 rounds of treatment, but I'm happy to share my experiences so far) or just need to talk to someone 🙂

Melissa

Colleen,

I am stage 3b and just started a clinical trial at the end of October comparing interferon with ipilimumab (I can finally spell and pronounce it correctly, yay!). I would definitely ask your oncologist about it, it's the only way to get "ipi" without being inoperable stage 3, or stage 4.  The trial has to be started within 12 weeks of surgery, and if you choose to do radiation, has to be 21 days after your last treatment, so timing is very important! If you look up the clinical trial online, the official name is: E1609 "A Phase III Randomized Study of Adjuvant Ipilimumab Anti-CTLA4 Therapy Versus High Dose Interferon a-2b for Resected High-Risk Melanoma"

As far as radiation, most likely, they'd just hit the area where the lymph nodes were taken, that's how mine was. My melanoma was on my shoulder, and the affected lymph nodes were under my arm, so they just radiated the underarm area. Basically it's just in case any cancer cells were left behind after surgery. It will most likely require another doctor, a Radiation Oncologist, but it's worth getting an opinion about. For me, it wasn't a big deal, because it mostly affects just the area it's treating. If it's your head or torso, it can be a lot worse. The worst thing I dealt with was an itchy rash.

Also, definitely ask your doctor about the Celiac disease, but I would think controlling your diet would control the Celiac and interferon shouldn't make it worse, but with no medical or personal experience, I can't really say that with total certainty! And I also have no experience with severe depression, but I think that already being on meds for that will help, same with hypothyroid (I can't remember if you said you were already on meds for the thyroid though).

I wish you the best of luck, and please feel free to email me directly (email is on my profile) if you have more questions about the clinical trial, or ipilimumab (I've only had 2 rounds of treatment, but I'm happy to share my experiences so far) or just need to talk to someone 🙂

Melissa

Colleen,

I am stage 3b and just started a clinical trial at the end of October comparing interferon with ipilimumab (I can finally spell and pronounce it correctly, yay!). I would definitely ask your oncologist about it, it's the only way to get "ipi" without being inoperable stage 3, or stage 4.  The trial has to be started within 12 weeks of surgery, and if you choose to do radiation, has to be 21 days after your last treatment, so timing is very important! If you look up the clinical trial online, the official name is: E1609 "A Phase III Randomized Study of Adjuvant Ipilimumab Anti-CTLA4 Therapy Versus High Dose Interferon a-2b for Resected High-Risk Melanoma"

As far as radiation, most likely, they'd just hit the area where the lymph nodes were taken, that's how mine was. My melanoma was on my shoulder, and the affected lymph nodes were under my arm, so they just radiated the underarm area. Basically it's just in case any cancer cells were left behind after surgery. It will most likely require another doctor, a Radiation Oncologist, but it's worth getting an opinion about. For me, it wasn't a big deal, because it mostly affects just the area it's treating. If it's your head or torso, it can be a lot worse. The worst thing I dealt with was an itchy rash.

Also, definitely ask your doctor about the Celiac disease, but I would think controlling your diet would control the Celiac and interferon shouldn't make it worse, but with no medical or personal experience, I can't really say that with total certainty! And I also have no experience with severe depression, but I think that already being on meds for that will help, same with hypothyroid (I can't remember if you said you were already on meds for the thyroid though).

I wish you the best of luck, and please feel free to email me directly (email is on my profile) if you have more questions about the clinical trial, or ipilimumab (I've only had 2 rounds of treatment, but I'm happy to share my experiences so far) or just need to talk to someone 🙂

Melissa

Synthetic thyroid hormone is the hypothyroid treatment option which most endocrinologists and other types of medical doctors choose to treat hypothyroidism with. However, there are basically three hypothyroid treatment options that people with this condition have. The goal of this article is to list these three different options, and to provide reasons why you might want to choose each treatment method, as well as reasons why you might not want to choose each of them.

http://www.evitalhealth.com/Wobenzym.html

Synthetic thyroid hormone is the hypothyroid treatment option which most endocrinologists and other types of medical doctors choose to treat hypothyroidism with. However, there are basically three hypothyroid treatment options that people with this condition have. The goal of this article is to list these three different options, and to provide reasons why you might want to choose each treatment method, as well as reasons why you might not want to choose each of them.

http://www.evitalhealth.com/Wobenzym.html

Synthetic thyroid hormone is the hypothyroid treatment option which most endocrinologists and other types of medical doctors choose to treat hypothyroidism with. However, there are basically three hypothyroid treatment options that people with this condition have. The goal of this article is to list these three different options, and to provide reasons why you might want to choose each treatment method, as well as reasons why you might not want to choose each of them.

http://www.evitalhealth.com/Wobenzym.html