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- This topic has 24 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 9 months ago by
KnowThyself.
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- July 3, 2013 at 9:55 pm
I am a stage 3 and was in clinical trial….due to weight loss, unexplained hives and severe night sweats i have had to drop out of clinical trial. my couple questions are is interferon the only treatment for stage 3a? my new dr thinks thats what we should do and in the beginning of all this i thought it was to but after all ive learned about interferon im not sure it is. my dr thinks something is going on but they cant seem to find out where. he suggested another clinical trial, SLD, and interferon. i know its my choice but i know that interferons benefit are very few.
I am a stage 3 and was in clinical trial….due to weight loss, unexplained hives and severe night sweats i have had to drop out of clinical trial. my couple questions are is interferon the only treatment for stage 3a? my new dr thinks thats what we should do and in the beginning of all this i thought it was to but after all ive learned about interferon im not sure it is. my dr thinks something is going on but they cant seem to find out where. he suggested another clinical trial, SLD, and interferon. i know its my choice but i know that interferons benefit are very few. if anyone has done this type of treatment or may have some other means please feel free to share cause i would like more choices. THANKS
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- July 4, 2013 at 1:13 pm
Yes, Interferon is the only FDA approved treatment for Stage IIIa.
From what I've heard, interferon is not being used so much anymore. Statistics show that it gives very little benefit over "watch and wait" and the side effects can be pretty nasty. "Watch and wait" is a perfectly viable option.
If your doctor is not a melanoma specialist, then you may want to seek a second opinion from someone who is. Something else to keep in the back of your mind is that not all melanoma clinics participate in the same trials so you may need to travel to a see a different doctor to get into the trial that you're interested in. Finding a trial that covers Stage IIIa may be a bit of a challenge because there aren't that many trials that cover Stage III and when they do, it usually seems to be Stage IIIb or IIIc.
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- July 4, 2013 at 1:13 pm
Yes, Interferon is the only FDA approved treatment for Stage IIIa.
From what I've heard, interferon is not being used so much anymore. Statistics show that it gives very little benefit over "watch and wait" and the side effects can be pretty nasty. "Watch and wait" is a perfectly viable option.
If your doctor is not a melanoma specialist, then you may want to seek a second opinion from someone who is. Something else to keep in the back of your mind is that not all melanoma clinics participate in the same trials so you may need to travel to a see a different doctor to get into the trial that you're interested in. Finding a trial that covers Stage IIIa may be a bit of a challenge because there aren't that many trials that cover Stage III and when they do, it usually seems to be Stage IIIb or IIIc.
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- July 4, 2013 at 1:13 pm
Yes, Interferon is the only FDA approved treatment for Stage IIIa.
From what I've heard, interferon is not being used so much anymore. Statistics show that it gives very little benefit over "watch and wait" and the side effects can be pretty nasty. "Watch and wait" is a perfectly viable option.
If your doctor is not a melanoma specialist, then you may want to seek a second opinion from someone who is. Something else to keep in the back of your mind is that not all melanoma clinics participate in the same trials so you may need to travel to a see a different doctor to get into the trial that you're interested in. Finding a trial that covers Stage IIIa may be a bit of a challenge because there aren't that many trials that cover Stage III and when they do, it usually seems to be Stage IIIb or IIIc.
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- July 6, 2013 at 2:56 am
Interferon is the only FDA approved treatment for stage III but there are many melanoma centers in the US that are offering biochemotherapy for stage III. My daughter received this treatment at Kaiser Permanente in Riverside, CA.. It is a combination of 5 medications – 3 chemo and 2 biochemo (interferon and interleukin 2). Because she is NED this was done as adjuvant or preventive therapy. It is given for stage III in 3 courses of 5 days each with about 2 weeks between each course. It is a very difficult treatment with a lot of side effects but if you feel you must try everything you might ask your doctor about it. She finished her treatment in April and continues NED since January.
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- July 6, 2013 at 2:56 am
Interferon is the only FDA approved treatment for stage III but there are many melanoma centers in the US that are offering biochemotherapy for stage III. My daughter received this treatment at Kaiser Permanente in Riverside, CA.. It is a combination of 5 medications – 3 chemo and 2 biochemo (interferon and interleukin 2). Because she is NED this was done as adjuvant or preventive therapy. It is given for stage III in 3 courses of 5 days each with about 2 weeks between each course. It is a very difficult treatment with a lot of side effects but if you feel you must try everything you might ask your doctor about it. She finished her treatment in April and continues NED since January.
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- July 6, 2013 at 2:56 am
Interferon is the only FDA approved treatment for stage III but there are many melanoma centers in the US that are offering biochemotherapy for stage III. My daughter received this treatment at Kaiser Permanente in Riverside, CA.. It is a combination of 5 medications – 3 chemo and 2 biochemo (interferon and interleukin 2). Because she is NED this was done as adjuvant or preventive therapy. It is given for stage III in 3 courses of 5 days each with about 2 weeks between each course. It is a very difficult treatment with a lot of side effects but if you feel you must try everything you might ask your doctor about it. She finished her treatment in April and continues NED since January.
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- July 6, 2013 at 2:58 am
Interferon is the only FDA approved treatment for stage III but there are many melanoma centers in the US that are offering biochemotherapy for stage III. My daughter received this treatment at Kaiser Permanente in Riverside, CA.. It is a combination of 5 medications – 3 chemo and 2 biochemo (interferon and interleukin 2). Because she is NED this was done as adjuvant or preventive therapy. It is given for stage III in 3 courses of 5 days each with about 2 weeks between each course. It is a very difficult treatment with a lot of side effects but if you feel you must try everything you might ask your doctor about it. She finished her treatment in April and continues NED since January.
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- July 6, 2013 at 2:58 am
Interferon is the only FDA approved treatment for stage III but there are many melanoma centers in the US that are offering biochemotherapy for stage III. My daughter received this treatment at Kaiser Permanente in Riverside, CA.. It is a combination of 5 medications – 3 chemo and 2 biochemo (interferon and interleukin 2). Because she is NED this was done as adjuvant or preventive therapy. It is given for stage III in 3 courses of 5 days each with about 2 weeks between each course. It is a very difficult treatment with a lot of side effects but if you feel you must try everything you might ask your doctor about it. She finished her treatment in April and continues NED since January.
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- July 6, 2013 at 2:58 am
Interferon is the only FDA approved treatment for stage III but there are many melanoma centers in the US that are offering biochemotherapy for stage III. My daughter received this treatment at Kaiser Permanente in Riverside, CA.. It is a combination of 5 medications – 3 chemo and 2 biochemo (interferon and interleukin 2). Because she is NED this was done as adjuvant or preventive therapy. It is given for stage III in 3 courses of 5 days each with about 2 weeks between each course. It is a very difficult treatment with a lot of side effects but if you feel you must try everything you might ask your doctor about it. She finished her treatment in April and continues NED since January.
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- July 8, 2013 at 12:36 am
Also, here's a list of some more melanoma centers in PA:
http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/melanoma/home/consortium-of-melanoma-centers-of-pa/members-
- July 8, 2013 at 12:36 am
Also, here's a list of some more melanoma centers in PA:
http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/melanoma/home/consortium-of-melanoma-centers-of-pa/members -
- July 8, 2013 at 12:36 am
Also, here's a list of some more melanoma centers in PA:
http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/melanoma/home/consortium-of-melanoma-centers-of-pa/members
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- July 8, 2013 at 5:51 pm
I dont know a lot about this stage, but Ive been reading a lot into including Cimetidine (Sye-MET-i-deen) which is actually a cheap, over the counter, heartburn medication with tons of other uses, one of them being curing melanoma in horses… there have been studies on this for human treatment, and results have been incredible (from what I read so far)…. It's safe to use daily, check with your doc about its reactions when combined with other meds, and definitely do some research, I posted a few links about it more recently on the board… take a peek, it can't hurt… Best wishes, and good luck!
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- July 8, 2013 at 5:51 pm
I dont know a lot about this stage, but Ive been reading a lot into including Cimetidine (Sye-MET-i-deen) which is actually a cheap, over the counter, heartburn medication with tons of other uses, one of them being curing melanoma in horses… there have been studies on this for human treatment, and results have been incredible (from what I read so far)…. It's safe to use daily, check with your doc about its reactions when combined with other meds, and definitely do some research, I posted a few links about it more recently on the board… take a peek, it can't hurt… Best wishes, and good luck!
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- July 8, 2013 at 5:51 pm
I dont know a lot about this stage, but Ive been reading a lot into including Cimetidine (Sye-MET-i-deen) which is actually a cheap, over the counter, heartburn medication with tons of other uses, one of them being curing melanoma in horses… there have been studies on this for human treatment, and results have been incredible (from what I read so far)…. It's safe to use daily, check with your doc about its reactions when combined with other meds, and definitely do some research, I posted a few links about it more recently on the board… take a peek, it can't hurt… Best wishes, and good luck!
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- July 4, 2013 at 11:18 pm
thank u Linny for ur imput. i know interferon has lots of side affect and thats what scares me. i think it has been to long after initial removal for me to enter another clinical trial but im gonna look into it. i have had 4 dif opinions….2 said treatment and 2 say clinical trial. im going to do some more research to check all the options. upsetting not more options for this monster!
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- July 4, 2013 at 11:18 pm
thank u Linny for ur imput. i know interferon has lots of side affect and thats what scares me. i think it has been to long after initial removal for me to enter another clinical trial but im gonna look into it. i have had 4 dif opinions….2 said treatment and 2 say clinical trial. im going to do some more research to check all the options. upsetting not more options for this monster!
-
- July 4, 2013 at 11:18 pm
thank u Linny for ur imput. i know interferon has lots of side affect and thats what scares me. i think it has been to long after initial removal for me to enter another clinical trial but im gonna look into it. i have had 4 dif opinions….2 said treatment and 2 say clinical trial. im going to do some more research to check all the options. upsetting not more options for this monster!
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- July 7, 2013 at 9:24 pm
weel i am starting interferon on the 22nd. i have asked my dr about alot of clinical trials and thes they r using…he more or less said hes not involved in clinical trials and interferon is the only treatment he is able to give me. i live in pennsylvania and what ive read on clinical trial there doesnt seem to b one within traveling distance for me. looks like i have no other choices. praying that it keeps this monster away but am optimistic about results. if anyone happens to know of a melanoma clinic within pa plz let me know and again thanks for all ur input.
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- July 7, 2013 at 9:24 pm
weel i am starting interferon on the 22nd. i have asked my dr about alot of clinical trials and thes they r using…he more or less said hes not involved in clinical trials and interferon is the only treatment he is able to give me. i live in pennsylvania and what ive read on clinical trial there doesnt seem to b one within traveling distance for me. looks like i have no other choices. praying that it keeps this monster away but am optimistic about results. if anyone happens to know of a melanoma clinic within pa plz let me know and again thanks for all ur input.
-
- July 7, 2013 at 9:24 pm
weel i am starting interferon on the 22nd. i have asked my dr about alot of clinical trials and thes they r using…he more or less said hes not involved in clinical trials and interferon is the only treatment he is able to give me. i live in pennsylvania and what ive read on clinical trial there doesnt seem to b one within traveling distance for me. looks like i have no other choices. praying that it keeps this monster away but am optimistic about results. if anyone happens to know of a melanoma clinic within pa plz let me know and again thanks for all ur input.
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- July 8, 2013 at 12:24 am
Hershey Medical Center. Try them. http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/melanoma
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- July 8, 2013 at 12:24 am
Hershey Medical Center. Try them. http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/melanoma
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- July 8, 2013 at 12:24 am
Hershey Medical Center. Try them. http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/melanoma
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