Hi Mike,

my daughter was diagnosed when she was 20, four years ago with a primary from mole on arm and then one lymph node positive. She also had all of her lympmodes removed under her armpit and they were clear. She was staged 3a. We opted for her not to have interferon because of the side effects and the fact it only delays reoccurrence by three months. Everything had been fine on the wait and see and her getting scanned every six months for four years and now it has metastasized to her liver and is stage 4. She had an embolization done and also just finished YERVOY. The side effects aside from fatigue and some chills have not need too bad. I'm not sure you would be a candidate for YERVOY but you may want to find out. I know interferon can really be a beating and if there are other options, you may want to explore. 

good luck to you!! Im sure you will beat it! 

Jacque 

Hi Mike,

my daughter was diagnosed when she was 20, four years ago with a primary from mole on arm and then one lymph node positive. She also had all of her lympmodes removed under her armpit and they were clear. She was staged 3a. We opted for her not to have interferon because of the side effects and the fact it only delays reoccurrence by three months. Everything had been fine on the wait and see and her getting scanned every six months for four years and now it has metastasized to her liver and is stage 4. She had an embolization done and also just finished YERVOY. The side effects aside from fatigue and some chills have not need too bad. I'm not sure you would be a candidate for YERVOY but you may want to find out. I know interferon can really be a beating and if there are other options, you may want to explore. 

good luck to you!! Im sure you will beat it! 

Jacque 

Hi Mike,

my daughter was diagnosed when she was 20, four years ago with a primary from mole on arm and then one lymph node positive. She also had all of her lympmodes removed under her armpit and they were clear. She was staged 3a. We opted for her not to have interferon because of the side effects and the fact it only delays reoccurrence by three months. Everything had been fine on the wait and see and her getting scanned every six months for four years and now it has metastasized to her liver and is stage 4. She had an embolization done and also just finished YERVOY. The side effects aside from fatigue and some chills have not need too bad. I'm not sure you would be a candidate for YERVOY but you may want to find out. I know interferon can really be a beating and if there are other options, you may want to explore. 

good luck to you!! Im sure you will beat it! 

Jacque 

Here is a link aimed to help people decide whether to do Interferon or not:

Helping Melanoma Patients Decide Whether to Choose Adjuvant High-Dose Interferon-α2b

http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/10/9/739.full

Another thing you might consider is a clinical trial.  Interferon is the only APPROVED adjuvant therapy for stage III melanoma, but there are some drugs currently used for stage IV disease that are now in trials for stage III.  You can go to http://www.clinicaltrials.gov and do some research there.  All those drugs may have less side effects than Interferon.

Are you seeing a melanoma specialist?  VERY IMPORTANT!

Here is a link aimed to help people decide whether to do Interferon or not:

Helping Melanoma Patients Decide Whether to Choose Adjuvant High-Dose Interferon-α2b

http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/10/9/739.full

Another thing you might consider is a clinical trial.  Interferon is the only APPROVED adjuvant therapy for stage III melanoma, but there are some drugs currently used for stage IV disease that are now in trials for stage III.  You can go to http://www.clinicaltrials.gov and do some research there.  All those drugs may have less side effects than Interferon.

Are you seeing a melanoma specialist?  VERY IMPORTANT!

Here is a link aimed to help people decide whether to do Interferon or not:

Helping Melanoma Patients Decide Whether to Choose Adjuvant High-Dose Interferon-α2b

http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/10/9/739.full

Another thing you might consider is a clinical trial.  Interferon is the only APPROVED adjuvant therapy for stage III melanoma, but there are some drugs currently used for stage IV disease that are now in trials for stage III.  You can go to http://www.clinicaltrials.gov and do some research there.  All those drugs may have less side effects than Interferon.

Are you seeing a melanoma specialist?  VERY IMPORTANT!

Mike, 

I was in a similar situation as you. Mine was the second go round with melanoma and I was stage 3c.

I decided to go with a drug trial for Yervoy with surgery. I ended up some serious side effects which left me currently unable to do my job.

But my thought was I didn't see enough reward versus risk with the interferon. With the Yervoy it didn't work out like I had hoped but so far it's been 9 months and the melanoma has not returned. 

I'm a 50 year old male if that makes any difference. 

Good Luck with your choice, Rod

Mike, 

I was in a similar situation as you. Mine was the second go round with melanoma and I was stage 3c.

I decided to go with a drug trial for Yervoy with surgery. I ended up some serious side effects which left me currently unable to do my job.

But my thought was I didn't see enough reward versus risk with the interferon. With the Yervoy it didn't work out like I had hoped but so far it's been 9 months and the melanoma has not returned. 

I'm a 50 year old male if that makes any difference. 

Good Luck with your choice, Rod

Mike, 

I was in a similar situation as you. Mine was the second go round with melanoma and I was stage 3c.

I decided to go with a drug trial for Yervoy with surgery. I ended up some serious side effects which left me currently unable to do my job.

But my thought was I didn't see enough reward versus risk with the interferon. With the Yervoy it didn't work out like I had hoped but so far it's been 9 months and the melanoma has not returned. 

I'm a 50 year old male if that makes any difference. 

Good Luck with your choice, Rod

Hi,

i was 3a as well.  My original oncologist wanted to start m on interferon.  I went for a second opinion and received feedback from the members if this board.  Based on this, I decided not to do interferon and did opt for a clinical trial.  First two years I had follow up every three months and now every six.  Personal choice and not an easy one. Plenty of much more knowledgable folks on this board that can render an opinion or advice as well.

good luck!

Hi,

i was 3a as well.  My original oncologist wanted to start m on interferon.  I went for a second opinion and received feedback from the members if this board.  Based on this, I decided not to do interferon and did opt for a clinical trial.  First two years I had follow up every three months and now every six.  Personal choice and not an easy one. Plenty of much more knowledgable folks on this board that can render an opinion or advice as well.

good luck!

Hi,

i was 3a as well.  My original oncologist wanted to start m on interferon.  I went for a second opinion and received feedback from the members if this board.  Based on this, I decided not to do interferon and did opt for a clinical trial.  First two years I had follow up every three months and now every six.  Personal choice and not an easy one. Plenty of much more knowledgable folks on this board that can render an opinion or advice as well.

good luck!

Hi Mike,

I am newly diagnosed as stage IIa, as my SLN was negative.  However, while waiting for the results of the biopsy, i did a little research as to the "what ifs?" if it came back positive and kicked me to stage III and needing treatment.  I'm not sure of your job situation, but I've found that Melanoma patients can qualify for Disability pay if they are Stage III or higher.  It would definitely be worth looking into!  I understand your anxiety.  I am a single mother with a 15 year old daughter and a 23 year old son at home, along with my 7-month old grandson! 

Best wishes to you and your family!

Hi Mike,

I am newly diagnosed as stage IIa, as my SLN was negative.  However, while waiting for the results of the biopsy, i did a little research as to the "what ifs?" if it came back positive and kicked me to stage III and needing treatment.  I'm not sure of your job situation, but I've found that Melanoma patients can qualify for Disability pay if they are Stage III or higher.  It would definitely be worth looking into!  I understand your anxiety.  I am a single mother with a 15 year old daughter and a 23 year old son at home, along with my 7-month old grandson! 

Best wishes to you and your family!

Hi Mike,

I am newly diagnosed as stage IIa, as my SLN was negative.  However, while waiting for the results of the biopsy, i did a little research as to the "what ifs?" if it came back positive and kicked me to stage III and needing treatment.  I'm not sure of your job situation, but I've found that Melanoma patients can qualify for Disability pay if they are Stage III or higher.  It would definitely be worth looking into!  I understand your anxiety.  I am a single mother with a 15 year old daughter and a 23 year old son at home, along with my 7-month old grandson! 

Best wishes to you and your family!

Mike,

I was staged at 3a with 20 additional lymph nodes taken from my right underarm after the first showed positive, so very similarly to yours. After at least a month of going back and forth on the interferon decision, I decided that it just wasn't for me. I have a young son at home and didn't want to risk not being there for him if I experienced the side effects that so many do. For me, there was also the knowledge that interferon can cause or worsen depression and I already fight that on a daily basis. So it just wasn't worth the risk. I read a lot of the posts on here where people expressed their opinions for and against interferon. I got a second opinion from another oncologist in town. And ultimately, decided that close monitoring would be ok. It's a tough decision and if you do have an option of a clinical trial, it's definitely worth looking in to, especially if you want to feel like you are actively doing something rather than waiting and watching.

Hopefully you find clarity and can move forward. Best of luck!!

Nathalie

Mike,

I was staged at 3a with 20 additional lymph nodes taken from my right underarm after the first showed positive, so very similarly to yours. After at least a month of going back and forth on the interferon decision, I decided that it just wasn't for me. I have a young son at home and didn't want to risk not being there for him if I experienced the side effects that so many do. For me, there was also the knowledge that interferon can cause or worsen depression and I already fight that on a daily basis. So it just wasn't worth the risk. I read a lot of the posts on here where people expressed their opinions for and against interferon. I got a second opinion from another oncologist in town. And ultimately, decided that close monitoring would be ok. It's a tough decision and if you do have an option of a clinical trial, it's definitely worth looking in to, especially if you want to feel like you are actively doing something rather than waiting and watching.

Hopefully you find clarity and can move forward. Best of luck!!

Nathalie

Mike,

I was staged at 3a with 20 additional lymph nodes taken from my right underarm after the first showed positive, so very similarly to yours. After at least a month of going back and forth on the interferon decision, I decided that it just wasn't for me. I have a young son at home and didn't want to risk not being there for him if I experienced the side effects that so many do. For me, there was also the knowledge that interferon can cause or worsen depression and I already fight that on a daily basis. So it just wasn't worth the risk. I read a lot of the posts on here where people expressed their opinions for and against interferon. I got a second opinion from another oncologist in town. And ultimately, decided that close monitoring would be ok. It's a tough decision and if you do have an option of a clinical trial, it's definitely worth looking in to, especially if you want to feel like you are actively doing something rather than waiting and watching.

Hopefully you find clarity and can move forward. Best of luck!!

Nathalie

I'm Stage III and had all the lymph nodes from under my left arm removed. Melanoma was found only in one lymph node.

I was given three treatment options back in 2011:

* Interferon

* Observation-only (regularly scheduled scans and doctor visits thay decrease in frequency over time)

* Clinical trial

I opted for the clinical trial. Interferon offered very little benefit over Observation-only. I didn't want to be sick for an entire year whilst on Interferon and I wasn't 100% comfortable with Observation-only. Fortunately there was a clinical trial available at the time for Stage III patients. The clinical trial gave me a 2 out of 3 chance of getting a drug plus plenty of scans and doctor visits to keep an eye on things so it was the best of both worlds. If the clinical trial wasn't available, I would have opted for Observation-only.

One very important thing you must know about having lymph node surgery is that it puts you at risk for a condition called lymphedema. Basically it's the swelling of a limb due to there being no lymph nodes to pull fluid from it. How severely it affects you is difficult to predict. Also, not everyone gets it. But if you travel by plane you will need to get fitted by a physical therapist specializing in this condition for a compression sleeve to wear during a flight. At minimum you should be seeking out one of these specialists to get your arm measured and to get some tips on keeping any swelling to a miniumum.

I'm Stage III and had all the lymph nodes from under my left arm removed. Melanoma was found only in one lymph node.

I was given three treatment options back in 2011:

* Interferon

* Observation-only (regularly scheduled scans and doctor visits thay decrease in frequency over time)

* Clinical trial

I opted for the clinical trial. Interferon offered very little benefit over Observation-only. I didn't want to be sick for an entire year whilst on Interferon and I wasn't 100% comfortable with Observation-only. Fortunately there was a clinical trial available at the time for Stage III patients. The clinical trial gave me a 2 out of 3 chance of getting a drug plus plenty of scans and doctor visits to keep an eye on things so it was the best of both worlds. If the clinical trial wasn't available, I would have opted for Observation-only.

One very important thing you must know about having lymph node surgery is that it puts you at risk for a condition called lymphedema. Basically it's the swelling of a limb due to there being no lymph nodes to pull fluid from it. How severely it affects you is difficult to predict. Also, not everyone gets it. But if you travel by plane you will need to get fitted by a physical therapist specializing in this condition for a compression sleeve to wear during a flight. At minimum you should be seeking out one of these specialists to get your arm measured and to get some tips on keeping any swelling to a miniumum.

I'm Stage III and had all the lymph nodes from under my left arm removed. Melanoma was found only in one lymph node.

I was given three treatment options back in 2011:

* Interferon

* Observation-only (regularly scheduled scans and doctor visits thay decrease in frequency over time)

* Clinical trial

I opted for the clinical trial. Interferon offered very little benefit over Observation-only. I didn't want to be sick for an entire year whilst on Interferon and I wasn't 100% comfortable with Observation-only. Fortunately there was a clinical trial available at the time for Stage III patients. The clinical trial gave me a 2 out of 3 chance of getting a drug plus plenty of scans and doctor visits to keep an eye on things so it was the best of both worlds. If the clinical trial wasn't available, I would have opted for Observation-only.

One very important thing you must know about having lymph node surgery is that it puts you at risk for a condition called lymphedema. Basically it's the swelling of a limb due to there being no lymph nodes to pull fluid from it. How severely it affects you is difficult to predict. Also, not everyone gets it. But if you travel by plane you will need to get fitted by a physical therapist specializing in this condition for a compression sleeve to wear during a flight. At minimum you should be seeking out one of these specialists to get your arm measured and to get some tips on keeping any swelling to a miniumum.

Hi Mike,  Glad you found us, sorry to meet this way.  Unfortunately those of us that are Stage 3 are still in Limbo as far as treatment goes.  Whether of not to do Interferon is really a personal decision.  Some people feel that they must do something, those are usually the ones that chose to do Interferon.  I am stage 3a, had 2 lymph nodes positive for mel.  I had the rest of my lymph nodes removed (also in my right arm).  I chose just to "watch and wait".  It just didn't seem like a reasonable trade off for the amount of time spent feeling very ill due to treatment versus the dubious results of Interferon.  In March I will be 5 years NED (No Evidence of Disease)!  All you can do is make a choice that seems best for you and never look back.

Couple of quick asides.  First, Look into having your tumor genetically tested.  If the worst happens and you should have a reoccurrence it will save you a lot of time knowing if you are positive for any of the specific markers the look for in treatment.  Second, as Lenny mentioned be prepared for lymphedema.  That means getting a sleeve.  And at the first sign of swelling get yourself to a massage therapist that specializes in lymphedema..do not wait…if you catch it quickly it can easily be controlled.

Good luck and stay in contact,

Mary

Hi Mike,  Glad you found us, sorry to meet this way.  Unfortunately those of us that are Stage 3 are still in Limbo as far as treatment goes.  Whether of not to do Interferon is really a personal decision.  Some people feel that they must do something, those are usually the ones that chose to do Interferon.  I am stage 3a, had 2 lymph nodes positive for mel.  I had the rest of my lymph nodes removed (also in my right arm).  I chose just to "watch and wait".  It just didn't seem like a reasonable trade off for the amount of time spent feeling very ill due to treatment versus the dubious results of Interferon.  In March I will be 5 years NED (No Evidence of Disease)!  All you can do is make a choice that seems best for you and never look back.

Couple of quick asides.  First, Look into having your tumor genetically tested.  If the worst happens and you should have a reoccurrence it will save you a lot of time knowing if you are positive for any of the specific markers the look for in treatment.  Second, as Lenny mentioned be prepared for lymphedema.  That means getting a sleeve.  And at the first sign of swelling get yourself to a massage therapist that specializes in lymphedema..do not wait…if you catch it quickly it can easily be controlled.

Good luck and stay in contact,

Mary

Hi Mike,  Glad you found us, sorry to meet this way.  Unfortunately those of us that are Stage 3 are still in Limbo as far as treatment goes.  Whether of not to do Interferon is really a personal decision.  Some people feel that they must do something, those are usually the ones that chose to do Interferon.  I am stage 3a, had 2 lymph nodes positive for mel.  I had the rest of my lymph nodes removed (also in my right arm).  I chose just to "watch and wait".  It just didn't seem like a reasonable trade off for the amount of time spent feeling very ill due to treatment versus the dubious results of Interferon.  In March I will be 5 years NED (No Evidence of Disease)!  All you can do is make a choice that seems best for you and never look back.

Couple of quick asides.  First, Look into having your tumor genetically tested.  If the worst happens and you should have a reoccurrence it will save you a lot of time knowing if you are positive for any of the specific markers the look for in treatment.  Second, as Lenny mentioned be prepared for lymphedema.  That means getting a sleeve.  And at the first sign of swelling get yourself to a massage therapist that specializes in lymphedema..do not wait…if you catch it quickly it can easily be controlled.

Good luck and stay in contact,

Mary

I am also in the same boat although i had two positive lymph nodes.

From my perspective interferon shouldnt even be offered to melanoma patients.

It is a highly toxic treatment with no overall survival benefit.

Why it is offered at all is staggering.

Dont do it.

I am also in the same boat although i had two positive lymph nodes.

From my perspective interferon shouldnt even be offered to melanoma patients.

It is a highly toxic treatment with no overall survival benefit.

Why it is offered at all is staggering.

Dont do it.

I am also in the same boat although i had two positive lymph nodes.

From my perspective interferon shouldnt even be offered to melanoma patients.

It is a highly toxic treatment with no overall survival benefit.

Why it is offered at all is staggering.

Dont do it.

Hi Mike, great idea to get some input before such a big decision. I won't bore you with my whole history, but if you want to read it you will find it to be very similiar to your own. If I could change any decision during my journey it would be Interferon. I was a real mess after two days of the drug, and decided at the end of the first month that the high dose phase would be it. The hardest part is not having any tumors to measure on scans or test . The treatment literature shows very little if any advantage to taking the drug or not taking it. People who have taken the drug and didn't progress can't say with any scientific evidence that it was because of the Interferon. My Oncologist presented it to me as do this or do nothing!!!!  As a sports guy my whole life I choose to take the challenge. With all the new developments in Melanoma from Immunotherapy to target therapy if you have the Braf gene, doing nothing might be the better option. New choices are being introduced every few month over the last year. Lots of new drugs and combination are in clinical trials. Educate yourself to the new science before making a choice. I would want to have a Oncologist that is willing to scan on a regular ( every 3 months basis) for the first year to make sure that you don't progress. Early detection is a big key to having good outcomes with the new Immunotherapies. I have been on a Immunotherapy trial from BMS for just over a year and I am considered to be a partial responder. The Melanoma tumors reduced in size and haven't changed in almost 10 months. The treatments are a breeze compared to Interferon. I wish you the best with your decision. Ed

Hi Mike, great idea to get some input before such a big decision. I won't bore you with my whole history, but if you want to read it you will find it to be very similiar to your own. If I could change any decision during my journey it would be Interferon. I was a real mess after two days of the drug, and decided at the end of the first month that the high dose phase would be it. The hardest part is not having any tumors to measure on scans or test . The treatment literature shows very little if any advantage to taking the drug or not taking it. People who have taken the drug and didn't progress can't say with any scientific evidence that it was because of the Interferon. My Oncologist presented it to me as do this or do nothing!!!!  As a sports guy my whole life I choose to take the challenge. With all the new developments in Melanoma from Immunotherapy to target therapy if you have the Braf gene, doing nothing might be the better option. New choices are being introduced every few month over the last year. Lots of new drugs and combination are in clinical trials. Educate yourself to the new science before making a choice. I would want to have a Oncologist that is willing to scan on a regular ( every 3 months basis) for the first year to make sure that you don't progress. Early detection is a big key to having good outcomes with the new Immunotherapies. I have been on a Immunotherapy trial from BMS for just over a year and I am considered to be a partial responder. The Melanoma tumors reduced in size and haven't changed in almost 10 months. The treatments are a breeze compared to Interferon. I wish you the best with your decision. Ed

Hi Mike, great idea to get some input before such a big decision. I won't bore you with my whole history, but if you want to read it you will find it to be very similiar to your own. If I could change any decision during my journey it would be Interferon. I was a real mess after two days of the drug, and decided at the end of the first month that the high dose phase would be it. The hardest part is not having any tumors to measure on scans or test . The treatment literature shows very little if any advantage to taking the drug or not taking it. People who have taken the drug and didn't progress can't say with any scientific evidence that it was because of the Interferon. My Oncologist presented it to me as do this or do nothing!!!!  As a sports guy my whole life I choose to take the challenge. With all the new developments in Melanoma from Immunotherapy to target therapy if you have the Braf gene, doing nothing might be the better option. New choices are being introduced every few month over the last year. Lots of new drugs and combination are in clinical trials. Educate yourself to the new science before making a choice. I would want to have a Oncologist that is willing to scan on a regular ( every 3 months basis) for the first year to make sure that you don't progress. Early detection is a big key to having good outcomes with the new Immunotherapies. I have been on a Immunotherapy trial from BMS for just over a year and I am considered to be a partial responder. The Melanoma tumors reduced in size and haven't changed in almost 10 months. The treatments are a breeze compared to Interferon. I wish you the best with your decision. Ed

The fact is interferon should be banned and not offered as a treatment because it fails to offer any survival benefit for melanoma patients and has a host of toxic side effects.

Why is it still being offered when the available scientific evidence doesnt support any overall survival benefit.

You would be far better off looking at doing everything possible to try and get your immune system in tip top shape through diet lifestyle and appropriate vitiamin supplementation rather than destroying your immune system and quality of life with a toxic non beneficial treatment.

In fact i would go further and sack any oncologist who recommended it as a treatment option because they obviously do not have their patient's best interests at heart.

The fact is interferon should be banned and not offered as a treatment because it fails to offer any survival benefit for melanoma patients and has a host of toxic side effects.

Why is it still being offered when the available scientific evidence doesnt support any overall survival benefit.

You would be far better off looking at doing everything possible to try and get your immune system in tip top shape through diet lifestyle and appropriate vitiamin supplementation rather than destroying your immune system and quality of life with a toxic non beneficial treatment.

In fact i would go further and sack any oncologist who recommended it as a treatment option because they obviously do not have their patient's best interests at heart.

The fact is interferon should be banned and not offered as a treatment because it fails to offer any survival benefit for melanoma patients and has a host of toxic side effects.

Why is it still being offered when the available scientific evidence doesnt support any overall survival benefit.

You would be far better off looking at doing everything possible to try and get your immune system in tip top shape through diet lifestyle and appropriate vitiamin supplementation rather than destroying your immune system and quality of life with a toxic non beneficial treatment.

In fact i would go further and sack any oncologist who recommended it as a treatment option because they obviously do not have their patient's best interests at heart.

I'm a 47 year old female stage 3a.  I had a 3mm in my right under arm lymph node and 1mm in my left.  I went back for the complete bilateral lymph node dissection and all 53 came back negative.  I go to medical oncologist on 2/3.  I hVe been told interferon is suspected. I have had people say don't do it and I do respect that opinion but if that is the option presented to me I will do it. I am really wanting a trial but if not this is the way I'm going.  

Im determined to move foward and not second guess myself.  I wish you peace with whatever you choose!  

I'm a 47 year old female stage 3a.  I had a 3mm in my right under arm lymph node and 1mm in my left.  I went back for the complete bilateral lymph node dissection and all 53 came back negative.  I go to medical oncologist on 2/3.  I hVe been told interferon is suspected. I have had people say don't do it and I do respect that opinion but if that is the option presented to me I will do it. I am really wanting a trial but if not this is the way I'm going.  

Im determined to move foward and not second guess myself.  I wish you peace with whatever you choose!  

I'm a 47 year old female stage 3a.  I had a 3mm in my right under arm lymph node and 1mm in my left.  I went back for the complete bilateral lymph node dissection and all 53 came back negative.  I go to medical oncologist on 2/3.  I hVe been told interferon is suspected. I have had people say don't do it and I do respect that opinion but if that is the option presented to me I will do it. I am really wanting a trial but if not this is the way I'm going.  

Im determined to move foward and not second guess myself.  I wish you peace with whatever you choose!