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    • February 14, 2013 at 10:13 pm
    dolphin5
    Participant

      As I said on my prior post the decision was made to go with interferion, interlukin and three others with Dr Gailani at Kaiser riverside.  Two additional test were ordered prior to being admitted next week for her first stay/treatment.   Pulminary and stress test for the heart.  I know we asked why these two test but neither my wife or I can remember and I did take notes.  And finally as a care giver what can I expect or should I be prepared for when we return home?  I know someone has an answer.  Once again we want to thank for all of you help. 

      As I said on my prior post the decision was made to go with interferion, interlukin and three others with Dr Gailani at Kaiser riverside.  Two additional test were ordered prior to being admitted next week for her first stay/treatment.   Pulminary and stress test for the heart.  I know we asked why these two test but neither my wife or I can remember and I did take notes.  And finally as a care giver what can I expect or should I be prepared for when we return home?  I know someone has an answer.  Once again we want to thank for all of you help. 

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        • February 14, 2013 at 11:56 pm
        kylez
        Participant

          Before high-dose IL2, I had an EKG/stress test and a pulmonary function test. I assume it's because the treatment is harsh and they want to see if I have any weaknesses in the lungs or heart that they should know about first.

          So you're going the biochemo route for the first treatment? That was one of 2 choices I was offered by Kaiser in 2010, the other was high-dose IL2 (which is not biochemo). I went with high-dose IL-2 because my second opinion doctor at UCSF said biochemo has never proven to extend survival in phase III studies. On the other hand, the other big melanoma specialist in SF, Dr. Minor, does a lot of biochemo. If I had done biochemo instead of IL-2, would I have had better luck / avoided later brain mets? I'll never know.

          But that's why I went to a second opinion doctor, I didn' want to rely on a single practice's opinion.

          • February 14, 2013 at 11:56 pm
          kylez
          Participant

            Before high-dose IL2, I had an EKG/stress test and a pulmonary function test. I assume it's because the treatment is harsh and they want to see if I have any weaknesses in the lungs or heart that they should know about first.

            So you're going the biochemo route for the first treatment? That was one of 2 choices I was offered by Kaiser in 2010, the other was high-dose IL2 (which is not biochemo). I went with high-dose IL-2 because my second opinion doctor at UCSF said biochemo has never proven to extend survival in phase III studies. On the other hand, the other big melanoma specialist in SF, Dr. Minor, does a lot of biochemo. If I had done biochemo instead of IL-2, would I have had better luck / avoided later brain mets? I'll never know.

            But that's why I went to a second opinion doctor, I didn' want to rely on a single practice's opinion.

            • February 14, 2013 at 11:56 pm
            kylez
            Participant

              Before high-dose IL2, I had an EKG/stress test and a pulmonary function test. I assume it's because the treatment is harsh and they want to see if I have any weaknesses in the lungs or heart that they should know about first.

              So you're going the biochemo route for the first treatment? That was one of 2 choices I was offered by Kaiser in 2010, the other was high-dose IL2 (which is not biochemo). I went with high-dose IL-2 because my second opinion doctor at UCSF said biochemo has never proven to extend survival in phase III studies. On the other hand, the other big melanoma specialist in SF, Dr. Minor, does a lot of biochemo. If I had done biochemo instead of IL-2, would I have had better luck / avoided later brain mets? I'll never know.

              But that's why I went to a second opinion doctor, I didn' want to rely on a single practice's opinion.

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