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  • Post
    • July 19, 2019 at 10:06 pm
    Suzana65
    Participant
      Hi everyone.
      My update is as follows. Had a PET scan on Wednesday. Negative. Thank you God for this blessing. Saw oncologist today. She does not want to give me any therapy. Just US very 3 months and PET scans every 6. She claims that since I had only one positive node with less than 1 mm tumor (stage IIIa) I am not a candidate for adjuvant therapy. She claims it’s nothing to do with my autoimmune. I will be seeing dr. Paul Chapman at Sloan Kettering on Monday anyway. I guess I’ll hear what he has to say. My question is this…. I see that almost everyone who was stage 3 at diagnosis without any treatment to follow progressed to stage 4. I’m scared to leave it just like this. Let me know what you think.
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    • Replies
        • July 19, 2019 at 10:43 pm
        Edwin
        Participant
          It is good that you will get a second option from Dr Paul Chapman.

          “I see that almost everyone who was stage 3 at diagnosis without any treatment to follow progressed to stage 4.”
          Stage 3 people who remain healthy do not need to ask for advice on this forum. I would not have been here, if I had not progressed to stage 4 melanoma. You should not count stage 3 to stage 4 people on this forum to see your chances of remaining cancer free.

            • July 19, 2019 at 11:35 pm
            Suzana65
            Participant
              Thank you Edwin. You are very right and wise . Fear is as big a monster as this awful diagnosis.
              • July 20, 2019 at 12:42 am
              Edwin
              Participant
                When I was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma in August 2014, I was so afraid that I had trouble sleeping. When I was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma in August 2015, I was again fearful and had trouble sleeping. After about a month I became more calm.
              • July 20, 2019 at 2:08 am
              lkb
              Participant
                Good work setting up for a second opinion. It’s absolutely the right thing to do and I think it will help you decide on your next step. Also,I assume you have already had your medical records sent to Sloan Kettering; sending/bringing the actual scan images as well (in addition to the reports) will help the doc there.
                  • July 20, 2019 at 2:51 am
                  Suzana65
                  Participant
                    Yes. All this is done. Thank you for the advice and for thinking of practical things that can help. Lovely group of people. Truly grateful.
                  • July 20, 2019 at 3:57 pm
                  Linny
                  Participant
                    Most people diagnosed with Stage III melanoma show up here at the start of their journey because they are scared and when life returns to normal they come here less often. It doesn’t mean everyone with Stage III automatically progresses to Stage IV. I pop on occasionally these days to learn more about treatment options and to (hopefully) provide some encouragement to those at the start of their journey,

                    The option offered to you by your oncologist is a reasonable one. Close observation is a viable option and there are many Stage III patients doing fine just with that. You just don’t hear from them for the reason I stated in the previous paragraph. There is no way to predict who will or will not have a recurrence. Statistically, the highest chances of recurrence happen within the first two years of a diagnosis, which is why your scans/doctor visits are more frequent. They will taper off after two years and then again after five. Also, statistically speaking, the longer you go without a recurrence, the odds of you having a recurrent decrease.

                    It will be good to hear what Dr Chapman has to say and to offer for you. You will be seeing someone who knows melanoma inside and out.

                      • July 20, 2019 at 7:01 pm
                      Suzana65
                      Participant
                        Thank you Linny for the words of encouragement . I really need it. Nice to hear from you. Be well.
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