› Forums › General Melanoma Community › New to this forum, but not to cancer
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H555.
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- June 26, 2011 at 5:44 pm
My name is Ron Bassett-Smith, I'm 61 and will have surgery June 30th (the same day i retire ironically) to remove malignant lymp node(s?) from the inguinal area on my right side. I had a melanoma removed from my right calf 16 years ago, large excision, all tissue clean on the margins, regular follow up, no radiation no chemo. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005 related to Agent Orange exposure in South Vietnam in the late 60's. had surgery, then salvage radiation 2 years later and then was diagnoed with a biochemical recurrence in Jan of 2010.
My name is Ron Bassett-Smith, I'm 61 and will have surgery June 30th (the same day i retire ironically) to remove malignant lymp node(s?) from the inguinal area on my right side. I had a melanoma removed from my right calf 16 years ago, large excision, all tissue clean on the margins, regular follow up, no radiation no chemo. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005 related to Agent Orange exposure in South Vietnam in the late 60's. had surgery, then salvage radiation 2 years later and then was diagnoed with a biochemical recurrence in Jan of 2010. that one is slow growing, my psa scores are creeping up slowly. i'm very familiar with treatment, survival odds etc for prostate cancer. I've got a good oncologist at the Oregon Health Sciences University and for now see her annually till my psa scores hit a level that we've agreed will be the beginning of hormone therapy.
I found a lump on the line between my groin and my right leg 6 weeks ago, my primary care doc had a bone scan, CT scan of my chest, abdomen and groin and an MRI of my head and no tumors were identified. I was referred to the melanoma clinic/center at OHSU for needle biopsy on Tuesday and sure enough it came back as metastatic melanoma. I hadn't thought about the recurring in over 6 years. I'm having lymph nodes removed on June 30th and then likely interferon therapy in Salem – close to where i live.
We're kind of in shock. we had lots of plans for this summer, all of which are now on hold. grandchild #2 is due in September, youngest son is in Kenya in the Peace Corps as of June 7th, for 26 months. I have lots to live for, am a bit nervous about what we might find out on Thursday but here's my assessment – tell me what you know, i'm on a similar web community for prostate cancer and have learned tons there in the last 6 years – 16 years between the 1st and 2nd occurence is good, no identifiable tumors is good. information after Thursday's surgery will tell us lots about how tought this is going to be. just thought I'd introduce my self as I suspect I'll be spending a fair amount of time here trying to understand the progression and treatement of metastatic melanoma. thank you.
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- June 26, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Ron,
I'm sorry you've had to join us, but welcome to our board.
Melanoma has a mind of it's own. Mine recurred after 27 years. I went from stage 1A all of those years right to stage IV. Scared but time has passed. In fact in about a week it will be 5 years. I still keep having recurances but I'm still winning and enjoying life. You have to do that also.
Interferon is not recommended by many melanoma specialists anymore because of the toxic effects and the small percentage of chance that it will work. If you put a separate post asking about interferon you will get many different opinions. You also could do a search and come up with comments from the past. On the other side it does work for some. Big decision. Some have many side effects and others aren't so bad.
Because you have 2 cancers and it sounds like the prostate cancer is active but slow, that will most likely limit clinical trials. That's something to discuss with your Dr. You also don't want to do something that will irritate your PSA numbers.
In my mel journey I did 1 year of a drug called Leukine, that was after surgery when I was considered ned (no evidence of disease). I'm not saying it worked, but it took over 2 years for my next recurrance. Clinical trials have shown that it didn't help much but there are some on the board that feels it really helped them. Otherwise my treatments have been all surgery and tomorrow I am starting radiation for the first time. If yours can be totally surgically resected that might be an option for you.
I hope you can still enjoy your retirement plans and that 2nd grandbaby!! Life is about living and enjoying. Make sure you get plenty of that in!
Let us know what your decision is,
Linda
Stage IV since 06, NED 3 weeks, radiation starts tomorrow
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- June 26, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Ron,
I'm sorry you've had to join us, but welcome to our board.
Melanoma has a mind of it's own. Mine recurred after 27 years. I went from stage 1A all of those years right to stage IV. Scared but time has passed. In fact in about a week it will be 5 years. I still keep having recurances but I'm still winning and enjoying life. You have to do that also.
Interferon is not recommended by many melanoma specialists anymore because of the toxic effects and the small percentage of chance that it will work. If you put a separate post asking about interferon you will get many different opinions. You also could do a search and come up with comments from the past. On the other side it does work for some. Big decision. Some have many side effects and others aren't so bad.
Because you have 2 cancers and it sounds like the prostate cancer is active but slow, that will most likely limit clinical trials. That's something to discuss with your Dr. You also don't want to do something that will irritate your PSA numbers.
In my mel journey I did 1 year of a drug called Leukine, that was after surgery when I was considered ned (no evidence of disease). I'm not saying it worked, but it took over 2 years for my next recurrance. Clinical trials have shown that it didn't help much but there are some on the board that feels it really helped them. Otherwise my treatments have been all surgery and tomorrow I am starting radiation for the first time. If yours can be totally surgically resected that might be an option for you.
I hope you can still enjoy your retirement plans and that 2nd grandbaby!! Life is about living and enjoying. Make sure you get plenty of that in!
Let us know what your decision is,
Linda
Stage IV since 06, NED 3 weeks, radiation starts tomorrow
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- June 27, 2011 at 3:37 pm
File your claim with the Government…for Agent Orange. for Melanoma, TOO!…They are too looking at Melanoma. We filed a claim ……it is still being investigated…Unless enough of people file for Melanoma under Agent Orange, it will not be added…..Looks like you have 2 cancers maybe from Agent Orange….My husband passed away on Nov 30, 2010 from Metastic Melanoma…..File the claim for Agent Orange….Let's get Melanoma added. My husband was there in 1967-68….Healthy until age 59, when Melanoma reared it's ugly head. I believe with all my heart it is from Agent Orange, and will fight it until there is no other breath in my body. It may never help my husband or me, but it may help some other man, who is right behind my husband. The government did wrong by our men. Fight for it. I am.
Take Care,
Sherron,wife to Jim FOREVER
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- June 28, 2011 at 12:05 am
Sherron, thanks my total SCD rating is already 160%. good luck to you with your challenge.
are you familiar with the Veteran's Benefits Network at this site? http://vets.yuku.com/directory#.Tgka2OD1TII
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- June 28, 2011 at 12:05 am
Sherron, thanks my total SCD rating is already 160%. good luck to you with your challenge.
are you familiar with the Veteran's Benefits Network at this site? http://vets.yuku.com/directory#.Tgka2OD1TII
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- June 27, 2011 at 3:37 pm
File your claim with the Government…for Agent Orange. for Melanoma, TOO!…They are too looking at Melanoma. We filed a claim ……it is still being investigated…Unless enough of people file for Melanoma under Agent Orange, it will not be added…..Looks like you have 2 cancers maybe from Agent Orange….My husband passed away on Nov 30, 2010 from Metastic Melanoma…..File the claim for Agent Orange….Let's get Melanoma added. My husband was there in 1967-68….Healthy until age 59, when Melanoma reared it's ugly head. I believe with all my heart it is from Agent Orange, and will fight it until there is no other breath in my body. It may never help my husband or me, but it may help some other man, who is right behind my husband. The government did wrong by our men. Fight for it. I am.
Take Care,
Sherron,wife to Jim FOREVER
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