Hi All,
I began treatment for my melanoma in February of this year, initially staged as 3C/4. The disease was confined to my lymph nodes, though it was extensive – both axial and cervical on my left side and a couple nodes on my right.
The decision was made to start the ipi/nivo x 4 regimen, which I completed in May. There was noticeable swelling on the left side of my neck when we started, that shrunk noticeably after my first combo treatment, though it never completely went away, and swelling has steadily increased in that area since. My first scans post completion of the 4 infusions show overall disease progression. Some nodes appear smaller, some appear larger, but there is new progression as well, around my throat and under my jaw, as well as two very small (but very suspicious) spots in my upper lungs. We’re continuing with nivo by itself for at least the next 8 weeks, and if the disease at my throat becomes a problem as far as swallowing solid food, we’ll look at radiation in that area.
My hope is, of course, this is a delayed response to the drugs or pseudoprogression, and I may yet respond. However, the new disease under my jaw has me worried that whatever partial response I had earlier is it for me. Could I still have a delayed response, even if new disease is appearing? I thought that a delayed response was more seen in existing tumors growing post treatment, and then taking longer to shrink, and not necessarily a factor when new progression is brought into the mix.
As usual, looking for any positive news to hold on to!
Tim
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