Remicade & Melanoma

Hi.  I responded to earlier to your question of October 15th in which I discussed Suzie who suffered from Crohn's (for 23 years) and had been taken Remicade for about 2 years.  Just to say, although it was not 'confirmed 100%', her doctors/dermatologist also thought there was the possibility that Remicade brought on the melanoma…but as I said, Suzie was fair and did do tanning salons in her younger years.  I do know that Remicade helped her a great deal, if you do decided on Remicade, be very very vigilant, perhaps a dermatologist every 6 months??…any possibility, of trying another option where the side effects do not include possiblity of causing cancer…??  Val

Hi.  I responded to earlier to your question of October 15th in which I discussed Suzie who suffered from Crohn's (for 23 years) and had been taken Remicade for about 2 years.  Just to say, although it was not 'confirmed 100%', her doctors/dermatologist also thought there was the possibility that Remicade brought on the melanoma…but as I said, Suzie was fair and did do tanning salons in her younger years.  I do know that Remicade helped her a great deal, if you do decided on Remicade, be very very vigilant, perhaps a dermatologist every 6 months??…any possibility, of trying another option where the side effects do not include possiblity of causing cancer…??  Val

Dear Erika,

   I happened upon your comments while searching for clinical trials.

My brother (age 52) has been taking Remicade for the past three years to control his Crohn's.

Like you, he had a stage one melanoma removed after he had been on Remicade for about a year.

Two weeks ago, he felt a lump in his armpit and now, having had it checked (with more extensive diagnosing),

he is facing a most serious diagnosis of melanoma that has metastasized to his liver and beyond.

He was instantly taken off of the Reminded and will start Chemotherapy in two days.  The outlook is grim.

He is facing a prognosis of succumbing to this shitty disease within two to nine months.

   We haven't given up hope.

We are looking for clinical trials that are now really the only good hope beyond chemotherapy.

   I guess that when he made the choice to 'go for the Reminded' , it was the immediacy of the benefits

that pushed the decision.  The relief seemed so good.

  Melanoma is just so quiet.   

Until the lump, there were no symptoms. It is only now that I am reading about

the dangers in-depth. The longer you take it, the higher your chances of  not only melanoma,

but a host of other possibly fatal consequences,

    If you decide to take it, please be vigilant about checking yourself  and read read read about it. 

There is a host of information out there.  If you have a physician that is sort of wishy-washy,

perhaps you need to speak to an oncologist beforehand. It is your very life that you are talking about.

Best of luck to you all.

Crohn's sucks, but cancer is worse.

Dear Erika,

   I happened upon your comments while searching for clinical trials.

My brother (age 52) has been taking Remicade for the past three years to control his Crohn's.

Like you, he had a stage one melanoma removed after he had been on Remicade for about a year.

Two weeks ago, he felt a lump in his armpit and now, having had it checked (with more extensive diagnosing),

he is facing a most serious diagnosis of melanoma that has metastasized to his liver and beyond.

He was instantly taken off of the Reminded and will start Chemotherapy in two days.  The outlook is grim.

He is facing a prognosis of succumbing to this shitty disease within two to nine months.

   We haven't given up hope.

We are looking for clinical trials that are now really the only good hope beyond chemotherapy.

   I guess that when he made the choice to 'go for the Reminded' , it was the immediacy of the benefits

that pushed the decision.  The relief seemed so good.

  Melanoma is just so quiet.   

Until the lump, there were no symptoms. It is only now that I am reading about

the dangers in-depth. The longer you take it, the higher your chances of  not only melanoma,

but a host of other possibly fatal consequences,

    If you decide to take it, please be vigilant about checking yourself  and read read read about it. 

There is a host of information out there.  If you have a physician that is sort of wishy-washy,

perhaps you need to speak to an oncologist beforehand. It is your very life that you are talking about.

Best of luck to you all.

Crohn's sucks, but cancer is worse.

Very sorry, but in my previous posting, my spell-checker changed the word Remicade to Remembered,

Very sorry, but in my previous posting, my spell-checker changed the word Remicade to Remembered,