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some advice please?
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some advice please?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › some advice please?

  • Post
    • September 9, 2011 at 1:43 am
    deardad
    Participant

      Hi my dad is 10 months down the track after his original diagnosis of stage 3. He had a craniotomy for a single met 5 weeks ago. Now he has 4 mets in liver and one in his spleen. He starts B RAF in a week. A CT scan is organised before he commences the drug but Im wondering why they haven't also arranged an MRI? There is one booked for 2 months after surgery but should we wait this long? My concern is that his original met in the brain doubled in 6 weeks and bleed, and I'm hoping he might be a candidate SRS rather than another craniotomy. What would you do?

      Hi my dad is 10 months down the track after his original diagnosis of stage 3. He had a craniotomy for a single met 5 weeks ago. Now he has 4 mets in liver and one in his spleen. He starts B RAF in a week. A CT scan is organised before he commences the drug but Im wondering why they haven't also arranged an MRI? There is one booked for 2 months after surgery but should we wait this long? My concern is that his original met in the brain doubled in 6 weeks and bleed, and I'm hoping he might be a candidate SRS rather than another craniotomy. What would you do?

      Has anyone heard of positive stories with liver mets? My dads cannot be resected apparently. We are living every day like life will end in months and its so heartbreaking. I need some hope.

      Nahmi in Melbourne

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        • September 9, 2011 at 2:01 am
        PlantLady
        Participant

          Here is a link that has some types of surgery listed, such as Radio Frequency Ablation of tumors that are non-operable.  While it is on a site for Ocular Melanoma, it still lists various types of alternatives for metasteses.

          http://www.lafn.org/~bc534/OcularMelMets.htm

          Maybe you will find something in it to get you started.

          CJ – wife of Ron, Stage IV, mets in lung, bone, & adrenal.  No known primary.

          • September 9, 2011 at 2:01 am
          PlantLady
          Participant

            Here is a link that has some types of surgery listed, such as Radio Frequency Ablation of tumors that are non-operable.  While it is on a site for Ocular Melanoma, it still lists various types of alternatives for metasteses.

            http://www.lafn.org/~bc534/OcularMelMets.htm

            Maybe you will find something in it to get you started.

            CJ – wife of Ron, Stage IV, mets in lung, bone, & adrenal.  No known primary.

            • September 9, 2011 at 2:51 am
            FormerCaregiver
            Participant

              Nahmi, thanks for the update on your dad. Sorry to read of the new mets, but it is encouraging that he is starting on a BRAF inhibitor next week. Hope that he is recovering well after the craniotomy.

              A CT scan is the standard scan that is usually done. If there is anything of concern that shows up on the CT, then oncologists will consider doing an MRI for the brain or a PET scan for other areas depending on circumstances.

              There is the possibilty that liver mets might be able to be treated with local chemo, but I am not sure if this technique is available here in Melbourne.

              Both liver and brain mets are serious problems, and undoubtedly you realise this. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers as to what one should do. I would try to have confidence in what your dad's oncologist has to say.

              Hope this helps.

              Frank from Australia

              • September 9, 2011 at 2:51 am
              FormerCaregiver
              Participant

                Nahmi, thanks for the update on your dad. Sorry to read of the new mets, but it is encouraging that he is starting on a BRAF inhibitor next week. Hope that he is recovering well after the craniotomy.

                A CT scan is the standard scan that is usually done. If there is anything of concern that shows up on the CT, then oncologists will consider doing an MRI for the brain or a PET scan for other areas depending on circumstances.

                There is the possibilty that liver mets might be able to be treated with local chemo, but I am not sure if this technique is available here in Melbourne.

                Both liver and brain mets are serious problems, and undoubtedly you realise this. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers as to what one should do. I would try to have confidence in what your dad's oncologist has to say.

                Hope this helps.

                Frank from Australia

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