Someone in Stage IIIa, and pegylated interferon treatment as adyudante?
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Someone in Stage IIIa, and pegylated interferon treatment as adyudante?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Someone in Stage IIIa, and pegylated interferon treatment as adyudante?

  • Post
    • December 17, 2012 at 11:18 pm
    gaby
    Participant

    Hi! My husband (38 years) was diagnosed with melanoma (ankle) in june 2012(Breslow 2.3 mm without ulceration, less than 1 mm2 mitosis), we are living in hell, unfortunately the result of the sentinel node biopsy (groin) gave positive 1/4, so he hada surgery on groin node dissection and lymph node biopsy in the stomach, all clean.

    Doctor offered interferon pegylado (new treatment) or wait and watch, my husband started on 29 October with pegylated interferon treatment as adyudante.Treatmentis difficult,has many side effects. Bothafraidthat melanomareturnsand not realize

    Hi! My husband (38 years) was diagnosed with melanoma (ankle) in june 2012(Breslow 2.3 mm without ulceration, less than 1 mm2 mitosis), we are living in hell, unfortunately the result of the sentinel node biopsy (groin) gave positive 1/4, so he hada surgery on groin node dissection and lymph node biopsy in the stomach, all clean.

    Doctor offered interferon pegylado (new treatment) or wait and watch, my husband started on 29 October with pegylated interferon treatment as adyudante.Treatmentis difficult,has many side effects. Bothafraidthat melanomareturnsand not realize

    Please let mehaveyourexperiencewith stageIIIaandpegylatedinterferon.

    Iam verysad and depressed. Also wantedto knowif themelanomabringssterility, because we weretrying to haveour first childandwe could notbecausethe doctor dida semen test andreturn resultswerebad.

    Thanks.

    gaby

     

     

Viewing 5 reply threads
  • Replies
      • December 19, 2012 at 4:28 am
      POW
      Participant

      I am sorry to hear about your husband. However, there have been many great improvements in melanoma treatments in recent years and more are coming. Melanoma is NOT a death sentence! You may not realize it, but you have been posting your messages on the "Caregiver" support forum. I think you will get more answers to the questions you are asking from another forum on this site: the Melanoma Patient's Information Page. Here is the URL 

      http://www.melanoma.org/community/mpip-melanoma-patients-information-page

      • December 19, 2012 at 4:28 am
      POW
      Participant

      I am sorry to hear about your husband. However, there have been many great improvements in melanoma treatments in recent years and more are coming. Melanoma is NOT a death sentence! You may not realize it, but you have been posting your messages on the "Caregiver" support forum. I think you will get more answers to the questions you are asking from another forum on this site: the Melanoma Patient's Information Page. Here is the URL 

      http://www.melanoma.org/community/mpip-melanoma-patients-information-page

      • December 19, 2012 at 4:28 am
      POW
      Participant

      I am sorry to hear about your husband. However, there have been many great improvements in melanoma treatments in recent years and more are coming. Melanoma is NOT a death sentence! You may not realize it, but you have been posting your messages on the "Caregiver" support forum. I think you will get more answers to the questions you are asking from another forum on this site: the Melanoma Patient's Information Page. Here is the URL 

      http://www.melanoma.org/community/mpip-melanoma-patients-information-page

      • December 22, 2012 at 1:27 am
      wpneuma
      Participant
      I got my IIIa melanoma in late 2010. My surgeries and results were similar with an1/3 in the sentinel nodes and an all clear in the later excision. Original tumor was on my left inner thigh and 4mm.

      I started Peg Intron or pegylated interferon shots once a week in the summer of 2011. So far I am clear but, as you say the side effects are a bear. The first year was a higher dose then ramping down through the last two years of a three year regime. Not sure if this is standard or my doctors choice.

      Short list
      A. Not hungry much and when I eat I fill up fast. 250 down to 220 lbs.
      B. puts a big dent in your sex drive. , I am using the blue pill and androgel. You will need to check testosterone level
      C. Fatigue. Want to go back to bed as soon as you get up and it is hard to focus, be engaged and have a drive to be active. Now taking Vyvqnse and it has made a world of difference .
      D. Picked up type 2 diabetes
      E. Thinning hair

      However, once you plug through the side effects it gets easier. I am down to 320mcg per week in injection. Almost feel normal with the changes made .

      My doctor keeps saying the idea is to dose reduce a person until they feel ok and can lead a normal life. Not sure if that is possible

        • June 13, 2013 at 7:01 pm
        gaby
        Participant

        hello! Thanks for the reply. My husband still continues with pegylated interferon 300 mcg per week. Yesterday his oncologist told him that according to a study treatment with pegylated interferon as adyudante stage III is 2 years, not more than 5 years. Because studies have shown that patients with 5 years of treatment and 2 years of treatment had the same benefits. In USA the patients in stage 3 how long do the treatment with pegylated interferon?

         

        Side effects were decreasing over time, but it is very hard.

         

        My husband is controlled by TAC  every 6 months and visits to the dermatologist every 3 months. We Cannot do much else, just hope and pray that melanoma does not return.

        How are you?  Are you continued with interferon pegylado?

         Best wishes.

         Gaby

        • June 13, 2013 at 7:01 pm
        gaby
        Participant

        hello! Thanks for the reply. My husband still continues with pegylated interferon 300 mcg per week. Yesterday his oncologist told him that according to a study treatment with pegylated interferon as adyudante stage III is 2 years, not more than 5 years. Because studies have shown that patients with 5 years of treatment and 2 years of treatment had the same benefits. In USA the patients in stage 3 how long do the treatment with pegylated interferon?

         

        Side effects were decreasing over time, but it is very hard.

         

        My husband is controlled by TAC  every 6 months and visits to the dermatologist every 3 months. We Cannot do much else, just hope and pray that melanoma does not return.

        How are you?  Are you continued with interferon pegylado?

         Best wishes.

         Gaby

        • June 13, 2013 at 7:01 pm
        gaby
        Participant

        hello! Thanks for the reply. My husband still continues with pegylated interferon 300 mcg per week. Yesterday his oncologist told him that according to a study treatment with pegylated interferon as adyudante stage III is 2 years, not more than 5 years. Because studies have shown that patients with 5 years of treatment and 2 years of treatment had the same benefits. In USA the patients in stage 3 how long do the treatment with pegylated interferon?

         

        Side effects were decreasing over time, but it is very hard.

         

        My husband is controlled by TAC  every 6 months and visits to the dermatologist every 3 months. We Cannot do much else, just hope and pray that melanoma does not return.

        How are you?  Are you continued with interferon pegylado?

         Best wishes.

         Gaby

      • December 22, 2012 at 1:27 am
      wpneuma
      Participant
      I got my IIIa melanoma in late 2010. My surgeries and results were similar with an1/3 in the sentinel nodes and an all clear in the later excision. Original tumor was on my left inner thigh and 4mm.

      I started Peg Intron or pegylated interferon shots once a week in the summer of 2011. So far I am clear but, as you say the side effects are a bear. The first year was a higher dose then ramping down through the last two years of a three year regime. Not sure if this is standard or my doctors choice.

      Short list
      A. Not hungry much and when I eat I fill up fast. 250 down to 220 lbs.
      B. puts a big dent in your sex drive. , I am using the blue pill and androgel. You will need to check testosterone level
      C. Fatigue. Want to go back to bed as soon as you get up and it is hard to focus, be engaged and have a drive to be active. Now taking Vyvqnse and it has made a world of difference .
      D. Picked up type 2 diabetes
      E. Thinning hair

      However, once you plug through the side effects it gets easier. I am down to 320mcg per week in injection. Almost feel normal with the changes made .

      My doctor keeps saying the idea is to dose reduce a person until they feel ok and can lead a normal life. Not sure if that is possible

      • December 22, 2012 at 1:27 am
      wpneuma
      Participant
      I got my IIIa melanoma in late 2010. My surgeries and results were similar with an1/3 in the sentinel nodes and an all clear in the later excision. Original tumor was on my left inner thigh and 4mm.

      I started Peg Intron or pegylated interferon shots once a week in the summer of 2011. So far I am clear but, as you say the side effects are a bear. The first year was a higher dose then ramping down through the last two years of a three year regime. Not sure if this is standard or my doctors choice.

      Short list
      A. Not hungry much and when I eat I fill up fast. 250 down to 220 lbs.
      B. puts a big dent in your sex drive. , I am using the blue pill and androgel. You will need to check testosterone level
      C. Fatigue. Want to go back to bed as soon as you get up and it is hard to focus, be engaged and have a drive to be active. Now taking Vyvqnse and it has made a world of difference .
      D. Picked up type 2 diabetes
      E. Thinning hair

      However, once you plug through the side effects it gets easier. I am down to 320mcg per week in injection. Almost feel normal with the changes made .

      My doctor keeps saying the idea is to dose reduce a person until they feel ok and can lead a normal life. Not sure if that is possible

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