Stage 3 survivor stories?

There are TONS!!  Especially those, like you, who now have the option of targeted or immunotherapy as adjuvant or at Stage 3!!!!  There are even lot's of folks like me.  I was diagnosed as Stage IIIb in 2003!  Unfortunately, there were no valid treatments for melanoma at that time…so I watched and waited…and in so doing…progressed to Stage IV in 2010.  BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!  Even as a newly rendered Stage IV patient, I responded to the 2 1/2 year nivo trial I was in, had my last dose in June of 2013, and remain NED for melanoma with no further treatment.  So, YEP!!!  I'm still here.  Melanoma sucks great big green hairy stinky wizard balls.  But, surviving melanoma is more than possible.

How you like them apples?  I wish you my best.  Celeste

I am Stage IIIB with an unknown primary. Just passed my 8 year anniversary. Back then, my options were Interferon, Watch & Wait, and Clinical Trial. Others have been around for even longer. 

At age 20 son was dx stage 3 ( mucosal, oral) , did a year of interferon ( all that was offered back then) and will be 10 years NED in July!

Stage 3C head and neck with 4 positive nodes.  The nodes were resected July 2017.  Nivolumab 10 doses starting October 2017 until A/E's developed.  NED since July 2017.

Susanne

I was diagnosed stage 3 with micromets in my lymph node. I had all the nodes removed and did a year of Interferon. That was all back in 2000 so this May it will be 19 years! I haven't had any problems or issues all these years. Many people who have been NED for numerous years no longer visit MPIP. So there are probably tons of other stories to be told but those people are out enjoying life! Best of luck!

Take care!

Cara

Husband was diagnosed with Stage 3C in 2002. We did GM-CSF off label for ~6 years, chasing removing positive lymph nodes every year or two.  He was NED from 2005 until late last year, now Stage IV with a mass in his lymph nodes under his arm (primary mole was ankle), and a mass on/in a rib.  He just did round 2 of Ipi/Nivo and was in the ER yesterday getting checked out for a high fever.  They ran a bunch of tests, including an x-ray.  He read the radiology report and told me that it mentioned that there was no sign of the mass on the rib that was evident in the previous x-ray (Nov 2018).  We aren't surprised, since the rib pain has disappeared since starting treatment.

So, I don't know that we count as Stage 3C and "made it", but we are successfully beating it back.  It is amazing how much the treatment has evolved since he was first diagnosed.

Good luck to you – I think we need bad days every so often to help us process and come to terms with this crap.  

Erica