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Stage IV lung cancer
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Stage IV lung cancer

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Stage IV lung cancer

  • Post
    • February 15, 2012 at 4:35 pm
    ElaineLinn
    Participant

      This battle began about 3 years ago, my first bout with melanoma was a mole on my back that my family dr. said was nothing and one day when he wasn't busy we would remove it. But in the mean time 3 months down the road I was having surgery to remove a nodule on my voice box, My ENT dr. saw the mole and asked me if he could remove it while he had me under working on my voice box and of course I said yes. 2 days later  this Dr calls me to come in for the TALK . I was sure I had throat cancer, but what he told me even shocked me worse.

      This battle began about 3 years ago, my first bout with melanoma was a mole on my back that my family dr. said was nothing and one day when he wasn't busy we would remove it. But in the mean time 3 months down the road I was having surgery to remove a nodule on my voice box, My ENT dr. saw the mole and asked me if he could remove it while he had me under working on my voice box and of course I said yes. 2 days later  this Dr calls me to come in for the TALK . I was sure I had throat cancer, but what he told me even shocked me worse. The mole was Melanoma and I had to have the wide extraction. He sends me straight from there to James Cancer Center in Columbus Ohio for the wide extraction. This surgery went fine, but it was in a bad place on my back and would not heal. I just knew something was wrong but no one would listen. 1 year later I had a hymnodies swell in my neck, AGAIN my family Dr. said it was nothing just caused from and infection. I let it go for about 6 months until it became almost impossible to move my left arm and decided to take a trip to quick care, and this dr. is the one to inform me that my cancer had spread to the hymnodies. Back to James Cancer Center for another surgery to remove the tumor and all surrounding nodes. Dr. Agnes removed 48 nodes and only 1  checked out for Melanoma, on to the oncology for Leukine treatments. After 5 months of treatments all was going so good [or so I thought] I was getting my strength back and was moving my arm very well. But yet again a routine trip to a NEW family Dr. because of kidney stone symptoms, he order a CT scan of the abdomen where they accidently got part of my lower lung and found 2  spots on my lung. This lead to a CT scan of my full lung that show 15 spots on my lungs. I was really floored. But once again back to Dr. Agnes who tells me that it is in operably because of the number of spots, so the next meeting was with my oncology Dr. Kendra , and we decide to try the IPI infusion. I had my first treatment on Feb. 4th , no side effects other than itchy skin which I can deal with. But I must admit I am VERY scared because I have been told that this drug only works in 20 out of 100 people. I am a mother of 4 adult children and  have 7 grandkids, which I have had custody of 3 of them for over a year.  I want to be around to raise these little ones, but I am not sure I made the right choice in treatments.

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • February 15, 2012 at 6:02 pm
        Maxximom
        Participant

          Hi Elaine..I also have stage IV melanoma in my left lung.I had my first Ippi treatment on Monday at the James.Dr Kendra is also my doctor. I was just diagnosed in January and unlike you and so many others..I never had any kind of Mole or skin lesion of any kind. The mass in my lung was discovered inadventantly in a CAT scan for a totally other reason.. which proved negative..so all this was a big shock to me. I have 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren. I live in Dublin Oh. So far no side effects from the Ippy..but it only has been a few days.I am hoping that the Ippy works for me..and for you and everyone else who is taking it.I feel like I am sitting on a keg of dynamite waiting or a Ippy reaction..and starting the very long wait to find out if the Ippy works for me. I share your fear..and I am sure that everyone who has this diagnosis must be scared as well. I am trying not to let this disease define me..and go on with my life..but it is easier said than done.Good luck.

          Joan

            • February 15, 2012 at 7:12 pm
            ElaineLinn
            Participant

              Joan  I am sorry to hear this. Cancer sucks I know and I am going to fight as hard as I can also, but sometimes I feel so alone,  I had my first Ippy on Feb 4th with only the itchy reaction.  I am really praying this is all I get , but some of the post that I have read scares me.  I love Dr. Kendra and all the staff at James Cancer Center and I know they know what they are doing and will do all they can for me. I am from Parkersburg WV not to far from you. I wish you the best with your treatments and will be saying a prayer for us all that they can cure us all!

              • February 15, 2012 at 7:12 pm
              ElaineLinn
              Participant

                Joan  I am sorry to hear this. Cancer sucks I know and I am going to fight as hard as I can also, but sometimes I feel so alone,  I had my first Ippy on Feb 4th with only the itchy reaction.  I am really praying this is all I get , but some of the post that I have read scares me.  I love Dr. Kendra and all the staff at James Cancer Center and I know they know what they are doing and will do all they can for me. I am from Parkersburg WV not to far from you. I wish you the best with your treatments and will be saying a prayer for us all that they can cure us all!

                • February 15, 2012 at 7:12 pm
                ElaineLinn
                Participant

                  Joan  I am sorry to hear this. Cancer sucks I know and I am going to fight as hard as I can also, but sometimes I feel so alone,  I had my first Ippy on Feb 4th with only the itchy reaction.  I am really praying this is all I get , but some of the post that I have read scares me.  I love Dr. Kendra and all the staff at James Cancer Center and I know they know what they are doing and will do all they can for me. I am from Parkersburg WV not to far from you. I wish you the best with your treatments and will be saying a prayer for us all that they can cure us all!

                • February 15, 2012 at 6:02 pm
                Maxximom
                Participant

                  Hi Elaine..I also have stage IV melanoma in my left lung.I had my first Ippi treatment on Monday at the James.Dr Kendra is also my doctor. I was just diagnosed in January and unlike you and so many others..I never had any kind of Mole or skin lesion of any kind. The mass in my lung was discovered inadventantly in a CAT scan for a totally other reason.. which proved negative..so all this was a big shock to me. I have 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren. I live in Dublin Oh. So far no side effects from the Ippy..but it only has been a few days.I am hoping that the Ippy works for me..and for you and everyone else who is taking it.I feel like I am sitting on a keg of dynamite waiting or a Ippy reaction..and starting the very long wait to find out if the Ippy works for me. I share your fear..and I am sure that everyone who has this diagnosis must be scared as well. I am trying not to let this disease define me..and go on with my life..but it is easier said than done.Good luck.

                  Joan

                  • February 15, 2012 at 6:02 pm
                  Maxximom
                  Participant

                    Hi Elaine..I also have stage IV melanoma in my left lung.I had my first Ippi treatment on Monday at the James.Dr Kendra is also my doctor. I was just diagnosed in January and unlike you and so many others..I never had any kind of Mole or skin lesion of any kind. The mass in my lung was discovered inadventantly in a CAT scan for a totally other reason.. which proved negative..so all this was a big shock to me. I have 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren. I live in Dublin Oh. So far no side effects from the Ippy..but it only has been a few days.I am hoping that the Ippy works for me..and for you and everyone else who is taking it.I feel like I am sitting on a keg of dynamite waiting or a Ippy reaction..and starting the very long wait to find out if the Ippy works for me. I share your fear..and I am sure that everyone who has this diagnosis must be scared as well. I am trying not to let this disease define me..and go on with my life..but it is easier said than done.Good luck.

                    Joan

                    • February 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm
                    melanomabegone
                    Participant

                      It pains me to read your history.

                      I had posted before (http://www.melanoma.org/community/mpip-melanoma-patients-information-page/beating-melanoma-need-post-photos) and other than some expressons of concern for me which I appreciate very much, the other comments had been very negative. I was pointing out, with a lot of credible references that there are many ways to fight cancer. No response from these posts.  I will take a chance with this post and If you have an open mind you may wish to check out my link or at the least these new articles below:

                      http://www.dr-gonzalez.com/melanoma.htm  (Dr. Gonzalez's very succesful treatment experiences with long term – as in 16 years – survuval rate including melanoma)

                      http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Antimetastatic+activity+of+curcumin+and+catechin.+Cancer+Lett+1999;141:159–65&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=mbE_T_u4Dcy1tweE0-DUBQ&ved=0CBcQgQMwAA   (Antimetastatic activity of curcumin)

                      http://www.touchbriefings.com/pdf/3294/murawaki.pdf  (Antitumour Effect of Vitamin K2 on Hepatocellular Carcinoma)

                      I like to point out to those taking anticoagulants that "drugs like Coumadin® that antagonize vitamin K do more than cause bone loss and arterial calcification. In a model of melanoma in mice, the oral administration of anticoagulant drugs that antagonize vitamin K "drastically promoted metastasis."  The promotion of metastasis was almost completely suppressed by the pre-administration of vitamin K3, suggesting that these anticoagulant drugs promote metastasis by specifically antagonizing vitamin K."

                      This tells you the anticancer benefit of Vitamin K but be assured to use K2 and not K3.

                      I wish you the very best. Please have an open mind. Let your doctor read these articles.

                      Dennis (melanomabegone)

                      • February 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm
                      melanomabegone
                      Participant

                        It pains me to read your history.

                        I had posted before (http://www.melanoma.org/community/mpip-melanoma-patients-information-page/beating-melanoma-need-post-photos) and other than some expressons of concern for me which I appreciate very much, the other comments had been very negative. I was pointing out, with a lot of credible references that there are many ways to fight cancer. No response from these posts.  I will take a chance with this post and If you have an open mind you may wish to check out my link or at the least these new articles below:

                        http://www.dr-gonzalez.com/melanoma.htm  (Dr. Gonzalez's very succesful treatment experiences with long term – as in 16 years – survuval rate including melanoma)

                        http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Antimetastatic+activity+of+curcumin+and+catechin.+Cancer+Lett+1999;141:159–65&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=mbE_T_u4Dcy1tweE0-DUBQ&ved=0CBcQgQMwAA   (Antimetastatic activity of curcumin)

                        http://www.touchbriefings.com/pdf/3294/murawaki.pdf  (Antitumour Effect of Vitamin K2 on Hepatocellular Carcinoma)

                        I like to point out to those taking anticoagulants that "drugs like Coumadin® that antagonize vitamin K do more than cause bone loss and arterial calcification. In a model of melanoma in mice, the oral administration of anticoagulant drugs that antagonize vitamin K "drastically promoted metastasis."  The promotion of metastasis was almost completely suppressed by the pre-administration of vitamin K3, suggesting that these anticoagulant drugs promote metastasis by specifically antagonizing vitamin K."

                        This tells you the anticancer benefit of Vitamin K but be assured to use K2 and not K3.

                        I wish you the very best. Please have an open mind. Let your doctor read these articles.

                        Dennis (melanomabegone)

                        • February 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm
                        melanomabegone
                        Participant

                          It pains me to read your history.

                          I had posted before (http://www.melanoma.org/community/mpip-melanoma-patients-information-page/beating-melanoma-need-post-photos) and other than some expressons of concern for me which I appreciate very much, the other comments had been very negative. I was pointing out, with a lot of credible references that there are many ways to fight cancer. No response from these posts.  I will take a chance with this post and If you have an open mind you may wish to check out my link or at the least these new articles below:

                          http://www.dr-gonzalez.com/melanoma.htm  (Dr. Gonzalez's very succesful treatment experiences with long term – as in 16 years – survuval rate including melanoma)

                          http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Antimetastatic+activity+of+curcumin+and+catechin.+Cancer+Lett+1999;141:159–65&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ei=mbE_T_u4Dcy1tweE0-DUBQ&ved=0CBcQgQMwAA   (Antimetastatic activity of curcumin)

                          http://www.touchbriefings.com/pdf/3294/murawaki.pdf  (Antitumour Effect of Vitamin K2 on Hepatocellular Carcinoma)

                          I like to point out to those taking anticoagulants that "drugs like Coumadin® that antagonize vitamin K do more than cause bone loss and arterial calcification. In a model of melanoma in mice, the oral administration of anticoagulant drugs that antagonize vitamin K "drastically promoted metastasis."  The promotion of metastasis was almost completely suppressed by the pre-administration of vitamin K3, suggesting that these anticoagulant drugs promote metastasis by specifically antagonizing vitamin K."

                          This tells you the anticancer benefit of Vitamin K but be assured to use K2 and not K3.

                          I wish you the very best. Please have an open mind. Let your doctor read these articles.

                          Dennis (melanomabegone)

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