› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Update: Back from San Francisco
- This topic has 10 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 7 months ago by
DeniseK.
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- July 21, 2011 at 6:43 pm
Hi All,
Hi All,
I hope everyone is doing good today! It's so nice outside! I just got back from San Francisco at the Melanoma Center. I had an awesome day, we walked down to Haight street, walked on the beach at the Presidio, drove across the Golden Gate Bridge, and of course saw the specialists. They're recommending either 1 year Interferon or 5 years PEG Interferon. With an ulcerated tumor both these treatments have shown a better OS rate and decreased recurrence rates. It has something to do with the ulcerated characteristics. Anyway I'm going to do the 1 year Interferon. The 5 year PEG is still toxic and I just can't imagine being sick with side effects for 5 years. Dr. Spitler said that in the PEG study NOONE made it to the 5 year mark so it's really an unrealistic treatment.
She is also recommending that I get full blood work done, CBC, LDH, chemistry? & Vitamin D levels checked. This was interesting because I read somewhere that Vitamin D which we get from the sun is usually low in patients diagnosed with Melanoma. Vitamin D helps our bodies fight cancer so it's important to keep up our levels.
I'm going to be referred to a local oncologist next week to discuss treatments and tests. I'm hoping to start treatments August 1st. I know the Interferon controversy but with the specialist recommending it and from what I've researched I feel like this is the best treatment for me.
Oh Yeah! We met this couple there, Richard and I can't remember his wifes name but she is blonde and pretty. I was hoping to talk more to them. I don't know if he's on this site or not but his Melanoma was on his ear, he did 1 year interferon then he recurred and now has it on his liver and spine. I was hoping to talk to them more but we didn't see them again. If anyone knows them please let me know.
Denise
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- July 21, 2011 at 7:04 pm
Denise,
You may want to investigate this with your oncologist.
Newfound roadblock to interferon effectiveness against malignant melanoma
Researchers have uncovered a significant contributing factor to interferon resistance of malignant melanoma cells. The finding represents a step forward in understanding the molecular events that govern the growth of this type of cancer and the changes in gene expression and cellular signaling that underlie resistance to established therapies.
Malignant melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and if not treated successfully, it can spread to affect the liver, lungs, or brain. Chemotherapy fights the disease with limited efficiency, and the use of interferon has become the most established immunotherapy for advanced-stage melanoma. However, melanoma tumors often develop a resistance to the drug, posing one of the major obstacles in the clinical treatment of this cancer.
Now Professor Manfred Schartl and Dr. Claudia Wellbrock, scientists at the Universityof Werzburg, believe they have an explanation for how this interferon resistance is acquired. They have found that when a gene called STAT5 is too active in melanoma cells, it can counteract the anti-cancer effect of interferon. Interferon normally impedes the growth of cancer cells, whereas STAT5 is thought to act to promote cellular growth.
The new work, published by Professor Schartl and his colleagues in Current Biology, shows that interferon actually activates STAT5 in melanoma cells but that under normal conditions, this does not interfere with the inhibitory potential of the drug. However, when cancer cells posses too much STAT5 activity to begin with, the further activation of STAT5 function by interferon induces a mechanism that blocks the ability of the drug to effectively inhibit growth.
Confirming this initial finding, the researchers found that when they inhibited STAT5 in interferon-resistant melanoma cells, they were able to restore the effectiveness of interferon. This demonstrates the relevance of STAT5 and its contribution to the behavior of melanoma cells in the late stage of the disease.
The findings explain the frequent failure of interferon therapies and thus further our understanding of melanoma in its late, and most aggressive, stage.
In the future, a routine analysis of the STAT5 status in melanoma patients might help to improve and personalize therapies.
Source:Cell Press
Date:September 22, 2005Warm regards
Jimmy B
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- July 21, 2011 at 7:04 pm
Denise,
You may want to investigate this with your oncologist.
Newfound roadblock to interferon effectiveness against malignant melanoma
Researchers have uncovered a significant contributing factor to interferon resistance of malignant melanoma cells. The finding represents a step forward in understanding the molecular events that govern the growth of this type of cancer and the changes in gene expression and cellular signaling that underlie resistance to established therapies.
Malignant melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and if not treated successfully, it can spread to affect the liver, lungs, or brain. Chemotherapy fights the disease with limited efficiency, and the use of interferon has become the most established immunotherapy for advanced-stage melanoma. However, melanoma tumors often develop a resistance to the drug, posing one of the major obstacles in the clinical treatment of this cancer.
Now Professor Manfred Schartl and Dr. Claudia Wellbrock, scientists at the Universityof Werzburg, believe they have an explanation for how this interferon resistance is acquired. They have found that when a gene called STAT5 is too active in melanoma cells, it can counteract the anti-cancer effect of interferon. Interferon normally impedes the growth of cancer cells, whereas STAT5 is thought to act to promote cellular growth.
The new work, published by Professor Schartl and his colleagues in Current Biology, shows that interferon actually activates STAT5 in melanoma cells but that under normal conditions, this does not interfere with the inhibitory potential of the drug. However, when cancer cells posses too much STAT5 activity to begin with, the further activation of STAT5 function by interferon induces a mechanism that blocks the ability of the drug to effectively inhibit growth.
Confirming this initial finding, the researchers found that when they inhibited STAT5 in interferon-resistant melanoma cells, they were able to restore the effectiveness of interferon. This demonstrates the relevance of STAT5 and its contribution to the behavior of melanoma cells in the late stage of the disease.
The findings explain the frequent failure of interferon therapies and thus further our understanding of melanoma in its late, and most aggressive, stage.
In the future, a routine analysis of the STAT5 status in melanoma patients might help to improve and personalize therapies.
Source:Cell Press
Date:September 22, 2005Warm regards
Jimmy B
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- July 22, 2011 at 1:11 am
Good for you! Glad you made a decision.
Hoping for ther best for you!
Michael
P.S. I went to San Fran on vacation a few years ago, part of a guided tour. We also drove over the Golden Gate Bridge, went to Pier 39, Alcatraz, Knob Hill, etc. It was great! I took tons of pics!
Sea lions at the pier smell really bad though!
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- July 22, 2011 at 1:11 am
Good for you! Glad you made a decision.
Hoping for ther best for you!
Michael
P.S. I went to San Fran on vacation a few years ago, part of a guided tour. We also drove over the Golden Gate Bridge, went to Pier 39, Alcatraz, Knob Hill, etc. It was great! I took tons of pics!
Sea lions at the pier smell really bad though!
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- July 22, 2011 at 2:21 am
Denise, thanks for the update. It's a sunny and mild winter's day here.
I have found a detailed summary of stage 2 and 3 treatments that could be worth reading.
See:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/melanoma/HealthProfessional/page8 and
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/melanoma/HealthProfessional/page7Probably the most important considerations with any therapy are:
1. Does it work?
2. How toxic is it and how bad are the side effects?
3. What are one's expectations?Best wishes
Frank from Australia
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- July 22, 2011 at 2:21 am
Denise, thanks for the update. It's a sunny and mild winter's day here.
I have found a detailed summary of stage 2 and 3 treatments that could be worth reading.
See:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/melanoma/HealthProfessional/page8 and
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/melanoma/HealthProfessional/page7Probably the most important considerations with any therapy are:
1. Does it work?
2. How toxic is it and how bad are the side effects?
3. What are one's expectations?Best wishes
Frank from Australia
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- July 22, 2011 at 11:10 am
Denise,
Best of luck with the Interferon! I finished the whole year. Drink PLENTY of water!!!! I took my shots around 7:00 and went right to bed, so I slept through most of the side effects. I also took my shots on Tues, Thurs, and Sat. You can do it!!!
Tricia
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- July 22, 2011 at 11:10 am
Denise,
Best of luck with the Interferon! I finished the whole year. Drink PLENTY of water!!!! I took my shots around 7:00 and went right to bed, so I slept through most of the side effects. I also took my shots on Tues, Thurs, and Sat. You can do it!!!
Tricia
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- July 22, 2011 at 10:52 pm
Thank you all for your responses. Yes the sea lions smell horrible!! San Francisco is awesome to visit but I wouldn't want to live there! Too congested for me.
Anyway regarding the treatments available there aren't many options for 2C. I DON'T want a clinical trial and the Interferon has been proven to help better with ulcerated tumors! I pretty much decided I wanted to do Interferon but when the specialist recommend it I am sold!! I know it's controversial but I'd rather do it and be uncomfortable then risk just watching and waiting. It may or may not work, but for that matter I may or may not recur, I may or may not be clear of cells, it's a gamble and since there's no cure it's an option to help.
Denise
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- July 22, 2011 at 10:52 pm
Thank you all for your responses. Yes the sea lions smell horrible!! San Francisco is awesome to visit but I wouldn't want to live there! Too congested for me.
Anyway regarding the treatments available there aren't many options for 2C. I DON'T want a clinical trial and the Interferon has been proven to help better with ulcerated tumors! I pretty much decided I wanted to do Interferon but when the specialist recommend it I am sold!! I know it's controversial but I'd rather do it and be uncomfortable then risk just watching and waiting. It may or may not work, but for that matter I may or may not recur, I may or may not be clear of cells, it's a gamble and since there's no cure it's an option to help.
Denise
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