Bethj

My partner was diagnosed with oral last April. She is on the trial drug dasatinib. Has been since Dec. First scans showed improvement. We go back next week for the 3 month interval scans. Hoping for the best. I think I just wanted to break the ice here Valerie. I've been reading the posts for a few months now. Thank you

My partner was diagnosed with oral last April. She is on the trial drug dasatinib. Has been since Dec. First scans showed improvement. We go back next week for the 3 month interval scans. Hoping for the best. I think I just wanted to break the ice here Valerie. I've been reading the posts for a few months now. Thank you

My partner was diagnosed with oral last April. She is on the trial drug dasatinib. Has been since Dec. First scans showed improvement. We go back next week for the 3 month interval scans. Hoping for the best. I think I just wanted to break the ice here Valerie. I've been reading the posts for a few months now. Thank you

Thank you Jerry and thanks for the info. I had to look up the terminology to understand your post. In the two days I have been on here, I have learned more than pouring through countless hours on the internet. I believe dasantib is cytostatic if I remember Dr Kim correctly. I will make sure next week. Stay strong, I believe you are a wealth of information, determination and inspiration. Beth

Thank you Jerry and thanks for the info. I had to look up the terminology to understand your post. In the two days I have been on here, I have learned more than pouring through countless hours on the internet. I believe dasantib is cytostatic if I remember Dr Kim correctly. I will make sure next week. Stay strong, I believe you are a wealth of information, determination and inspiration. Beth

Thank you Jerry and thanks for the info. I had to look up the terminology to understand your post. In the two days I have been on here, I have learned more than pouring through countless hours on the internet. I believe dasantib is cytostatic if I remember Dr Kim correctly. I will make sure next week. Stay strong, I believe you are a wealth of information, determination and inspiration. Beth

Thanks for the replies and good luck on everyone's scans. Joy,(the patient), had excisional biopsy performed 3-3-11 by her oral surgeon. It revealed invasive mucosal melanoma 2.8mm with 8 mitotic figues and 7mm ulceration. On 4-22-11 she underwent infrastructure maxillectomy and full thickness skin graft. The path report revealed melanoma in situ in the left labial mucosal margin and and in the squamous cell mucosa and the right labial mucosa. She was tested for C-kit at that time, and consistent with axon 11 of that gene. She did 2 1/2 weeks of radiation, starting 5/29. Her followup scans were clear until Dec. 8th. At that time a they noticed development of the submandibular lymph node measuring 1.4cm and a number of pulmonary nodules. The fine needle biopsy revealed metastatic melanoma and just like that, we went to stage 4. Started dasatinib the following week and after the first scans in Jan. it seems to be working. Improvement in size of lung and lymph node. The doseage was reduced from 100mg to 70 after Joy became very ill on the higher dose. The scans next week, 4-18 and 4-19 will be the first after lowering the dose. Hoping and praying the meds are still attacking the cancer.

Thanks for the replies and good luck on everyone's scans. Joy,(the patient), had excisional biopsy performed 3-3-11 by her oral surgeon. It revealed invasive mucosal melanoma 2.8mm with 8 mitotic figues and 7mm ulceration. On 4-22-11 she underwent infrastructure maxillectomy and full thickness skin graft. The path report revealed melanoma in situ in the left labial mucosal margin and and in the squamous cell mucosa and the right labial mucosa. She was tested for C-kit at that time, and consistent with axon 11 of that gene. She did 2 1/2 weeks of radiation, starting 5/29. Her followup scans were clear until Dec. 8th. At that time a they noticed development of the submandibular lymph node measuring 1.4cm and a number of pulmonary nodules. The fine needle biopsy revealed metastatic melanoma and just like that, we went to stage 4. Started dasatinib the following week and after the first scans in Jan. it seems to be working. Improvement in size of lung and lymph node. The doseage was reduced from 100mg to 70 after Joy became very ill on the higher dose. The scans next week, 4-18 and 4-19 will be the first after lowering the dose. Hoping and praying the meds are still attacking the cancer.

Thanks for the replies and good luck on everyone's scans. Joy,(the patient), had excisional biopsy performed 3-3-11 by her oral surgeon. It revealed invasive mucosal melanoma 2.8mm with 8 mitotic figues and 7mm ulceration. On 4-22-11 she underwent infrastructure maxillectomy and full thickness skin graft. The path report revealed melanoma in situ in the left labial mucosal margin and and in the squamous cell mucosa and the right labial mucosa. She was tested for C-kit at that time, and consistent with axon 11 of that gene. She did 2 1/2 weeks of radiation, starting 5/29. Her followup scans were clear until Dec. 8th. At that time a they noticed development of the submandibular lymph node measuring 1.4cm and a number of pulmonary nodules. The fine needle biopsy revealed metastatic melanoma and just like that, we went to stage 4. Started dasatinib the following week and after the first scans in Jan. it seems to be working. Improvement in size of lung and lymph node. The doseage was reduced from 100mg to 70 after Joy became very ill on the higher dose. The scans next week, 4-18 and 4-19 will be the first after lowering the dose. Hoping and praying the meds are still attacking the cancer.