Chris in Minnesota
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Chris in Minnesota

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      • December 14, 2013 at 2:51 pm
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      I had chemo with 3 drugs.  Avastin, carboplatin, and abraxane.   I had a 9 cm tumor in my armpit.  It was involving a main vessel/artery so they needed to shrink the tumor in order to remove it.  After 3 months of chemo, the tumor shrunk dramatically.  When I went in for surgery, the pathology report showed no more live cancer cells (dead tumor).  I was treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.   The Avastin and the Abraxane were not covered by insurance as they are not FDA approved for melanoma so you have to look into that.  Maybe other insurance companies would cover them.  Bottom line is the chemo recipe worked better than what even the doctors were expecting.   The surgery was in August of this year (2013).  I just had my first 3 month scan and am now NED.  Thank God for the doctors at the Mayo Clinic

       

      Good luck

      Chris

      • December 14, 2013 at 2:51 pm
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      I had chemo with 3 drugs.  Avastin, carboplatin, and abraxane.   I had a 9 cm tumor in my armpit.  It was involving a main vessel/artery so they needed to shrink the tumor in order to remove it.  After 3 months of chemo, the tumor shrunk dramatically.  When I went in for surgery, the pathology report showed no more live cancer cells (dead tumor).  I was treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.   The Avastin and the Abraxane were not covered by insurance as they are not FDA approved for melanoma so you have to look into that.  Maybe other insurance companies would cover them.  Bottom line is the chemo recipe worked better than what even the doctors were expecting.   The surgery was in August of this year (2013).  I just had my first 3 month scan and am now NED.  Thank God for the doctors at the Mayo Clinic

       

      Good luck

      Chris

      • December 14, 2013 at 2:51 pm
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      I had chemo with 3 drugs.  Avastin, carboplatin, and abraxane.   I had a 9 cm tumor in my armpit.  It was involving a main vessel/artery so they needed to shrink the tumor in order to remove it.  After 3 months of chemo, the tumor shrunk dramatically.  When I went in for surgery, the pathology report showed no more live cancer cells (dead tumor).  I was treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.   The Avastin and the Abraxane were not covered by insurance as they are not FDA approved for melanoma so you have to look into that.  Maybe other insurance companies would cover them.  Bottom line is the chemo recipe worked better than what even the doctors were expecting.   The surgery was in August of this year (2013).  I just had my first 3 month scan and am now NED.  Thank God for the doctors at the Mayo Clinic

       

      Good luck

      Chris

      • December 14, 2013 at 2:51 pm
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      I had chemo with 3 drugs.  Avastin, carboplatin, and abraxane.   I had a 9 cm tumor in my armpit.  It was involving a main vessel/artery so they needed to shrink the tumor in order to remove it.  After 3 months of chemo, the tumor shrunk dramatically.  When I went in for surgery, the pathology report showed no more live cancer cells (dead tumor).  I was treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.   The Avastin and the Abraxane were not covered by insurance as they are not FDA approved for melanoma so you have to look into that.  Maybe other insurance companies would cover them.  Bottom line is the chemo recipe worked better than what even the doctors were expecting.   The surgery was in August of this year (2013).  I just had my first 3 month scan and am now NED.  Thank God for the doctors at the Mayo Clinic

       

      Good luck

      Chris

      • December 14, 2013 at 2:51 pm
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      I had chemo with 3 drugs.  Avastin, carboplatin, and abraxane.   I had a 9 cm tumor in my armpit.  It was involving a main vessel/artery so they needed to shrink the tumor in order to remove it.  After 3 months of chemo, the tumor shrunk dramatically.  When I went in for surgery, the pathology report showed no more live cancer cells (dead tumor).  I was treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.   The Avastin and the Abraxane were not covered by insurance as they are not FDA approved for melanoma so you have to look into that.  Maybe other insurance companies would cover them.  Bottom line is the chemo recipe worked better than what even the doctors were expecting.   The surgery was in August of this year (2013).  I just had my first 3 month scan and am now NED.  Thank God for the doctors at the Mayo Clinic

       

      Good luck

      Chris

      • December 14, 2013 at 2:51 pm
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      I had chemo with 3 drugs.  Avastin, carboplatin, and abraxane.   I had a 9 cm tumor in my armpit.  It was involving a main vessel/artery so they needed to shrink the tumor in order to remove it.  After 3 months of chemo, the tumor shrunk dramatically.  When I went in for surgery, the pathology report showed no more live cancer cells (dead tumor).  I was treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.   The Avastin and the Abraxane were not covered by insurance as they are not FDA approved for melanoma so you have to look into that.  Maybe other insurance companies would cover them.  Bottom line is the chemo recipe worked better than what even the doctors were expecting.   The surgery was in August of this year (2013).  I just had my first 3 month scan and am now NED.  Thank God for the doctors at the Mayo Clinic

       

      Good luck

      Chris

      • April 15, 2015 at 4:04 am
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      My oncologist is Dr Block.  He is a brilliant young doctor.  I met him and Dr Markovich together as a 3rd opionon after seeing a couple melanoma oncologists in the twin cities.  The doctors at the Mayo clinic won me over hands down and have done a wonderful job caring for me

      Good luck with your journey

      • April 15, 2015 at 4:04 am
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      My oncologist is Dr Block.  He is a brilliant young doctor.  I met him and Dr Markovich together as a 3rd opionon after seeing a couple melanoma oncologists in the twin cities.  The doctors at the Mayo clinic won me over hands down and have done a wonderful job caring for me

      Good luck with your journey

      • April 15, 2015 at 4:04 am
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      My oncologist is Dr Block.  He is a brilliant young doctor.  I met him and Dr Markovich together as a 3rd opionon after seeing a couple melanoma oncologists in the twin cities.  The doctors at the Mayo clinic won me over hands down and have done a wonderful job caring for me

      Good luck with your journey

      • April 7, 2015 at 2:52 am
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      Sorry.  I've been on GM-CSF since Oct 2013.  They did test a biopsy before I started chemo and I am BRAF negative.  I am being seen by the Mayo Clinic by a Melanoma Oncologist

      • April 7, 2015 at 2:52 am
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      Sorry.  I've been on GM-CSF since Oct 2013.  They did test a biopsy before I started chemo and I am BRAF negative.  I am being seen by the Mayo Clinic by a Melanoma Oncologist

      • April 7, 2015 at 2:52 am
      Chris in Minnesota
      Participant

      Sorry.  I've been on GM-CSF since Oct 2013.  They did test a biopsy before I started chemo and I am BRAF negative.  I am being seen by the Mayo Clinic by a Melanoma Oncologist

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