Jim M.

Hi Nick, Are you on a schedule for CT Scans every 6 months or once a year? I haven't heard that the fluid could reroute from the groin to the axillaries but that could be a question for your onc. When was the ultrasound done? Granted the pain began in April, but not much after you had the CT SCan. If you are on a protocol one option is to wait until your next scan. If it continues to be bothersome or worsens tell your onc. you want peace of mind and see if he can authorize another scan (and if your insurance would cover it). Maybe get a 2nd opinion. You can email my onc. at Moffitt. He responds to emails. His is: [email protected]. I wouldn't suggest a PET Scan for this because they are famous for giving false positives

God Bless and best of success,

 Jim M.

Hi Nick, Are you on a schedule for CT Scans every 6 months or once a year? I haven't heard that the fluid could reroute from the groin to the axillaries but that could be a question for your onc. When was the ultrasound done? Granted the pain began in April, but not much after you had the CT SCan. If you are on a protocol one option is to wait until your next scan. If it continues to be bothersome or worsens tell your onc. you want peace of mind and see if he can authorize another scan (and if your insurance would cover it). Maybe get a 2nd opinion. You can email my onc. at Moffitt. He responds to emails. His is: [email protected]. I wouldn't suggest a PET Scan for this because they are famous for giving false positives

God Bless and best of success,

 Jim M.

Hi Nick, Are you on a schedule for CT Scans every 6 months or once a year? I haven't heard that the fluid could reroute from the groin to the axillaries but that could be a question for your onc. When was the ultrasound done? Granted the pain began in April, but not much after you had the CT SCan. If you are on a protocol one option is to wait until your next scan. If it continues to be bothersome or worsens tell your onc. you want peace of mind and see if he can authorize another scan (and if your insurance would cover it). Maybe get a 2nd opinion. You can email my onc. at Moffitt. He responds to emails. His is: [email protected]. I wouldn't suggest a PET Scan for this because they are famous for giving false positives

God Bless and best of success,

 Jim M.

Hi Denise,

 I was on Ipi from 3/08 -11/08. I had no tumor burden as the melanoma was resected. I had a total of 4 infusions and started feeling minor side effects weeks after the 1st infusion. On the trial I was on they ran some of my blood through a cell separator and took some of the white blood cells for analysis. My onc said I had a huge response due to the proliferation of T cells. He said these cells will stay active for years (didn't put a number on how many years, probably no one knows). Later, after the 4th infusion I had a huge side effect; hypothysitis or swelling of the pituitary. This was discovered from an MRI after I complained of severe headaches for 2 weeks. I'm on a hormone replacement, probably for life. Anyway I'm over 4.5 years NED since Ipi and over 5.5 years NED since my surgery. Hoping and praying for the best outcome for you!

 God Bless,

Jim M.

Hi Denise,

 I was on Ipi from 3/08 -11/08. I had no tumor burden as the melanoma was resected. I had a total of 4 infusions and started feeling minor side effects weeks after the 1st infusion. On the trial I was on they ran some of my blood through a cell separator and took some of the white blood cells for analysis. My onc said I had a huge response due to the proliferation of T cells. He said these cells will stay active for years (didn't put a number on how many years, probably no one knows). Later, after the 4th infusion I had a huge side effect; hypothysitis or swelling of the pituitary. This was discovered from an MRI after I complained of severe headaches for 2 weeks. I'm on a hormone replacement, probably for life. Anyway I'm over 4.5 years NED since Ipi and over 5.5 years NED since my surgery. Hoping and praying for the best outcome for you!

 God Bless,

Jim M.

Hi Denise,

 I was on Ipi from 3/08 -11/08. I had no tumor burden as the melanoma was resected. I had a total of 4 infusions and started feeling minor side effects weeks after the 1st infusion. On the trial I was on they ran some of my blood through a cell separator and took some of the white blood cells for analysis. My onc said I had a huge response due to the proliferation of T cells. He said these cells will stay active for years (didn't put a number on how many years, probably no one knows). Later, after the 4th infusion I had a huge side effect; hypothysitis or swelling of the pituitary. This was discovered from an MRI after I complained of severe headaches for 2 weeks. I'm on a hormone replacement, probably for life. Anyway I'm over 4.5 years NED since Ipi and over 5.5 years NED since my surgery. Hoping and praying for the best outcome for you!

 God Bless,

Jim M.

Hi Mary,

 I wrote to you before. Like I said, Dr. Z is a great doctor. At your husband's next appt. just clarify with the onc. what Dr. Z meant. It should all be in the chart. Or ask to speak with Roz, his nurse, or if Z is in speak to him. He should have been more specific. I can't help you interpret the report very well but whichever onc. you meet with should be able to tell you.

  My onc., Dr. Weber, was the one who told me radiation to the surgical site reduces the possibility of a local recurrence from 60 to 10%. It targets cancer cells the surgery missed. I was told that no surgery will get 100% of cancer cells. That is maybe what Z meant. Your husband may very well have clean margins. I did 30 treatments of radiation and it was a high dose. You don't feel it at first but with more treatments the skin turns red (mine didn't blister) and you feel some fatigue. Toward the end there's some pain and tightness of the area getting radiation. I applied Miaderm radiation cream after each treatment. It cannot be applied before a treatment. Look it up on-line. I really think the cream protected me from getting more severe side effects.

 God Bless you both and best of success,

 Jim M.

Hi Mary,

 I wrote to you before. Like I said, Dr. Z is a great doctor. At your husband's next appt. just clarify with the onc. what Dr. Z meant. It should all be in the chart. Or ask to speak with Roz, his nurse, or if Z is in speak to him. He should have been more specific. I can't help you interpret the report very well but whichever onc. you meet with should be able to tell you.

  My onc., Dr. Weber, was the one who told me radiation to the surgical site reduces the possibility of a local recurrence from 60 to 10%. It targets cancer cells the surgery missed. I was told that no surgery will get 100% of cancer cells. That is maybe what Z meant. Your husband may very well have clean margins. I did 30 treatments of radiation and it was a high dose. You don't feel it at first but with more treatments the skin turns red (mine didn't blister) and you feel some fatigue. Toward the end there's some pain and tightness of the area getting radiation. I applied Miaderm radiation cream after each treatment. It cannot be applied before a treatment. Look it up on-line. I really think the cream protected me from getting more severe side effects.

 God Bless you both and best of success,

 Jim M.

Hi Mary,

 I wrote to you before. Like I said, Dr. Z is a great doctor. At your husband's next appt. just clarify with the onc. what Dr. Z meant. It should all be in the chart. Or ask to speak with Roz, his nurse, or if Z is in speak to him. He should have been more specific. I can't help you interpret the report very well but whichever onc. you meet with should be able to tell you.

  My onc., Dr. Weber, was the one who told me radiation to the surgical site reduces the possibility of a local recurrence from 60 to 10%. It targets cancer cells the surgery missed. I was told that no surgery will get 100% of cancer cells. That is maybe what Z meant. Your husband may very well have clean margins. I did 30 treatments of radiation and it was a high dose. You don't feel it at first but with more treatments the skin turns red (mine didn't blister) and you feel some fatigue. Toward the end there's some pain and tightness of the area getting radiation. I applied Miaderm radiation cream after each treatment. It cannot be applied before a treatment. Look it up on-line. I really think the cream protected me from getting more severe side effects.

 God Bless you both and best of success,

 Jim M.

Hi Mary,

 Another thing I thought of. After I healed from the CLND my doctor, Jeffrey Weber, recommended I get radiation to the surgery area. Doing this he said would reduce the possibility of a local recurrence from 60% to 10%. Quite an  impressive difference. I went ahead with the radiation. I had a preliminary consultation with Dr. Berg in Tampa. Since we live almost 3 hours from Tampa I chose to find a local radiation oncologist. The trade off is with surgery alone the risk of getting lymphedema is 20%. The risk doubles to 40% if you get radiation on top of that.

   I mention this because they may recommend this to your husband at some point.

 Again God Bless,

 Jim M.

Hi Mary,

 Another thing I thought of. After I healed from the CLND my doctor, Jeffrey Weber, recommended I get radiation to the surgery area. Doing this he said would reduce the possibility of a local recurrence from 60% to 10%. Quite an  impressive difference. I went ahead with the radiation. I had a preliminary consultation with Dr. Berg in Tampa. Since we live almost 3 hours from Tampa I chose to find a local radiation oncologist. The trade off is with surgery alone the risk of getting lymphedema is 20%. The risk doubles to 40% if you get radiation on top of that.

   I mention this because they may recommend this to your husband at some point.

 Again God Bless,

 Jim M.

Hi Mary,

 Another thing I thought of. After I healed from the CLND my doctor, Jeffrey Weber, recommended I get radiation to the surgery area. Doing this he said would reduce the possibility of a local recurrence from 60% to 10%. Quite an  impressive difference. I went ahead with the radiation. I had a preliminary consultation with Dr. Berg in Tampa. Since we live almost 3 hours from Tampa I chose to find a local radiation oncologist. The trade off is with surgery alone the risk of getting lymphedema is 20%. The risk doubles to 40% if you get radiation on top of that.

   I mention this because they may recommend this to your husband at some point.

 Again God Bless,

 Jim M.