Julie678

Hi Lynn, do you have any more information about Leukine being ineffective for mel in lymph nodes?  leukine seems to be the main treatment Mayo offers for Stage III so I would like to understand more.  There is a trial in our area-ipi vs. interferon. However my husband doesn't want to get interferon and the side effects of ipi could be daunting.  Leukine seems to have worked for others and lets you live a fairly normal life.  So many opinions and decisions is really tough!

julie

Hi Lynn, do you have any more information about Leukine being ineffective for mel in lymph nodes?  leukine seems to be the main treatment Mayo offers for Stage III so I would like to understand more.  There is a trial in our area-ipi vs. interferon. However my husband doesn't want to get interferon and the side effects of ipi could be daunting.  Leukine seems to have worked for others and lets you live a fairly normal life.  So many opinions and decisions is really tough!

julie

Hi Lynn, do you have any more information about Leukine being ineffective for mel in lymph nodes?  leukine seems to be the main treatment Mayo offers for Stage III so I would like to understand more.  There is a trial in our area-ipi vs. interferon. However my husband doesn't want to get interferon and the side effects of ipi could be daunting.  Leukine seems to have worked for others and lets you live a fairly normal life.  So many opinions and decisions is really tough!

julie

Wow Ann, you guys have really been through a lot!  At this point we have decided on radiation and Leukine.  Mayo has recommended 3 years of treatment.  I am surprised about no more scans.  I don't know what the value of that would be other than cost.  In our case my husband was watched with blood tests, checks x-rays and periodic CT scans over a period of 5 1/2 year after a wide excision of his original mole and a negative SNB.  He was dismissed from the onc in 2008 and in hind sight we believe his positive node would have shown up on a PET scan.  In the future we will request more scans.

My husband's also believes the positive node was missed on the original SNB.  That would mean mel was there for 9 years without spreading further which is hopeful for us. 

Thanks so much for all the info.

Julie 

Wow Ann, you guys have really been through a lot!  At this point we have decided on radiation and Leukine.  Mayo has recommended 3 years of treatment.  I am surprised about no more scans.  I don't know what the value of that would be other than cost.  In our case my husband was watched with blood tests, checks x-rays and periodic CT scans over a period of 5 1/2 year after a wide excision of his original mole and a negative SNB.  He was dismissed from the onc in 2008 and in hind sight we believe his positive node would have shown up on a PET scan.  In the future we will request more scans.

My husband's also believes the positive node was missed on the original SNB.  That would mean mel was there for 9 years without spreading further which is hopeful for us. 

Thanks so much for all the info.

Julie 

Wow Ann, you guys have really been through a lot!  At this point we have decided on radiation and Leukine.  Mayo has recommended 3 years of treatment.  I am surprised about no more scans.  I don't know what the value of that would be other than cost.  In our case my husband was watched with blood tests, checks x-rays and periodic CT scans over a period of 5 1/2 year after a wide excision of his original mole and a negative SNB.  He was dismissed from the onc in 2008 and in hind sight we believe his positive node would have shown up on a PET scan.  In the future we will request more scans.

My husband's also believes the positive node was missed on the original SNB.  That would mean mel was there for 9 years without spreading further which is hopeful for us. 

Thanks so much for all the info.

Julie 

Thanks. Looks like we are the same boat with our husbands.  Are you at Mayo in Rochester?  Do you live nearby?  We are in Mpls and I am wondering how you were "trained in" on the injections and if your husband was monitored to begin with.  I am thinking we will have to consult with an onc here.  And, do you go to Mayo every 3 months for follow-up?  That's what they asked us to do.

Thanks!

Thanks. Looks like we are the same boat with our husbands.  Are you at Mayo in Rochester?  Do you live nearby?  We are in Mpls and I am wondering how you were "trained in" on the injections and if your husband was monitored to begin with.  I am thinking we will have to consult with an onc here.  And, do you go to Mayo every 3 months for follow-up?  That's what they asked us to do.

Thanks!

Thanks. Looks like we are the same boat with our husbands.  Are you at Mayo in Rochester?  Do you live nearby?  We are in Mpls and I am wondering how you were "trained in" on the injections and if your husband was monitored to begin with.  I am thinking we will have to consult with an onc here.  And, do you go to Mayo every 3 months for follow-up?  That's what they asked us to do.

Thanks!