laulamb

Andy,  I was completely in your shoes exactly 2 years ago.  Trust me when I say it will be ok.  I was there, I know the panic that is going through your mind.  I cried for days in my husbands arms.  My initial melanoma was 1.3 mm and in one lymph node.  Please look at my profile for more details of my melanoma journey.  Two years later, there are some days I don't even think about melanoma!  You will get through this!  

I was first diagnosed Stage 3a melanoma … had a PET scan because of the melanoma and my thryroid lit up on the PET scan and the area to the right of my thryroid.  I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer (also in 8 lymph nodes to the right of my thryroid).  Both my ENT doctor and melanoma onocologist said that the cancers were not related.  

Hi Beth, My experience is similar to yours … even the location of my initial melanoma.  I too am 3a.  I saw Dr. Kirkwood at Hillman Cancer Center and his only recommendation was to send me back to my local oncologist and do interferon.  My local oncologist told me to seek a 2nd opinion.  I saw Dr. Schucter at Penn Medical Center in Philadelphia and she recommendated no treatment but if I wanted to persue treatment, she would send pre-approval for my insurance to approve Yervoy at 3mg.  My insurance did approve and I have been on that treatment plan for a year.  Had my insurance not approved Yervoy at 3 mg, I would have done watch and wait rather than interferon.  

I was diagnosed Stage 3a in May 2016.  Interferon was recommended as my treatment plan but I sought out a 2nd opinion.  My 2nd opinion recommended yervoy at 3 mg instead of 10 mg.  I have no issues … I had 4 doses, 3 weeks apart and then I am doing mainteance of 1 infusion every 3 months.  My last infusion of the maintenace plan will be September.  

Hopefully I will be able to attest that 3mg of ipi works for Stage3!  When initially diagnosed with Stage 3a, I saw Dr. Kirkwood and his only recommendation was interferon.  My local oncologist recommeded a 2nd opinion, he knew interfon was an old drug and he said he never had anyone finish the interferon treatment that he gave it to.  I got a 2nd opinion from Dr. Schucter from Philadelphia and she recommeded no treatment but if I didn't want to go that route, we could see if my insurance would approve ipi at 3 mg and my insurance did.  I have tolerated it very well, just minior intestinal rummbling a few days after my treatment and that is it.  I am going to receive my 3rd maintenance dosage at the end of this month and then scans in August and last maintenace treatment in September / October.  I am currently 1 year NED.   

FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!  So happy for you!!  This is awesome!! 

FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!  So happy for you!!  This is awesome!! 

FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!  So happy for you!!  This is awesome!!