Ninja

Hi,

I am the spouse of a Stage IIIA melanoma survivor.

10 years ago my husband (34 years old, back then) was diagnosed with Stage IIIA melanoma. The story is similar to yours. A strange "mole" on his right ankle and two positive sentinel nodes in his groin. He opted for the removal of all nodes in his right groin (which came back negative). Since then he has been wearing a compression stocking, to prevent edema (not a big deal, he got used to the stocking very quickly).

Given his stage, his oncologist recommended one-year interferon therapy. This was almost ten years ago, and there may be some more informaiton/studies about interferon by now.

I just want to let you know that you what is happening to you right now, has happened to other patients in the past and there is hope.

My suggestion is: take a deep breath and get a melanoma SPECIALIST you trust (not a "generic oncologist, as melanoma is a very "different" type of disease) and discuss your options with him/her.

All the best.

Ninja

Hi,

I am the spouse of a Stage IIIA melanoma survivor.

10 years ago my husband (34 years old, back then) was diagnosed with Stage IIIA melanoma. The story is similar to yours. A strange "mole" on his right ankle and two positive sentinel nodes in his groin. He opted for the removal of all nodes in his right groin (which came back negative). Since then he has been wearing a compression stocking, to prevent edema (not a big deal, he got used to the stocking very quickly).

Given his stage, his oncologist recommended one-year interferon therapy. This was almost ten years ago, and there may be some more informaiton/studies about interferon by now.

I just want to let you know that you what is happening to you right now, has happened to other patients in the past and there is hope.

My suggestion is: take a deep breath and get a melanoma SPECIALIST you trust (not a "generic oncologist, as melanoma is a very "different" type of disease) and discuss your options with him/her.

All the best.

Ninja

Hi,

I am the spouse of a Stage IIIA melanoma survivor.

10 years ago my husband (34 years old, back then) was diagnosed with Stage IIIA melanoma. The story is similar to yours. A strange "mole" on his right ankle and two positive sentinel nodes in his groin. He opted for the removal of all nodes in his right groin (which came back negative). Since then he has been wearing a compression stocking, to prevent edema (not a big deal, he got used to the stocking very quickly).

Given his stage, his oncologist recommended one-year interferon therapy. This was almost ten years ago, and there may be some more informaiton/studies about interferon by now.

I just want to let you know that you what is happening to you right now, has happened to other patients in the past and there is hope.

My suggestion is: take a deep breath and get a melanoma SPECIALIST you trust (not a "generic oncologist, as melanoma is a very "different" type of disease) and discuss your options with him/her.

All the best.

Ninja

Hi,

My husband (diagnosed with Stage 3A melanoma in 2004) had regional lymph node dissection in the groin after two sentinel nodes resulted microscopically positive to melanoma.

After surgery he had to keep a small catheter to drain the liquid coming out of the wound. After three or four days they took the catheter out.

He has been wearing compression stocking on th eright leg since, to avoid edema (swollen leg) and it has worked for him.

I wish you the best.

Consuelo (Husband Diagnosed Stage IIIa – June 2004 – 1 year INF)

Hi,

My husband (diagnosed with Stage 3A melanoma in 2004) had regional lymph node dissection in the groin after two sentinel nodes resulted microscopically positive to melanoma.

After surgery he had to keep a small catheter to drain the liquid coming out of the wound. After three or four days they took the catheter out.

He has been wearing compression stocking on th eright leg since, to avoid edema (swollen leg) and it has worked for him.

I wish you the best.

Consuelo (Husband Diagnosed Stage IIIa – June 2004 – 1 year INF)

Hi Linda,

I think I understand what you are going through. My husband was diagnosed 6 years ago (stage IIIa  – 2 sentinel nodes positive).  It is hard and very scary at times. And I also want to tell you that my husband too, felt all kinds of aches and pains, specially the first year after being diagnosed…luckily every time it turned out to be nothing!!!

As another person wrote to you on this board, try to find someone that listens to you  and don't keep everything inside!!!!!

As I said, my husband was diagnosed 6 years ago and he has been NED since and there are so many other long term survivors on this board…you will be one of them!!!!!

Consuelo

Hi Linda,

I think I understand what you are going through. My husband was diagnosed 6 years ago (stage IIIa  – 2 sentinel nodes positive).  It is hard and very scary at times. And I also want to tell you that my husband too, felt all kinds of aches and pains, specially the first year after being diagnosed…luckily every time it turned out to be nothing!!!

As another person wrote to you on this board, try to find someone that listens to you  and don't keep everything inside!!!!!

As I said, my husband was diagnosed 6 years ago and he has been NED since and there are so many other long term survivors on this board…you will be one of them!!!!!

Consuelo

Hi,

Thanks for all the great information that you posted here. I would like if possible, to get a copy of the article that you mentioned in your post. My husband was diagnosed with Stage IIIa melanoma in 2004. He did one year of interferon and so far, so good,  but I am always vigilant and I would love to find out more about the right nutrition for melanoma patients.

Thank you. Consuelo ([email protected])

Hi,

Thanks for all the great information that you posted here. I would like if possible, to get a copy of the article that you mentioned in your post. My husband was diagnosed with Stage IIIa melanoma in 2004. He did one year of interferon and so far, so good,  but I am always vigilant and I would love to find out more about the right nutrition for melanoma patients.

Thank you. Consuelo ([email protected])

 Congratulations Scot!!!

My husband (Stage IIIa) did the full one-year treatment from August 2004 and August 2005. The first month had been very hard, I remember, but it gets a little better. More importanlty, he is still NED after six years from his diagnosis…

Take care and good luck.

Consuelo

Hi Kamran,

After the complete node removal, he opted to do the 12-month Interferon therapy. The first month was high dose, administred in the hospital and the remaining 11 months it consisted of sub cutaneous self injections.

It has not been easy, I must say, but I am glad he did it. He is a physycian and probably he knew too much about melanoma and all the risks associated with it. This is why he opted for a therapy, rhather than the wait and see approach.

In his case too the two sentinel nodes analyzed tested only "microscopically" positive to melanoma.

He continues to see his oncologist one a year now.

As other members have written here, it is really a very personal decision, but in my husband's case, I am really glad he did that therapy. I keep reading that more drugs are been successfully developed in the fight against melanoma and this is GREAT news, because it gives you more options than those available 10 years ago.

I wish you all the best.

Ninja

Hi Kamran,

After the complete node removal, he opted to do the 12-month Interferon therapy. The first month was high dose, administred in the hospital and the remaining 11 months it consisted of sub cutaneous self injections.

It has not been easy, I must say, but I am glad he did it. He is a physycian and probably he knew too much about melanoma and all the risks associated with it. This is why he opted for a therapy, rhather than the wait and see approach.

In his case too the two sentinel nodes analyzed tested only "microscopically" positive to melanoma.

He continues to see his oncologist one a year now.

As other members have written here, it is really a very personal decision, but in my husband's case, I am really glad he did that therapy. I keep reading that more drugs are been successfully developed in the fight against melanoma and this is GREAT news, because it gives you more options than those available 10 years ago.

I wish you all the best.

Ninja

Hi Kamran,

After the complete node removal, he opted to do the 12-month Interferon therapy. The first month was high dose, administred in the hospital and the remaining 11 months it consisted of sub cutaneous self injections.

It has not been easy, I must say, but I am glad he did it. He is a physycian and probably he knew too much about melanoma and all the risks associated with it. This is why he opted for a therapy, rhather than the wait and see approach.

In his case too the two sentinel nodes analyzed tested only "microscopically" positive to melanoma.

He continues to see his oncologist one a year now.

As other members have written here, it is really a very personal decision, but in my husband's case, I am really glad he did that therapy. I keep reading that more drugs are been successfully developed in the fight against melanoma and this is GREAT news, because it gives you more options than those available 10 years ago.

I wish you all the best.

Ninja

Hi Melanoma Mom.

I just read your post about your New Year's eve. Please keep in mind that one of the worst side effects of INF is depression. My husband completed the entire 12-month treatment back in 2005 (he was diagnosed at stage 3A) and during the entire period he trated the major depression (that started more or less at the end of the high-dose phase) with medication.  Just wanted to let you know.
All the best.

Ninja (Husband diagnosed in June 2004 – 1 year INF NED)

Hi Melanoma Mom.

I just read your post about your New Year's eve. Please keep in mind that one of the worst side effects of INF is depression. My husband completed the entire 12-month treatment back in 2005 (he was diagnosed at stage 3A) and during the entire period he trated the major depression (that started more or less at the end of the high-dose phase) with medication.  Just wanted to let you know.
All the best.

Ninja (Husband diagnosed in June 2004 – 1 year INF NED)