PTgal

I’m still digesting this article as I am not really sure what to make of it. On the one hand, it does seem odd that one would be better off waiting longer for SNB. However, I am taking the survival statistics with a grain of salt. The landscape of melanoma management has changed so dramatically in just a few short years that I am not sure disease-free, melanoma specific, and overall survival statistics which include those from 3-18 years ago are truly relevant. That being said, the phenomenon is definitely worthy of more research. This does not change my mind about wanting the SNB when I go for my WLE. Despite the fact that Clark levels are no longer used for staging, I personally feel they are very important when determining whether or not a person with thin melanoma should get SNB. My 1.0 mm melanoma was Clark level IV, so it has technically reached the reticulated dermis where blood and lymph vessels are located. For that reason, plus the higher mitotic rate of 4, SNB is really a no-brainer for me.

Thank you, Celeste, for posting this article. It is definitely food for thought. In my short time on this board, you and other regular posters have given me so much piece of mind. I still have melanoma, but I now have a much larger support network of people who have gone through the emotional rollercoaster that is melanoma. Wishing everyone a fabulous ride in 2018!

Laura

Laura

Thank you for the interesting tidbit about VitD levels and nail/hair growth. While it makes total sense, I’ve never thought about it like that! Is a Vitamin D level a special lab draw, or do they routinely check it after Mel diagnosis? I am almost positive I am deficient, and I would love to know my actual level. I will ask my surgeon about it when I see him on the 8th. I still have to establish with a dermatologist as this whole “You have melanoma” thing hit me like a ton of bricks. I want to arm myself with as much information as possible so that I can be my best advocate.

I will definitely look into boron supplementation. As a living organism, all we are is just a bunch of cells smooshed together in a very specific manner. So many things are required to make us “work”. When things (vitamins, minerals, pH, etc) get out of whack, so do we eventually. I think the main reason for the big warning on borax is misunderstanding of the actual chemical. Boric acid is toxic but borax is not the same thing. Or maybe because there can be some nasty side effects when consumed in large quantities? Who knows? I found a few sites which talk about how to use it in other ways as well as drinking the solution. I may have to try it. Very interesting indeed!

I have just recently been diagnosed and I have been doing as much research as I can to educate myself and to be able to make better choices. I absolutely agree with making dietary changes when diagnosed with any type of cancer. (Sure changes should have been made prior, but I’m human.) Vitamin D levels have been shown to be strongly associated with increased survival as well as disease-free survival in melanoma patients. I am learning more about the whole casein thing now. I’m not a huge milk lover but I can get down on some cheese, so that is definitely something for me to assess. For quite a while, I have felt our food is killing us. There are chemicals ranging from questionable to downright toxic in almost everything we consume or use on our bodies. I truly feel it is the biggest reason for the increased prevalence of all types of cancer in the past several decades.

And as far as UVB goes, I thought it was UVA rays such as those in tanning beds that were the nasty ones, but I don’t have a lot of knowledge on that subject.

I am truly sorry you feel people don’t take you seriously. I’m not totally sure why that is since most of what you have proposed has at least been moderately to vigorously studied. More studies are needed in some areas, but links of association have been made. I for one am making changes with the first one being the Vitamin D supplementation and just trying to eat cleaner. No way can I just go purely plant-based as some literature has suggested. I need meat, and no veganazi will ever make me believe I wasn’t meant to eat it! (Although organic and moderation are key.)