TAC

I am Stage IIIb and have been so for over 11 years in spite of 6 recurrences after 2 sentinel node biopsies were all clear with 11 lymph nodes being removed. I have tried interferon, radiation, a vaccine and Leukine…recurrences happened during each of them. All of my recurrences were within 1 – 2 inches of my original lesion on the left side of my face in my hairline. I discovered all of the recurrences. They were surgically removed. Had 4 skin grafts. Fortunately they did not metastasize into an organ.

The sentinel node biopsy is just a way to know if the mel has made it into the sentinel node. In my case it was not a predictor of recurrences. I would do the sentinle node biopsies over again. 

The obvious part of this is to be vigilant….know your body well, know the area around the original lesion if possible, do your own lymph basin checks. Best of luck.

I am Stage IIIb and have been so for over 11 years in spite of 6 recurrences after 2 sentinel node biopsies were all clear with 11 lymph nodes being removed. I have tried interferon, radiation, a vaccine and Leukine…recurrences happened during each of them. All of my recurrences were within 1 – 2 inches of my original lesion on the left side of my face in my hairline. I discovered all of the recurrences. They were surgically removed. Had 4 skin grafts. Fortunately they did not metastasize into an organ.

The sentinel node biopsy is just a way to know if the mel has made it into the sentinel node. In my case it was not a predictor of recurrences. I would do the sentinle node biopsies over again. 

The obvious part of this is to be vigilant….know your body well, know the area around the original lesion if possible, do your own lymph basin checks. Best of luck.

I am Stage IIIb and have been so for over 11 years in spite of 6 recurrences after 2 sentinel node biopsies were all clear with 11 lymph nodes being removed. I have tried interferon, radiation, a vaccine and Leukine…recurrences happened during each of them. All of my recurrences were within 1 – 2 inches of my original lesion on the left side of my face in my hairline. I discovered all of the recurrences. They were surgically removed. Had 4 skin grafts. Fortunately they did not metastasize into an organ.

The sentinel node biopsy is just a way to know if the mel has made it into the sentinel node. In my case it was not a predictor of recurrences. I would do the sentinle node biopsies over again. 

The obvious part of this is to be vigilant….know your body well, know the area around the original lesion if possible, do your own lymph basin checks. Best of luck.

I am Stage IIIb and have been so for over 11 years in spite of 6 recurrences after 2 sentinel node biopsies were all clear with 11 lymph nodes being removed. I have tried interferon, radiation, a vaccine and Leukine…recurrences happened during each of them. All of my recurrences were within 1 – 2 inches of my original lesion on the left side of my face in my hairline. I discovered all of the recurrences. They were surgically removed. Had 4 skin grafts. Fortunately they did not metastasize into an organ.

The sentinel node biopsy is just a way to know if the mel has made it into the sentinel node. In my case it was not a predictor of recurrences. I would do the sentinle node biopsies over again. 

The obvious part of this is to be vigilant….know your body well, know the area around the original lesion if possible, do your own lymph basin checks. Best of luck.

I am Stage IIIb and have been so for over 11 years in spite of 6 recurrences after 2 sentinel node biopsies were all clear with 11 lymph nodes being removed. I have tried interferon, radiation, a vaccine and Leukine…recurrences happened during each of them. All of my recurrences were within 1 – 2 inches of my original lesion on the left side of my face in my hairline. I discovered all of the recurrences. They were surgically removed. Had 4 skin grafts. Fortunately they did not metastasize into an organ.

The sentinel node biopsy is just a way to know if the mel has made it into the sentinel node. In my case it was not a predictor of recurrences. I would do the sentinle node biopsies over again. 

The obvious part of this is to be vigilant….know your body well, know the area around the original lesion if possible, do your own lymph basin checks. Best of luck.

I am Stage IIIb and have been so for over 11 years in spite of 6 recurrences after 2 sentinel node biopsies were all clear with 11 lymph nodes being removed. I have tried interferon, radiation, a vaccine and Leukine…recurrences happened during each of them. All of my recurrences were within 1 – 2 inches of my original lesion on the left side of my face in my hairline. I discovered all of the recurrences. They were surgically removed. Had 4 skin grafts. Fortunately they did not metastasize into an organ.

The sentinel node biopsy is just a way to know if the mel has made it into the sentinel node. In my case it was not a predictor of recurrences. I would do the sentinle node biopsies over again. 

The obvious part of this is to be vigilant….know your body well, know the area around the original lesion if possible, do your own lymph basin checks. Best of luck.

I was on Leukine for 8 years..self administered. Had 2 recurrences while taking it. Had the recurrences surgically removed and continued with Leukine. In 2012 my insurance stopped paying for it so I stopped it. Cost is about $20,000/year. No real side effects..some redness and swelling at injection site is all. I did the injections in my stomach. Can use an ice cube on injection site prior to injecting and it will help. Best of luck.

I was diagnosed in 2001. Stage II quickly going to Stage III due to a recurrence. I've had 6 recurrences, all within 1 inch of original site and all discovered by me, 8 surgeries, 2 sentinel node biopsies, 4 skin grafts, chemo (interferon), radiation, a vaccine and finally Leukine. My mel was on left side of my face in my hairline.

Check your lymph basins regularly, get scans and pay particular attention to the site of your melanoma and the surrounding skin. I had digital pictures taken by my derm of my whole body, front and back plus closeups of left sid of my face. 

Best wishes to you. 

I was on Leukine for 8 years..self administered. Had 2 recurrences while taking it. Had the recurrences surgically removed and continued with Leukine. In 2012 my insurance stopped paying for it so I stopped it. Cost is about $20,000/year. No real side effects..some redness and swelling at injection site is all. I did the injections in my stomach. Can use an ice cube on injection site prior to injecting and it will help. Best of luck.

I was diagnosed in 2001. Stage II quickly going to Stage III due to a recurrence. I've had 6 recurrences, all within 1 inch of original site and all discovered by me, 8 surgeries, 2 sentinel node biopsies, 4 skin grafts, chemo (interferon), radiation, a vaccine and finally Leukine. My mel was on left side of my face in my hairline.

Check your lymph basins regularly, get scans and pay particular attention to the site of your melanoma and the surrounding skin. I had digital pictures taken by my derm of my whole body, front and back plus closeups of left sid of my face. 

Best wishes to you. 

I was on Leukine for 8 years..self administered. Had 2 recurrences while taking it. Had the recurrences surgically removed and continued with Leukine. In 2012 my insurance stopped paying for it so I stopped it. Cost is about $20,000/year. No real side effects..some redness and swelling at injection site is all. I did the injections in my stomach. Can use an ice cube on injection site prior to injecting and it will help. Best of luck.

I was diagnosed in 2001. Stage II quickly going to Stage III due to a recurrence. I've had 6 recurrences, all within 1 inch of original site and all discovered by me, 8 surgeries, 2 sentinel node biopsies, 4 skin grafts, chemo (interferon), radiation, a vaccine and finally Leukine. My mel was on left side of my face in my hairline.

Check your lymph basins regularly, get scans and pay particular attention to the site of your melanoma and the surrounding skin. I had digital pictures taken by my derm of my whole body, front and back plus closeups of left sid of my face. 

Best wishes to you. 

Hindsight….there should have been a scan done no matter that a SNB was done. It is just one other test to see if anything suspicious shows up. I know that scans are frowned upon by some oncologists   just wait until there are symptoms. If I encounter one of these oncologists, I'll run as fast as possible away from them. There are idiots even in the doctor ranks. Just my opinion but seems like common sense to me to get a valid baseline which would include a scan plus a SNLB.

Hindsight….there should have been a scan done no matter that a SNB was done. It is just one other test to see if anything suspicious shows up. I know that scans are frowned upon by some oncologists   just wait until there are symptoms. If I encounter one of these oncologists, I'll run as fast as possible away from them. There are idiots even in the doctor ranks. Just my opinion but seems like common sense to me to get a valid baseline which would include a scan plus a SNLB.

Hindsight….there should have been a scan done no matter that a SNB was done. It is just one other test to see if anything suspicious shows up. I know that scans are frowned upon by some oncologists   just wait until there are symptoms. If I encounter one of these oncologists, I'll run as fast as possible away from them. There are idiots even in the doctor ranks. Just my opinion but seems like common sense to me to get a valid baseline which would include a scan plus a SNLB.

Did she also have a PET scan prior to her SNLB's? Sorry to hear that it has spread. If she did have a scan and it was clear, it is hard to reconcile this with her current state. Best wishes to you both.

Did she also have a PET scan prior to her SNLB's? Sorry to hear that it has spread. If she did have a scan and it was clear, it is hard to reconcile this with her current state. Best wishes to you both.

Did she also have a PET scan prior to her SNLB's? Sorry to hear that it has spread. If she did have a scan and it was clear, it is hard to reconcile this with her current state. Best wishes to you both.