Newly diagnosed and need advice

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  • Post
    • August 22, 2016 at 7:55 pm
    Maureenk1
    Participant

      Hi!  I recently had surgery to remove a mole which was stage 2 ulcerated and 4.2mm thick behind my right knee.  I was referred to an oncologist who advised either Pegylated Interferon a-2b for 8 weeks or Interferon a-2b for 4 weeks.

      So far I am not seeing the worth of either therapy based on a stage 2 diagnosis and the effects one can incurr.  Has anyone had these therapies for stage 2 melanoma?

      If so how has the protacol impacted your daily life?

      Thanks,

      Maureen

       

       

    Viewing 2 reply threads
    • Replies
        • August 22, 2016 at 9:05 pm
        debwray
        Participant

          Hi Maureen,

          Sorry you have joined the melanoma club. There is a consensus on this forum- that if you have melanoma you need a melanoma specialist oncologist/  team to get the best advice and care. From my knowledge it is unusual to offer adjuvant treatment  for a stage II diagnosis….although the depth and ulceration are not favourable features of such a lesion. My advice would be to get a second opinion at a melanoma specialist centre-compare the advice and then decide which advice you are comfortable to follow. Even with these features I would have expected you to be offered a sentinel lymph node biopsy to confirm Stage II before looking at Interferon as a treatment.

          Best of luck,

          Deb 

           

            • August 23, 2016 at 2:18 am
            Maureenk1
            Participant

              Deb,

              Thank you so much for your response.  I did have 2 lymph nodes removed during surgery and sent for biopsy.  They came back as negative and no cancer.  Is that the same as a sentinal lymph node biopsy?

              Maureen

              • August 23, 2016 at 2:18 am
              Maureenk1
              Participant

                Deb,

                Thank you so much for your response.  I did have 2 lymph nodes removed during surgery and sent for biopsy.  They came back as negative and no cancer.  Is that the same as a sentinal lymph node biopsy?

                Maureen

                • August 23, 2016 at 10:29 am
                debwray
                Participant

                  Hi Maureen,

                  Yes,it does seem likely you had a sentinel lymph node biopsy. Did they say anything aout blue dye- and was it done just before you had the lesion removed ? Really pleased this came back negative for you.

                  Given that your oncologist is proposing systemic treatment- ie whole body- you might want to take a look at this https://www.melanoma.org/sites/default/files/StageIIIPiece.pdf   which runs through the options for Stage III patients. Interferon is one of the older treatments..and there are now a number of other choices- some of which have recently been approved by the FDA  ,(but not for Stage II) which have different side effects and different lengths of treatment.  

                  This link https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng14/chapter/1-Recommendations#managing-stages-0ii-melanoma sets out the current UK guidance re Melanoma .The treatment given is guided by the stage your Melanoma is given- which is why SLNB are done to determine stage/ remove micro tumours at the earliest opportunity.

                  Deb

                   

                   

                   

                   

                   

                   

                   

                  • August 23, 2016 at 10:29 am
                  debwray
                  Participant

                    Hi Maureen,

                    Yes,it does seem likely you had a sentinel lymph node biopsy. Did they say anything aout blue dye- and was it done just before you had the lesion removed ? Really pleased this came back negative for you.

                    Given that your oncologist is proposing systemic treatment- ie whole body- you might want to take a look at this https://www.melanoma.org/sites/default/files/StageIIIPiece.pdf   which runs through the options for Stage III patients. Interferon is one of the older treatments..and there are now a number of other choices- some of which have recently been approved by the FDA  ,(but not for Stage II) which have different side effects and different lengths of treatment.  

                    This link https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng14/chapter/1-Recommendations#managing-stages-0ii-melanoma sets out the current UK guidance re Melanoma .The treatment given is guided by the stage your Melanoma is given- which is why SLNB are done to determine stage/ remove micro tumours at the earliest opportunity.

                    Deb

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                     

                    • August 23, 2016 at 10:29 am
                    debwray
                    Participant

                      Hi Maureen,

                      Yes,it does seem likely you had a sentinel lymph node biopsy. Did they say anything aout blue dye- and was it done just before you had the lesion removed ? Really pleased this came back negative for you.

                      Given that your oncologist is proposing systemic treatment- ie whole body- you might want to take a look at this https://www.melanoma.org/sites/default/files/StageIIIPiece.pdf   which runs through the options for Stage III patients. Interferon is one of the older treatments..and there are now a number of other choices- some of which have recently been approved by the FDA  ,(but not for Stage II) which have different side effects and different lengths of treatment.  

                      This link https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng14/chapter/1-Recommendations#managing-stages-0ii-melanoma sets out the current UK guidance re Melanoma .The treatment given is guided by the stage your Melanoma is given- which is why SLNB are done to determine stage/ remove micro tumours at the earliest opportunity.

                      Deb

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                      • August 23, 2016 at 2:18 am
                      Maureenk1
                      Participant

                        Deb,

                        Thank you so much for your response.  I did have 2 lymph nodes removed during surgery and sent for biopsy.  They came back as negative and no cancer.  Is that the same as a sentinal lymph node biopsy?

                        Maureen

                      • August 22, 2016 at 9:05 pm
                      debwray
                      Participant

                        Hi Maureen,

                        Sorry you have joined the melanoma club. There is a consensus on this forum- that if you have melanoma you need a melanoma specialist oncologist/  team to get the best advice and care. From my knowledge it is unusual to offer adjuvant treatment  for a stage II diagnosis….although the depth and ulceration are not favourable features of such a lesion. My advice would be to get a second opinion at a melanoma specialist centre-compare the advice and then decide which advice you are comfortable to follow. Even with these features I would have expected you to be offered a sentinel lymph node biopsy to confirm Stage II before looking at Interferon as a treatment.

                        Best of luck,

                        Deb 

                         

                        • August 22, 2016 at 9:05 pm
                        debwray
                        Participant

                          Hi Maureen,

                          Sorry you have joined the melanoma club. There is a consensus on this forum- that if you have melanoma you need a melanoma specialist oncologist/  team to get the best advice and care. From my knowledge it is unusual to offer adjuvant treatment  for a stage II diagnosis….although the depth and ulceration are not favourable features of such a lesion. My advice would be to get a second opinion at a melanoma specialist centre-compare the advice and then decide which advice you are comfortable to follow. Even with these features I would have expected you to be offered a sentinel lymph node biopsy to confirm Stage II before looking at Interferon as a treatment.

                          Best of luck,

                          Deb 

                           

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