Lisa-Lou

The clinical trial has not ben completed yet.  I was given all of the paperwork for the trial after my SNB turned up 1 node with a microscopic amount of melanoma (my surgical oncologist is the lead investigator at my clinic for the trial – http://www.seattlecca.org/clinical-trials/melanoma-NCT00389571.cfm)

  However, I was not eligible due to already having a messed up immune system due to ulcerative colitis.  But fortunately my doctor said I could go ahead and choose to follow the observation branch of the trial on my own (versus removing all of my nodes).  This is what I am doing for now.  I will have my first ultrasound of the groin area next month.  I think this was the right choice for me because I ended up getting a nasty infection after my WLE and ended up in the hospital for 4 days.  The thought of having a more invasive surgery with all sorts of possible complications was really scary (because of the colitis… I don't heal very well).  So long story short… observation is what I am doing.  The bad news is that I'm not sure yet if my insurance will cover it….

The clinical trial has not ben completed yet.  I was given all of the paperwork for the trial after my SNB turned up 1 node with a microscopic amount of melanoma (my surgical oncologist is the lead investigator at my clinic for the trial – http://www.seattlecca.org/clinical-trials/melanoma-NCT00389571.cfm)

  However, I was not eligible due to already having a messed up immune system due to ulcerative colitis.  But fortunately my doctor said I could go ahead and choose to follow the observation branch of the trial on my own (versus removing all of my nodes).  This is what I am doing for now.  I will have my first ultrasound of the groin area next month.  I think this was the right choice for me because I ended up getting a nasty infection after my WLE and ended up in the hospital for 4 days.  The thought of having a more invasive surgery with all sorts of possible complications was really scary (because of the colitis… I don't heal very well).  So long story short… observation is what I am doing.  The bad news is that I'm not sure yet if my insurance will cover it….

The clinical trial has not ben completed yet.  I was given all of the paperwork for the trial after my SNB turned up 1 node with a microscopic amount of melanoma (my surgical oncologist is the lead investigator at my clinic for the trial – http://www.seattlecca.org/clinical-trials/melanoma-NCT00389571.cfm)

  However, I was not eligible due to already having a messed up immune system due to ulcerative colitis.  But fortunately my doctor said I could go ahead and choose to follow the observation branch of the trial on my own (versus removing all of my nodes).  This is what I am doing for now.  I will have my first ultrasound of the groin area next month.  I think this was the right choice for me because I ended up getting a nasty infection after my WLE and ended up in the hospital for 4 days.  The thought of having a more invasive surgery with all sorts of possible complications was really scary (because of the colitis… I don't heal very well).  So long story short… observation is what I am doing.  The bad news is that I'm not sure yet if my insurance will cover it….