Advanced Melanoma Cancer

I am wondering if anyone out there knows who the best melanoma cancer doctor there is. My fathe 72 was just diagnosised with advance mastatissed melanoma cancer. our whole family is devastated. we have been to hillman cancer center in shadyside pa & they have many tests to do& thye have given us a date to remove the cancer although the one lymph node under his left arm is swelled. we are guessing he has had this for about 4-5 years. he would not get it checked. if anyone has a great melanoma specialist, please email me. we are i despair.

thank you

Jeanene krupa

There is a very promising melanoma vaccine under development which may still be undergoing clinical trials. Go to the website of the Cancer Research Institute - www.cancerresearch.org - and you should be able to find some information on the vaccine, which is not commercially offered as a drug yet - but maybe he could get into one of the clinical trials. I heard one of the research doctors who is involved with the trial, speak about it, and it apparently saved one man who was already in hospice. It appears to be pretty effective. It has already been approved for use in dogs (yes, they get melanoma too.)

You say Metastatic, is it just to the Lymphnode or to multiple other sites.

Melanoma with spread to LN'd can be cured with surgery plus radiation.  There are currently no real effective systemic agents for this disease.  Vaccines are being tested and melanoma is one cancer that does respond apparently to immunological based therapy. 

I read on here or somewhere that this lady just googled " best melanoma cancer doctor". I tried it. It worked. It seems like they call this Doctor in Maryland at the National Cancer Institute the melanoma guru. My husband has stage IV melanoma. The first oncologist said his lungs were inoperatable. The second oncologist (Atlanta) found us an agressive surgeon who did it with 3 small incisions. Unfortunately the tumors came back. The third oncologist (Florida) found us a brain surgeon team. We find out if it worked on May 2nd. There is a Doctor at Sloan Keller in NY with a great reputation but they passed us off to a coleage. Then they said that Moffitt was just as good as they were. All the clinics affiliated with NCI all work together. If you want their names e-mail me at pjguthrie@mac.com. I wish the very best of everything to you and your Daddy.

thank you so much for your reply. I will defintely check this out. we also have found uot that he has a very large anuerysm in his aorta & kidneys are not so good. I just found out last night they are going to treat his agressivekly with that interferon. I do not like the things I am reading about it. not sure what to do. My mom was just hospitalized for taking too many nerve pills. She almost had a heart attack. It feels like I have lost all control. Pisses me off!!!

 

thanks for your response

jeanene

He has a big sectin of his back taken out & from what we have been told thye got it all although they had to take out all of his lymp modes inder his right arm. Just found out they are going to give him interferon therapy. I am pissed. i feel like that will kill him with all of they problems it can create. we already know his has a hugh 6.7 aorta anurysm & kidneys are not doing so well. this is incredible. my dad has been the most healthy person I have ever know. all organice foods, always worked out, raised 6 girls. thanks for the info. I certainly appreciate it.

Jeanene

I heard of moffitt. not sure what we will do yet. just found out last nioght they will be giving him interferon. not sure about that. I do not like what I read. sounds deadly especially with his 6.7 aorta anuersym & kidney not doing so great. I appreciate your feedback. never had to do this in my life. Pisses me off. My dad has always eaten well, raised six girls, & worked hard all of his life now this...........he never even seena doctor until he turned 70.

 

Take care & thank you.

Jeanene