Treatments For Metastatic Melanoma

My 37 year old daughter is being treated for Metastatic Melanoma of the brain. The treatment consists of excision of the largest tumor, followed by radiation along with the chemo drug Temador on the other tumors. She had a PET scan on Friday and the results showed, in addition to the brain tumors, a leision in the right lower lobe of her lung 1.4 cm x 1.4 cm consistant with metastatic disease. Also a leision 1.3 cm x 0.7 cm in the left carotid space at level C3 suspicious for metastatic ademopathy. Can any one relate to this diagnosis? She is half way through the radiation treatments and is tolerating it quite well. Her Oncologist locally is overseeing her treatments and she is being monitored by her surgeon in Chapel Hill. Is there something else we need to be doing? Thanks. NanaT

On 12/3/2007 NanaT wrote:

My 37 year old daughter is being treated for Metastatic Melanoma of the brain. The treatment consists of excision of the largest tumor, followed by radiation along with the chemo drug Temador on the other tumors. She had a PET scan on Friday and the results showed, in addition to the brain tumors, a leision in the right lower lobe of her lung 1.4 cm x 1.4 cm consistant with metastatic disease. Also a leision 1.3 cm x 0.7 cm in the left carotid space at level C3 suspicious for metastatic ademopathy. Can any one relate to this diagnosis? She is half way through the radiation treatments and is tolerating it quite well. Her Oncologist locally is overseeing her treatments and she is being monitored by her surgeon in Chapel Hill. Is there something else we need to be doing? Thanks. NanaT

Nan,

My mother in law has metaastatic melanoma also and has had it start as a skin lesion, go to lymph nodes, transvers to other side of her body, enter her chest wall and now her lungs. So far she started with 3 surgeries to remove lymph glands and multiple small tumors, followed by radiation, now she is on her 7th month of Temador Chemo. We are just keeping track of  the size of the tumors, how she tolerates the chemo and such. but she is much much older than your daughter. I would look into  every treatment center offering any type of new research. I live near Boston so I'd Check out  Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
John Hopkins Baltimore MD,  Mass General Hospital, Cancer Treatment centers of America Etc. Since I don't know where you are located I can't be of more assistance.

Marion

On 1/3/2008 Marion wrote:

 

On 12/3/2007 NanaT wrote:

My 37 year old daughter is being treated for Metastatic Melanoma of the brain. The treatment consists of excision of the largest tumor, followed by radiation along with the chemo drug Temador on the other tumors. She had a PET scan on Friday and the results showed, in addition to the brain tumors, a leision in the right lower lobe of her lung 1.4 cm x 1.4 cm consistant with metastatic disease. Also a leision 1.3 cm x 0.7 cm in the left carotid space at level C3 suspicious for metastatic ademopathy. Can any one relate to this diagnosis? She is half way through the radiation treatments and is tolerating it quite well. Her Oncologist locally is overseeing her treatments and she is being monitored by her surgeon in Chapel Hill. Is there something else we need to be doing? Thanks. NanaT

Nan,

My mother in law has metaastatic melanoma also and has had it start as a skin lesion, go to lymph nodes, transvers to other side of her body, enter her chest wall and now her lungs. So far she started with 3 surgeries to remove lymph glands and multiple small tumors, followed by radiation, now she is on her 7th month of Temador Chemo. We are just keeping track of  the size of the tumors, how she tolerates the chemo and such. but she is much much older than your daughter. I would look into  every treatment center offering any type of new research. I live near Boston so I'd Check out  Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
John Hopkins Baltimore MD,  Mass General Hospital, Cancer Treatment centers of America Etc. Since I don't know where you are located I can't be of more assistance.

Marion

Thank you for your input, we are located in NC. My daughter has completed 15 radiation treatments and she did 28 days of the Temador. She is not taking any meds now except for the steroids which she is stepping down. We go back to see the surgeon at the end of January for re-evaluation. NanT

Hopefully the whole brain radiation works.  My husband finished it in September.  Lesions returned and he went to Riverside Hospital for the Gamma Ray.  A bit scary as it screw directly into your skull (HIGHLY recommend a Valium prior to the appointment) yet they were able to remove 8 lesions. 

My husband still has cancer in the kidney, lungs, adrenal gland and a few other spots.  The same center also has a  Synergy S which will help target other areas.  I hope this helps.

I live in Norfolk Virginia and have been dealing with this since Nov 06.  Do let me know if I can help with research or whatever else.

 The Best,

Dear Nana T,

 I believe my message got edited as I tried to give you my personal e-mail .  My husband's name is Chuck and so far, he is still doing as well as he can be.  He has surprised everyone with his ability to hang in there (initial forecast was 4-6 months which was up April 07).  

 Again, please let me know if I can help in any way - research or otherwise.

 Cheers,

Demetria