Winning against Melanoma

My father was diagnosed with anorectal melanoma with mets to the abdomen and local nodes. He traveled to all the major cancer centers: MD Anderson, Sloan Kettering, Duke, Moffit, and John Wayne. After serious research, we came to the conclusion that doctors are desperately searching for a drug or treatment to fight melanoma but have not yet found one. Through the research we realized that all of the treatments available worked in varying degrees(or not at all) to reduce tumor size or cease tumor growth temporarily however none of the treatments increased life span. The cancer always came back, the side effects were severe and sometimes life threatening and if you look carefully, no treatment increased length of life. Our choice was surgery. My father has had 13 surgeries over the past 8 years. He recovers well has few side effects and continues to live his life fully. Oncologists don't like this approach because they make a living treating cancer patients and they are looking for their "cure" if you cut it out, then they can't test their new cocktail of drugs. Melanoma does not respond to any medication or current treatments. None of the treatments will increase your life. If it can be removed, remove it. As they return, remove them. It has worked for my father for 8 wonderful years and without horrible drug side effects. Read the trials carefully. My father had his 13th surgery last week. The surgeon removed 4 large tumors 4-5 inches in diameter each. The tumors were in his abdomen, next to his kidney, and along side the vena cava/liver. The surgery went well, he is recovering at home and will be fully recovered and tumor free in a few weeks.

 

On 7/2/2009 helpingout wrote:

My father was diagnosed with anorectal melanoma with mets to the abdomen and local nodes. He traveled to all the major cancer centers: MD Anderson, Sloan Kettering, Duke, Moffit, and John Wayne. After serious research, we came to the conclusion that doctors are desperately searching for a drug or treatment to fight melanoma but have not yet found one. Through the research we realized that all of the treatments available worked in varying degrees(or not at all) to reduce tumor size or cease tumor growth temporarily however none of the treatments increased life span. The cancer always came back, the side effects were severe and sometimes life threatening and if you look carefully, no treatment increased length of life. Our choice was surgery. My father has had 13 surgeries over the past 8 years. He recovers well has few side effects and continues to live his life fully. Oncologists don't like this approach because they make a living treating cancer patients and they are looking for their "cure" if you cut it out, then they can't test their new cocktail of drugs. Melanoma does not respond to any medication or current treatments. None of the treatments will increase your life. If it can be removed, remove it. As they return, remove them. It has worked for my father for 8 wonderful years and without horrible drug side effects. Read the trials carefully. My father had his 13th surgery last week. The surgeon removed 4 large tumors 4-5 inches in diameter each. The tumors were in his abdomen, next to his kidney, and along side the vena cava/liver. The surgery went well, he is recovering at home and will be fully recovered and tumor free in a few weeks.

THANKYOU!!  I just had my 1st surgery for removal of a malignant melanoma.  I have always believed in being proactive when life gives you problems.  i am lucky to have insurance and doctors who are also proactive.  i just had another section of skin biopsied.  The doctor was a bit hesitnat, bgut after 2 visits and my insistance, he did.  I did not get the results back yet.  This is scary.  My family is trying to understand, but it is hard for them.  Thanks again and best to you and your father. (I am only 49 yrs old and not ready to leave this world yet!!)

Weird to hear this outloud (sorta of ) but you are correct. I am 32 years old ( diagnosed 01-09-09)  and have malignant mucosal melanoma of the vagina and they do not know a thing. I am being treated for head and neck melanoma, due to the fact that they have only found 250 people world wide that have my cancer, nice huh. My husband is a doctor so I am receiving the best care but there is no cure. I have had the surgeries, the radiation, and went thru a month of Interferon treatments and the side effects for me atleast were horrible. Each treatment seems to only have a 5-10% chance of stopping the cancer, so you feel as if your are a ticking time bomb. In order to get into a clincal trial i have to reoccur and thats my death sentence. I have no faith in the vaccines that they are trying in the current trials, it appears as though the cure may be in genetherapy. Which we are just beginning to get more into.

I will have as many surgeries that i can to remove this crap but i also want a decent quality of life. Same reason i couldnt go on with the Interferon treatments.

We need so much more money to go into melanoma research, i have a family to live for.

Take care of your father, he needs it. Make sure you have someone that you can talk to. Im learning how hard it is on the family right now, they dont want to show you they are scared and sad!!!!

I will keep you and your family in my prayers,

Tia

You be strong and stay positive. You have a lot to live for.