Mestastic Melanoma

I had melanoma surgery on my forearm a year ago, my last CT showed an inch spot on my right lung and 2 smaller ones on my left. Took PET scan thurs waiting for results tomorrow. any thoughts ??

Im sure I would have the same thoughts you do. Best to wait for results, however. What stage was your melanoma? Any sign of spread at the time? What about Clarks and Breslow levels?

How large was the place that was removed on your arm and how deep, how long had you noticed this place. Was it a mole?

i just lost my wife to melanoma be sure to have a mri of your brain done melanoma likes to grow there as well as the lungs and liver good luck to you brian b

My father-in-law, age 73, had a melanoma removed from his left back 4 years ago by a dermatologist. They claim they got everything. They live in Florida. After the hurricane hit this past winter he was cutting down some palms and noticed his right armpit was swollen. Had petscan done. They did a biopsy, the size of 2 fingers & it was malignant. They rem'd 24 lymphnodes and 7 were infected. Has been on a draining tube for 3 weeks. Two weeks later, all of a sudden, a lump appeared under his right collar bone. He went to surgery and there were 2 golfball sized melanomas. Only 80% was able to be rem'd since it was too close to arteries and deeply embedded. Now they feel lumps under his left armpit. They are starting him on Temador, (Temozolomide), at $155.00 per pill, for 5 days on and 23 off. Radiation will start next week. The oncologist in Florida wanted him on Interfuron but the oncolgist at NYU said Temador has shown good results in melanoma patients. So they both agreed to Temador and radiation. They are hoping the Temador will shrink the lumps under his left armpit and work with the radiation in killing the melanoma. Has anyone had anything similiar to this? Has anyone had good results with Temador? The whole family is a wreck. Reading everyones stories is so sad. We pray each and every day for our family and now reading these Cancer Message Boards, yours. Thank you for taking the time to answer. Good luck Wendy with the results from your Petscan.

Dear Brian,
Sorry to read about your loss. I lost my husband from Melanoma 3 months ago. It was very rapid. 3 Months from diagnosis to death. He had a spot removed over 2 years ago.
When did your wife have the MRI? Did it give her more time? Did she do any chemo or radiation? Did she have CT scans? My husband was told just to go to the skin doctor and did not have any scans done until he had a swelling under the armpit. Then, the doctor said it was too late to do anything.
Prayerful

So glad to hear that you are getting a PET scan. I spoke to a woman (Melanoma survivor) and she said it was due to getting PET scans every 6 months. Twice melanoma had spread. Once to the lymph nodes and they removed them. Two years later, the PET scan discovered tumors in the lungs and she had treatment. That was several years ago. She is doing well.
Prayerful

Your father-in-law's story brought back memories of my husband's first discovery of the swollen armpit. The CT scans showed that the melanoma had already spread --lymph nodes, lungs, spleen and liver. The local oncologists said there was nothing that could be done, but an out-of-town oncologist suggested Temador at a lower dose daily for a month. But, my husband got weaker and bedridden, so he was only able to take it for two weeks. We had heard that it was the best drug to try with the least side effects.
I wished they had put him on it sooner, so we could have seen if it would have helped.
Prayerful

my wife was on 300mg temodar for 5 days of for 14 days for 6 months it only slowed the tumers under her skin down it did not stop them then they put her on thalidomide 300mg a day with temodar and it seamed to work until a tumer in her brain ruptured and the dr taking care of her then would not let her take them any more he told her to go home and think about dying what an ass he was after 3 weeks it was in her liver she was gone the next week she first had it in 1988 and then came back ih the winter of 04/05 Brian B

Nancylynn,
I am sorry to hear about your father-in-law. My dad has stage IV melanoma. Jan. 05 they found a mole on his back and it was removed and they said they got it all. Aug. 05 a lump showed up on his back and it was melanoma. When they did scans, they found it had traveled to his lungs. They put him on temodar 5 days 21 off and it did nothing. The tumors grew larger and he has them under his armpit now. We are currently in a clinical study. It is working but, he is having a bad side effect to the chemo. His hands and lower legs are numb and he can't walk or button his shirts. The doctor will not continue with chemo until he can walk on his own and button his shirt. Other than that, his is has no other symptons. I am currently looking for someone who is having these symptons and can help me. Let me know how things are going.
Take Care
Cory