Mom 84yrs @Stage IV Melonoma

3/9/11,  found out my mother-in-law has advanced melonoma & 2 months to a year to live (already in the lymph nodes). MD sais there is no chemo or surgeries that can help her at this point.  He said to ask her what her last wishes are.  ??

So besides prayer & nutrition, what else can we do to prolong her life?  She has 11 children & I expect only half will get involved. Today, she is still comfortable & just stressed about her condition. 

She has never taken good care of herself & when she saw her thumb nail turning dark she did not want to go to the doctor. OMG!  You hear this all the time, if only they had gone in early they could have saved their life!

What else can we do to prolong her life? I found an investigational treatment @St. Mary's Medical center N. CA Melanoma Center.  The drug they use is "oncolytic immunotherapy".  For someone that will be 84, is this a good treatment for her?

Thank you,

debbsdc

I found something online about oncolytic immunotherapy.

It's at www.fiercevaccines.com /story/companies-explore-promise-oncolytic-immunity/2010-04-29

Hope this can be helpful. Hope you can find a compassionate oncologist who has a larger dose of sensitivity.

Take care and gather the family together and talk about what's going on with your mother...give her the love and support she needs.  

Thank you so much for your reply.  And thank you for that link, I found some references.

Yesterday we had an appt with the Surgeon that did her procedure on the Sentinal lymph node.  Now he is saying that he has good news & bad.  Out of 11 nodes, 1 had the melanoma.  So now, she is at a stage 3 border line 4.  We are looking at a stage 3 with a C.  I need to research what the C means. 

Bad news is this melanoma could show up somewhere else. 

My brother-in-law asked the surgeon, "if this was your mother what would you do"?  He told us to go to Stanford, San Francisco, NCI websites etc & check out the studies that they are doing out there.  We have an appt this Monday with her Oncologist to find out what the next treatment would be.  And if were are not satisfied with his recommendations we will seek a 2nd opinion & maybe a 3rd.

My mother-in-law is a worrier anyway & has a little depression.  This cancer has really put her into a depressed state.  Anymore recommendations?

Again, thank you for your advice.

debbsdc