Interferon yes or no?

My dad is in the same situation. We don't want him to take interferon. Two new drugs specifically for melanoma patients are Yervoy and Sylatron. The problem is obtaining them and their high cost. My dad has Medicare and a supplement but he would still have to pay $3,200.00 a month for the next five years (if he survives that long). for the Sylatron injections. He is not sure if he wants to spend his life savings on the drugs. His oncologist said that he can get the Sylatron but since you have to take it for five years. The Yervoy sounds like a much better option. It is four injections at a cost of $120.000.00. Talk about breaking the bank! Its ridiculus that patients have to pay that much money. Please someone tell us if there are other options and how we can find out about clinical trials. It is my understanding that the newest drug that has come out, Vemurafenib, may be tested in clinical trials along with Yervoy. Does anyone know anything about these new drugs????

I also was stage III melanoma with a positive lymph node. I'm in my 4th month of interferon and it's not that bad. I would recommend doing it if there is any chance at all it might help. Feeling a little tired for one year is nothing if it could help extend your life.

how bad is your side effects?my mum dont want interferon...she dont want to spent time with a drug that itsnt sure that is doing smthing and i dont know how to make her just think about it....anyone else with same expirience?

my side effects are not bad at all. It makes me tired and sometimes I get chills or a fever. I'm still able to work full time though,  and go to school. I just take more naps now =)

The latest articles on interferon state that its only 10% effective. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but we have been told this repeatedly and read this multiple times.

Hello, I had been on Interferon for 9 months with stage 3 melanoma, its not too bad but it only helps 3 in a hundred people. Had got melanoma in  one node and it started on my buttock but I used an infected medical wipe that was in the box, so ended up with an awful infection in two injection sites. Have been off them now for 10 weeks. Not good. Yu dont really have much option, at least you can say you did everything to help yourself. Good luck dixieh

On Jun 12, 2011 5:25 PM renakimu wrote:

my mum has melanoma stage iiib the ulceration was traumatic and not full.the "" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://full.the " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">full.the doctors found one lump positive with micrometastis and then a full axillari dissection completed with none lymph positive.some "" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://positive.some " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">positive.some doctors told as to have interferon treatment but we are confused due to the side effects. Can someone tell me an opinion, I am so scared and confused.she "" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://confused.she " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">confused.she is 52yrs old and the melanoma was at her trunk at the midle of her back.this "" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://back.this " target="_blank" rel="nofollow">back.this to God all of her test, pet and blood test, were clear but everyone saying that melanoma is one of the most metastatic cancers and almost after a year you find out a macrometastasis. The breslow depth was 1.9 and Clark levels was iv. Is there something else that we can do exept of interferon?

I have stage IV melanoma. I had a huge incision made 6 yrs ago on my upper right shoulder. Then last year (it was 5 yrs later) a tumor was found in my lower right lung. So now metasized melanoma! The treatment was Cyberknife (3 sessions). Now I am on Temodar. This is an amazing chemo treatment for melanoma. It is by Merck Pharm. I get it FREE thru Merck Patient's Assistance program. My insurance didn't cover the huge cost of this medicine - it's $1,000/pill...... .$180,000 a year. It's delivered free to my door via UPS, I sign for it and that's it. My oncologist told me about this program and helped me fill out the small amount of paperwork. I hope your Mum gives this a try. My PET scans shows I'm cancer free.

I too had mellanoma IIIb in the lower middle of my back also,(along with the removal of 24 lymph nodes)at age 51, I did the year long treatment of interferon, though difficult I survived and at 53 I'm doing quite well.  I wasn't offered any other treatment at the time.  My breslow depth was 2 and clark levels IV.  Hope everything works out well with any decision you make.

i tried interferon for about 10 days and had to go off of it because it mentally killed me. i have a history of depression and this drug really messed me up. i ended up in the ER. I was getting really bad headaches and was imagining things and hearing things...IT WAS BAD! but i can at least say i tried...:) i was stage 3 with 3 positive lymph nodes.