CancerCompass message board discussion started by Darla R. on 4/2/2002 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,830,0.htm Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I'm new at this so a little understanding first please. I need to know if there is anyone out there who has not done the interferon treatment and instead done something holistic. The only option I was given was interferon and I only had 1 node positive out of 14. I can't see doing a 1-year treatment for that. I need to do this my way with doctors who believe in me and my beliefs at this time in my life. Darla R. Tue, 02 Apr 2002 00:00:00 GMT I was treated with High Dose Interferon for a month for Stage III Melanoma. I had one positive axillary node (microscopic) out of 18 nodes removed. My oncologist currently recommends this treatment and does not follow it up with the year long Interferon. I am currently in the surveillance stage of my cancer (i.e. Lab work, chest x-ray and drs. visit every 3 months). I have no evidence of disease at this time. The Interferon treatments were not that bad, I worked all day and then went and took the treatments Mon-Fri for 4 weeks. I felt tired, mild cases of nausea, and had very little energy, but it did not keep me down. After the treatments were over, I was feeling like my old self again in just a few short weeks. I would recommend this type of adjuvant therapy for anyone with Stage III melanoma. I just wonder if there is more that I should be doing, but my oncologist feels that this is sufficient at this time. Not sure if this answers your question, but hopefully will help you out some with making your decision. To note, I work at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and have been treated at the Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center in Winston-Salem, Donna T. Sat, 08 Feb 2003 00:00:00 GMT I am new to this site...looking for information for my son (34 yrs) who was diagnosed with melanoma in June 03...he had a procedure called sentinel node mapping which identified 4 lymph nodes that cancer would spread to first...when tested one of the nodes had micrometastatic tumor...they removed the remaining and found one more node with micrometastatic tumor. This put him in stage III and they are recommending a year of interfuron. He told the oncologist today that he is not willing to do it for a year because of the side effects. I have read that some studies indicate that interferon may delay the disease from recurring as quickly but does not change the overall survival. He is thinking of doing alternative/nutritional therapies to boost his immune system. Are you doing anything like this? Linda Linda D. Tue, 11 Nov 2003 00:00:00 GMT