Malignant melanoma: What treatment did you have?

Thanks!!!! Hope you are ok!!

@marcefromargentina, such good news that the video dermoscopy went well and that you are being monitored closely.

It's hard to give up a tan if that is a look that you prefer and are used to. I hope you find a lotion or spray tan that makes you feel on top of the world but also keeps you healthy and out of the sun's harm. 🙂

Hi to all!! The videodermoscopy went all right. More than 50 moles found, of which 11 are to be closely controlled. The specialist just indicated manual control of them every three months and another videodermoscopy in 6 months if everything keeps well.
No sun tan allowed but I find that part will be the most difficult, for I love being tanned!!!! i am researching at present on which could be the best "non artificially look" self tanning lotions or pills.

Hi!!!! The videodermoscopy is due next Monday. Hope everything goes well. Thanks

Hello, @marcefromargentina. I'm glad that no metastasis was found. How did the video dermoscopy go?

I had a large melanoma on my back that, for years, I thought was a Seborrheic Keratosis. It was removed in 1992 at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica. The sentinel nodes indicated it had not spread but as I had it for so long, they enrolled me in their Tumor Cell Vaccine clinical trial (spearheaded by Donald Morton, MD), which I was in for 6 years. The trial was eventually deemed not successful, but I've never had a recurrence. As I understand it, current immunology treatments are very similar to that trial. I have had many basal cell carcinomas and a couple squamous cell carcinomas. I was the only known member of the family, at that time, to have a melanoma. About 20 years ago, my eldest niece had a melanoma. Just last month her younger sister was diagnosed with a stage 3 melanoma and is now undergoing immunology treatment at UCSF. Their dad, my brother, lived until 80 and never had a melanoma. It would appear there is a family connection, The two nieces have had their DNA tested and have a similar gene believed to be related to the capacity to have a melanoma. We are now waiting for my daughter, who is about 10 years younger than the nieces, to have her DNA tested. One thing she has in common with the nieces is they all have a lot of moles.

Hi! It's my first time here. I'm 57 and recently diagnosed with melanoma. Mole already removed and sentinel node as well. Biopse stated the melanoma was grade 3. I had a PET SCAN revision and no metastasis were found.
Next week I'm having a complete videodermascopic revision. The oncologist told me to undergo ecographic check every 3 months and Tomographic ones every 6 months.
As Ronnie stated we didn´t use to care much about the sun when we were children, it was not an issue people in general were talking about. I don´t even know if sunblockers even existed.
I am not undergoing any treatment just those control procedures I mencioned.
Hope you are doing well!!

@joe0818 It will be constant vigilance the rest of your life. And that is okay, remember you are worth it!
Ginger

@bdpp Oooh, the balloon festival! I have that on my bucket list. Several years ago I was at an annual kidney patient education day, and the gal next to me had just returned from it. I bet the joy and excitement that was in her eyes, was the same type you had! Good for you, thinking ahead for comfort in watching; don't be hard on yourself, that was smart to have an aid-with-a-seat thing. You have had quite the journey, and thank you for letting us know you are doing okay.
Ginger

Whew, that seems so long ago. Thank you for checking on me, Ginger.

Writing from Mesa Verse National Park, our resting spot after 10 days at ABQ Balloon Fiesta. Wasn’t sure if we would make it to NM after mobility issues from my 9/20 craniotomy.

9/20 Craniotomy to remove 3cm lesion, 98% removed.
Conservative as near language and motor skills.
9/25 Gamma Knife to tackle the other 2 spots and to radiate the cavity.
2.5 hours of radiation.

After surgery, went through steroid hell, slept 5 hours in 5 days. Once off Meds started sleeping in 2 hour pockets. Good, but not sufficient. Rosen, massages, acupuncture, all tried all helped, some. Think getting away has helped the most.

Determined to make it to ABQ. We missed last year (#5) due to mastectomy and I was not going to let melanoma take another trip from me. Left Minnesota after my immunotherapy appointments on 10/3. We drive, actually my wife drove, as I could not drive. Took a walking aid with a seat just to be sure I had a place to rest. Didn’t like taking it, but thankful that I did.

Graduated to quarterly PET and MRI scans, and I have decided on getting a port.
Head back to Rochester tomorrow....

Living life to the fullest!!

Barb