Melanoma Cancer Treatment

Question: I help with medical expenses for cancer treatment? My husband has melanoma (bad skin cancer) and we need help with the medical expenses for his treatments. I was wondering if there are any websites out there to help out

Answer: you can contact the department oh health and human resources or social security offices in your state they will help you.

Question: i have melanoma skin cancer... and i have to get "treatment"... i'm also 13 and scared...?

Answer: Please don't worry too much. This is a horrible thing for you to go through but you are in good hands as the doctors treat you. It is most likely that your treatment will be highly effective and you will be able to resume a normal life. When you find yourself in a dark and lonely place, remember you are not alone. God promised us that He would never leave us. Talk to Him about your fears.

Question: My grandchild had melanoma, her lymph nodes are showing signs again. what kind of treatment would be good? The doctor says more chemo would probably kill her before the cancer can. His treatment is a scan every three months to keep an eye on the growths. Anybody out there that can come up with a more aggressive approach?

Answer: I’m sorry this has happened to your granddaughter I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you. Having a scan every 3 months is not treatment and is not typically what a doctor would recommend. Melanoma is a very unpredictable cancer and is one we know the least about. Unfortunately we have not found an effective treatment for it as we have with many other cancers. Therefore, it is not possible to tell you what treatment would be good. Some treatments work well for some and not for others. However, with no treatment she will die. I suggest she get copies of all of her records and get another opinion or two. These doctors should explain the reasons behind their recommendations and they should make sense to her. Best wishes to you both,

Question: In search of nurse/doctor who specializes in cancer treatment? My stepfather was just diagnosed with melanoma...I have questions and need to share what we have going on with someone who knows what is happening. Anyone out there???

Answer: No - In a specific case such as this one with your family member, you should be discussing the case with the doctors who have all the details and know the patient. These doctors seeing your stepfather know what is happening. It is part of their job to answer your questions - IF you are there in the office when the patient is seen. Strongly advise going with your stepfather when he has appointments with his physicians. It is not a good idea for family members to call the doctors after hours to ask questions that should have been asked at the time of the office visit. Doctors need special permission from the patient to give out information - even to step children. If you are there with your stepfather, it is presumed that patient consent has been given. We on the internet cannot do anything but guess or speculate with inadequate information. People almost never have all the information we would need to answer questions well. What happens is that we get third hand information. Your stepfather tells you what he remembers from the doctor visit. Then you try to relate that information over the internet. Unless you are a physician or nurse, you probably won't have all of the staging details and histopathologic information required. We need a complete medical history plus results of all scans and blood tests plus the pathology report. Giving second opinions or second guessing the primary care providers via the internet is not a good idea for nurses and doctors on this site who have experience in cancer medicine. We should be sharing our experience with specific questions rather than reviewing ongoing cases.

Question: Anyone using Noni juice for natural cancer treatment? I have metastatic melanoma and a lot of people have asked me if I'd like to try the Noni juice. Don't know if they're trying to just sell me something or if it really is advantageous. So, I've bought a bottle and am drinking it, certainly can't harm, getting built up for upcoming surgery. Anyone with experience on this juice (no sales pitches please) could you let me know?

Answer: Many MLM marketers (including those very active on Yahoo boards) are taught in their sales training that newly diagnosed cancer patients are an excellent potential income stream because the newly diagnosed are still in shock and desperate for anything that might help. If you have money to burn and wish to help the income stream of whomever sold you the NONI juice along with their upstream distributors, go for it. But if you want treatment for your cancer follow your oncologists instructions carefully, including telling him you are drinking NONI juice. If NONI juice really worked there would be many people who are not selling the juice attributing their cancer cure to NONI juice and the story would be headline news on CNN. That's not the case since everyone making these fantastic claims also happens to be selling NONI juice or something similar. Multi Level Marketing means 45% of the sales cost goes directly to whomever sold the product to you, 45% to whomever sold the product upstream from them, and 10% to cover actual costs and shipping. If you want to enjoy NONI juice, go on vacation to Maui or Jamaica and drink or eat your fill from the fresh fruit. At least you will have your vacation to remember plus the knowledge that you weren't paying someone to pull your leg.

Question: Can melanoma skin cancer cause you to have an infection in your blood.? if you have heard of this can you tell me whats the treatment , and the result.

Answer: I am a doctor and I know it. You are wrong. In the eyes of Cancer melanoma and blood are different entities.

Question: Anyone knows about melanoma skin cancer? My dad has had several lumps removed from this one area on his arm. He originally had some crusty, weired looking mole there it got worse, had it biopsied, and had it cut out. It has returned a couple of times, and so had more cut away. He gets regular check ups and he has been good for a while., but now whatever it is has returned and he has to have more flesh cut away, this time he has to have general anesthetic as it is alot deeper and they don't wan't to damage the nerves. Please explain, does he actually have skin cancer or do they cut these lumps and bumps out so it doesn't progress into melanoma skin cancer? How come there is not treatment given to prevent the lumps from returning? My dad's arm has a huge crater in it already. Is he in danger of losing his arm? It is difficult to know what exactly is going on, because I live in another country. All this is relayed to me by phone or e-mail.

Answer: I've had basal cell skin cancer removed and my husband has had melanoma removed. I'd say that whatever is growing on your Dad is definitely skin cancer and if he hasn't seen a dermatologist who specializes in skin cancer, he really should. I'm not as familiar with melanoma, but for my basal cell cancer they did something called a Moh's procedure where they sliced out the cancer...sent me to the waiting room and carefully examined the tissue they removed from me. If the bottom layer of the tissue still has cancer cells in it, then they immediately take you back and cut deeper and deeper until they get it all. I doubt that your dad would need his arm removed, but they might need to dig pretty deep to get all the cancer. Melanoma is dangerous if it spreads beyond your skin but if they can catch it early, its pretty treatable. Best of luck to you!

Question: Melanoma cancer experiences and suggestions needed please? Ok, my mother in law was diagnosed with malinoma cancer and I am asking this question for her since she is very computer illiterate. 30 years ago she had a lump under her arm develope and the drs told her it was nothing to worry about, but last year it started to hurt, and Jan of this year I finally convinced her just because it was ok 30yrs ago doesn't mean it is ok now. She had a biopsy done and it was malinoma, the drs removed it and told her they got it all. Heres the wierd thing, the lump was under the skin like in her armpit area, It felt like a breast lump in there another lump developed and they cut that one out , and did another PET scan and found cancer on the bones of her left shoulder the size of her thumb, on two vertibre in her lower back the size of marbles, another lump under her arm the size of her thumb, and two in her liver the size of a finger nail. I was wondering if there is anyone else out there who has had this happen, what they did what treatment etc

Answer: Do you know what stage cancer she has? If it has metasticized (like it sounds it has) she may be as far as stage 4. My sister was diagnosed with Stage 3a melanoma. It was on her arm and had metasticized in her lymph. If her cancer has not moved to her viscera (organs) then that is very good. With it being on the bone, I'm not sure how bad that is. My sister was 23 when she was diagnosed and now has a clean bill of health for 5 years! 5 years is the benchmark for being "in the clear". She went through treatments similar to radiation but they used a drug called interfuron (spelling?). They removed everything they could find and then treated her agressively with this drug for the next year. She had all of the same side effects (hair loss, menopausal symptoms) Had she waited much longer to get it checked, she wouldn't likely be with us today. Your mother in law needs to be sure she is seeing very good doctors and she needs to have them explain everything to her fully. Be agressive, know your risks, and plan your attack. Above all, prayer works. Take it to the Great Physician.

Question: IL-2 Cancer Treatment? Doing research for a friend who has stage IV metastatic, melanoma. Has anyone heard/used/know about IL-2 treatment?

Answer: I can't answer your question specifically but can point you to an excellent resource for Melanoma patients. Melanoma Patients Information Page http://www.mpip.org/ They have an active Bulletin Board filled with patients and caregivers who would be better able to answer this question than anyone here: http://www.mpip.org/bb/bbindex.html You can use the Search function on the Bulletin Board to locate all comments about IL-2 cancer treatments. Good luck!

Question: What are treatments for non-melanoma skin cancers? In detail (:

Answer: Treatment Most skin tumors are not cancerous and can be treated in the doctor's office, if treatment is necessary. The following treatment options are available at Mayo Clinic. Specific treatment decisions are based on each patient's condition. Curettage and Electrodesiccation After scraping away most of a growth with a long thin instrument (curette), physicians apply a mild electric current to destroy any remaining abnormal cells. This simple, quick procedure is commonly used to treat small basal or squamous cell cancers. Freezing (Cryosurgery) Small, early stage cancers can be destroyed by freezing them with liquid nitrogen. This treatment is usually performed in a physician's office. Photodynamic Therapy Photodynamic therapy destroys skin cancer cells by combining light and drugs that sensitize cancer cells to light. The treatment is currently used on precancerous skin lesions and small skin cancers. Mayo Clinic researchers are investigating its effectiveness on more advanced skin

Question: Is there any progress on treating Melamie cancer that started with ocular melanoma then moved to the lungs ,? moved into the left lung. destroyed with an RFA needle treatment then finally the cancer was getting smaller, then it moved into the lymph gland behind the stermun. Is there any clinical trials on this type of melanomia/ is there any new medicines or herbs that are on trial to stop the cancer~ I know there is no cure for it or have been told there is no cure at this time. the ocular cancer was in 94 the lung cancer(biospyed at black mole melanomia) was first in 02 and has showed up almost yearly since. Would appreciate any updates on this type of cancer.

Answer: yuo could try a local oncologist for updates, good luck

Question: Should I have a PET/CAT Scan for my Melanoma? II was diagnosed 3 years ago right after my 21st birthday with Melanoma Skin Cancer. I had a 6" area, .9mm deep removed out of my back. And I had my lymph nodes removed out of my arm. I did a year of Interferon Apha Combatient. I now go to the doctor 1/every three months. He feels my back and arm pit and says see ya in 3 months. I have read alot about this cancer, and I see that it is very aggresive. I am just wondering if I should have some scans done or some other treatment.?? Any ideas?

Answer: Because melanoma is so aggressive, it tends to kill its victims in a year or so if it is not removed. If you still had it, you would probably be dead by now, or at least have some symptoms. The PET scan is used to find cancers at places other than the original site, and is best used shortly after the diagnosis to see of the melanoma has metastasized. The next time you see your doctor, ask him about it. Anybody in your shoes would be concerned, and he may be able to give you information to alleviate your concerns. Or he may even decide further testing is appropriate to alleviate your concerns. If he isn't one of those doctors who talks well with patients, try to find an oncologist who is. Just to talk.

Question: Can anyone share their melanoma experience? ie: How you discovered the melanoma or skin cancer, and what happened next - what the treatment was. Also, were there any risk factors that could have been avoided? Sunburn, smoking, etc etc...

Answer: I was 12 when i was diagnosed, i'm 14 now. Being diagnosed at 12 is very rare so therefore it's automatically really dangerous. The first time I went to a doctor they said that I was going to be fine and not to worry about it cause I was young. The 2nd doctor I went to said the same thing. Finally the third doctor wanted it to be removed and checked for cancer. A week later I was diagnosed. I had my first surgery a month later (i sshould have done it earlier but i didn't want to) and they cut out my skin down to the muscle (it was on my back) and a couple inched around the cancer. When that came back still positive they cut off even more cancer and skin. Thankfully they came back saying that I didn't need another treatment, because that would be chemo. I have pale skin and red hair so I was going to get skin cancer at one point in my life (red-heads are at a higher risk and so are people w/ pale skin) it just sucked to get it so young. I should have used more sunblock and protected myself from the sun, but i can't change that now. smoking doesn't cause skin cancer though.. at least i've never heard that one before and I'm a pro on skin cancer. Now i know that the cancer will come back more serious then the last.. it will most likely do this until i die. Do you know how hard it is to be a 12 yr old and be expected to live your life normally knowing you are going to die?! i'm 14 now and it still hasn't come back which is good. I get regural skin checkups every few months.. which are very akward but i have to do it. I hope i helped! good luck!

Question: Any special treatments for Melanoma? Are there any conventional, alternative, or holistic treatments that can supress cancer growth in patients with metastatic stage 3 & 4 melanoma?

Answer: MANGOSTEEN.......contact me by email thru here and I'll lead you to information. Many doctors are now recognizing mangosteen juice and are using it to help counter the effects of cancer and many other health challenges. All natural, fully patented and it tastes fantastic! Mangosteen juice is the fastest growing health supplement in history. Helps to rebuild the immune system on a cellular and molecular level, which is the basis for good health.

Question: What do you think about a person who had a skin melanoma removed last summer and still continues to tan? She had a growth removed from her ear and because it was caught early, did not require treatment. She still tans herself in a tanning bed (her own!) and is always in the sun. This just blows my mind that I sometimes question if what she had was indeed cancer because how could she still do this?

Answer: It doesn't make sense. But, then, most of us do things that we know are not good for us. If only the obese could just exercise and eat right, if only smokers would quit after their loved ones die of lung cancer, if people would not tan, if drivers would drive safer and wear seat belts. Haven't you seen or heard of someone causing a fire in their home because they smoke around their oxygen tank? Hello!!! They are on oxygen for a reason, probably due to the cigarettes. Try to accept that she cares about the here and now, not the future and hope the best for her.

Question: Stage IV Melanoma: My father who is 83 was diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma in October 2008...? Because of his age, and other existing health problems, he is not receiving any chemo or radiation treatments. The cancer has spread from a small spot which was removed from his back to 16 lymph nodes under his left arm. I have asked several of his doctors for a "time line" and the only fairly clear answer was that my family should have a consultation with hospice in the coming weeks. If there are any doctors or other health care professionals reading this post, is the "time line" of 6 months from diagnosis given at cancer.org or melanoma.com fairly accurate? Many thanks, Prof.G Thanks for the answers.So far - no pain - during a colonoscopy/endoscopy last week, his GI physician told me that the melanoma would more than likely manifest itself in the liver/pancreas, and do that quickly. I live in the Middle East, near Dubai, so the "time line" is really to help me plan personally... My thanks to you all, Gary

Answer: Survival rates are based on statistics. For stage 4 melanoma the median survival is 6-7 months from diagnosis. This means half the people diagnosed with stage 4 are still alive in 6-7 months. Some have died at 1-2 months and others are alive at 9-10 months. The data for these statistics have been kept for a very long time and are very accurate. If those 16 lymph nodes were regional to the tumor in his back it means the cancer is somewhere else too. Melanoma has a tendency to metastasize to the GI tract and I suspect this is why he had a colonoscopy. You need to know the findings from that exam. If mets where found there they could cause bleeding and/or obstruction and could make his time a little less. Once he is in hospice they will be able to help him, you and the rest of your family with all of your issues and will be able to give you a little better time line as the get to know him. Best wishes to all of you.