UK Skin Cancer and Melanoma Patients

[Lucy]

Sorry to offload here, I'm kind of reeling a bit.

I wondered what it means if someone has both in transit mets, and local recurrence...I can't find anything on the web, and don't know whether it is a big deal or something quite easily dealt with.

Thankyou for any thoughts or insight, it isn't my cancer, but my best mate.

Lucy

[seanty]

There's not really any good kinds of melanoma, as I'm sure you know, but local recurrence is usually better news than in-transit mets. More.

There's always hope if you want there to be, the statistics do not apply to individuals.

[Lucy]

Thankyou Sean

I will go and read.

[Lucy]

That's a good couple of links - thanks.

Just one more q for you, if her primary was on the scalp, and she's had CLND to her neck, what does it mean if it shows up in an axillary node? Does that count as distant mets? Would it have gone elsewhere and THEN to the nodes nearby, or can it just go to the nodes first?

[Chris]

melanoma will normally spread from the original tumour to the lymph node system first. If they found a diseased node then yes it has spread within the lymph system, but if they have done a clearance they may have got it. At the moment, surgery is the best treatment, so don't give up hope for your friend.

Chris

[Lucy]

Thanks Chris.

She had the C/TLND about 2 months ago, now has had an in transit thing removed from near the primary, has suspected recurrence locally and also they think she may have something in her armpit.

getting a bit despondent obviously, I suppose if the scan comes back lit up it'll make her stage 4.

No, I won't despair...she has a life to live, and God damnit she'll do her best to live it, and I'll be there on the sidelines.

[julieharding1]

Hi Lucy, I'm at the 'in transit' stage and am considering trying Avastin a trial drug after surgery to remove two tumours in my vagina. The melanoma first showed up ten years ago. I am still well and working and going on holiday tomorrow. One of the things that best friends can do is listen when the person with the melanoma needs to talk but otherwise what we all want is a normal life. If you can get your friend out and about and thinking about something other than melanoma it will really do her good. Hope all goes well with treatment. Julie x

[Lucy]

Hi Julie,
Thanks for your reply, I am grateful for your thoughts and will try to be as normal as possible!
I hope your surgery goes really well and that you get the treatment arm if you go with Avastin...and have a great holiday

My friend's CT today was clear! I guess the in transit thing and recurrence are still to deal with but at least she isn't looking at anything worse atm. I don't know if this means she gets onto the Avastin trial after all.

Slight celebration here either way ; )

[ruth]

Hi Lucy,

sorry to hear your friend has had a reccurance. I think it will depend on wether the axillary node is positive or not, as to what stage she would be at, but good news the CT was clear elsewhere.

My melanoma spread from my ankle to the nodes in my groin, where I had a dissection, then spread to my pelvic nodes, where I had a further clearance. I was confused as to what stage I was at, but my oncologist did not consider the spread from one basin to the next, as in my case and possibly your friends, distant spread, which would put one at stage 4. Although I was told by some dr.s I was in a grey area between 3/4, I was more reassured when I was allowed onto the Avastin trial which is for stage 3. They accepted me on the basis I had clear scans of elsewhere, which thankfully I did

I really hope things settle down for her, she must feel caught in a bit of a whirlwind at the moment. Keep listening, and I'm sure she really appreciates your support.

Ruth x

[Lucy]

Hi Ruth,

How are you feeling? It's brilliant to hear you still were accepted onto the trial...reading abck I think my friend has the same professor as you, he seems great, very pro-active.

It's confusing about the staging, isn't it? I assumed if the CT was 'clear' it meant the axillary was clear, but maybe it doesn't measure that/include that? I understand a CT doesn't cover the head area though.

I really hope that Avastin will work out for both of you.
Thankyou for replying, sending my love.

[ruth]

I am under St georges hospital in London. Is that where your friend is being treated?
If she had a query regarding a node in her armpit the best way to test that would be a biopsy, hopefully she will have that and it will be negative! The CT will only show any lumps, not confirm if it is mm or not. likely hood is a fine needle biopsy will be requested for that.

CT can be done full body which is, brain- chest-abdomen-pelvis-and lower if requested. Or any of those on there own. I would imagine ur friend will be scanned all over to make sure she has no spread. If she is clear she could well get on to the Avastin trial. Her oncologist will tell her any trials that will be available to her, but it is good to look into them b4 hand, so u have an idea what to expect. I really hope things work out well and she can feel at ease that there may be some treatment for her.

All the best

Ruth xxx

[Lucy]

Thankyou for explaining it so well, Ruth. I really appreciate it. Yes, that's where she is being seen now - in between local hospital trips, as it's not close to where she lives. She was treated at the Marsden initially but decided to get a second opinion because what they said was so depressing!

Good luck, I hope to hear some really good news from you as you continue the treatment

Thanks again x

[seanty]

Just remembered this study on the use of lasers against in-transit mets in Bedford. It worked well, though they are not sure why.

[Lucy]

That looks very good, Sean - thankyou. I'll refer her to it if she seems in a receptive mood for medical stuff.

Hopefully Prof D. will have heard of it?

[kath1974]

Hi Lucy
Just wanted to say hope all goes well for your friend - I know she will appreciate having a good friend providing such strong support for her

[Lucy]

Kath, that is very sweet of you.
She does have a lot of friends and a supportive family which I am sure helps a bit.

[Janet2]

Hi Lucy,

I was sorry to hear about your friend, but pleased to hear that her CT scan was clear. I hope she is able to get on the Avastin trial. If you are able, please keep us posted to how she goes on.
Best wishes,
Janet

[Lucy]

Hi Janet,
Thankyou for your message. How are you feeling at the moment?

Love
Lucy