melanoma..in lungs

[spiro3082]

it was recommended to me to treat it with Odivo..has anyone used this medicine

[tubguy]

I have small cell lung cancer and am on Optivo. M treatment has been put on hold till the end of this month when I will be re scanned. My lung got slightly inflamed while on Optivo (a side effect of the drug - put me steroids and hope that does the trick. If your doc recommends it do your research. It helped me !!! Chuck

[spiro3082 in reply to tubguy]

thank you Chuck for the reply..i am starting next Monday . My dr highly recommended Optivo she said shes seen many good results with it.I have 5 very small cancer spots in my lungs , its skin cancer that traveled from somewhere else..I hope I get good results from treatment....thank you...... Spiro

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

Immunotherapy is the route former President Jimmy Carter's oncologist went for his melanoma that had metastasized to his lungs, brain and bones. His was keytruda but you cannot get that unless your cancer expresses PDL1 so opdivo is an important xcellent choice. When it works it works very well. If you develop a cough and have trouble breathing call the dr as pneumonitis can occur with opdivo.

You probably already checked but I'm going to include a link to a melanoma board here on health unlocked. It's based in the UK but the info should be good. It has a very small membership.

healthunlocked.com/melanomauk

[spiro3082 in reply to Denzie]

Denzie thank for the information and support..i have to say you sound like a DR...im starting treatments in 5 days and very nervous . I got this melanoma on my skin 2010 and the family Dr that removed it didn't mention it was melanoma . I found out about 5 months ago when I had a gall bladder removal , it was on it, the surgeon rushed me to the cancer center and they spotted it very small on 5 nodules in my lungs..now all I can do is hope for the best . Thank you again....Spiro

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer in reply to spiro3082]

Ugh! I get so mad when drs don't follow up! By this time you know that you should have had an all over skin check annually. Please make sure that dr is aware you have it at stage 4 now.

I'm far from being a dr but I am an engaged patient. I've had 6 years to learn all I could and I attend educational seminars at least 3 times a year so that I can help others. I've been watching opdivo almost that whole time. Through the ACS survivor pages I've corresponded with people who were in the very first clinical trial cohort.

[spiro3082 in reply to Denzie]

hi Denzie..did you do Opdivo ? I'm starting treatment Monday with it..not sure what to expect....melanoma in lungs

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer in reply to spiro3082]

No I didn't. From reading others fatigue for a few days is normal. You may want to start a new thread and ask for side effects in the title.

[Pfrazier in reply to Denzie]

My husband also has melanoma that has spread to lung. He has one nodule in lung . has been on cotellic and zellbraff for six months and has done great till now. I am expecting to switch to something different. I have heard alot of good about optivo and keytruda.

[spiro3082 in reply to Pfrazier]

hi..my prayers and good wishes to you..i have 5 small nodules in my lungs and starting Optivo Monday . It was highly recommended > I was told Jimmy Carter was on it for a long time ..thank you for the response .....Spiro

[Danna]

I did not know you could get Melanoma in your lungs

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer in reply to Danna]

Cancer moves through the body 3 ways. First it can circulate through the body's lymphatic system. Second by growing larger and growing into Other organs. Third it can travel through the blood and get anywhere in the body that uses blood- in other words it can go anywhere.

[Danna in reply to Denzie]

You learn things everyday. When I had my Melanoma on my arm before they removed it they did a lymph node sentinel biopsy to make sure it hadn't spread. I still think that it maybe coming back under the same place it came up the first time but too much scar tissue. But right now I feel at peace.

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer in reply to Danna]

m.youtube.com/watch?v=OcigJ...(Not working as expected?)

[spiro3082]

it was explained to me that it started on my skin , it cant start internally , then it can go anywhere . The Dr that removed it from my skin failed to tell me it was melanoma !! It went to my gall bladder that I had to get removed and the surgeon spoted it and quickly send me to the Cancer center . Through exams they saw it in my lungs . There are a few small cancerous nodules that with treatment with Opdivo we're hoping for the best

[Dragracer]

I hope opdivo works for you. I had three treatments then a scan. One of my tumors went from 15 mm to 19 mm. My dr switched to ketruda. I get my next scan March 1. Ketruda is what Carter is on and he is doing well.