Melanoma mom

[Vflowers]

Hi, my name is Vicki. My son was diagnosed with melanoma at the age of 20 in 2012. His battle ended at the age of 24 November of 2016. I can help answer questions. My husband has been battling melanoma since 1993.

[MaryMRF]

Hi Vicki! I'm so sorry to hear about your son. I can't imagine what that kind of loss feels like. We're glad you're here and look forward to getting to know you better!

[Crycleo]

My son was diagnosed in 2012 too. Sadly, he lost his battle in November of 2014. He was able to get ipilumumab, but died before he could get PD-1. Was your son able to get any of the immunotherapies? Do they stop working after awhile?

[Vflowers in reply to Crycleo]

He was BRAF positive. He was able to try two different types of immunotherapy. The first treatment worked for awhile, with some pretty intense side effects. The second treatment, did nothing (in my opinion). So sorry about your son.

[Crycleo]

Thank you for responding. I'm glad that the immunotherapy gave you more time with him. Melanoma is such a brutal disease, and just a year prior to 2012, there was no meaningful treatment. The new treatment didn't work at all for us. His subtype was BRAF Wild type.

I am so sorry for your loss.

[Hidden in reply to Crycleo]

I am sorry for your loss as well.

[missyrand Ambassador]

Vicki, my heart goes out to you. My husband has been living with stage 3b melanoma of the scalp for the past 2 years. He has the wild type and yet has been a gradual responder to immunotherapy. How has your husband's relationship with living with cancer been different from that of your son?

[Vflowers]

My husband never went past stage 2, do he's not required to have treatment. He was devastated when our son's melanoma mestasized. Then we discovered it was genetic.