Is Melanoma Really as Serious as They Say? (treatment, prognosis, tumor)
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I knew or know two people who got melanoma. The first one was a fair skinned, blue eyed professor in his forties. I last spoke to him in Dillard's. He said he had a very insignificant spot on his leg and the doctors were making a big thing out of it. The next year I heard he had died.
The second man, also a fair skinned blue eyed guy got melanoma at seventy nine. It was on his ear. They cut it out and his wife had to "change the dressing" daily. For years he was fine. Then last year at eighty two he got it on his fingertip. They amputated the tip of his finger and he seems fine again.
In my experience, about ten years ago, doctors all said melanoma is a death sentence. This eighty something year old man is out pulling weeds and taking the train to shows with his wife.
So, the question is, was melanoma's death sentence reputation overstated? I believe basal cell carcinoma is scaring thousands of people into thinking they'll be dead soon. I've got good news for them? My parents had basal cell on their noses and cheeks. Dad lived until almost eighty nine, mom until eighty three. They both died of a stroke. I had a black and red, oozing one on my chest in 1985. The doctor looked concerned , it was biopsied and was basal cell. Haven't had one since.
What are your feelings about the seriousness of melanoma?
Basal cell is totally different from melanoma, so if you are saying that people think that they are the same thing--they are confused, all right.
Melanoma, like any other cancer, is very serious if it spreads; not so serious if it is caught and removed early. My dad had a small melanoma on his back when he was about 45. It was removed and he never had other treatment. He's now 92.
He's also had many basal cell carcinomas. I've had one, and so have all but one of my 6 siblings. Those are an annoyance, but not dangerous. What you do is get them taken off as soon as you see them.
But people certainly do die of melanoma if they don't notice it or ignore it for too long.
So, the question is, was melanoma's death sentence reputation overstated?
Absolutely not. It's one of the worst cancers you can get (largely because it has a propensity to spread very early, when the initial tumor looks like a harmless funny mole on the skin).
That said, there have recently been several new drug therapies released that show great promise in treating metastatic melanoma. So perhaps one day soon melanoma will be a more treatable disease than it has been in the past.
I knew or know two people who got melanoma. The first one was a fair skinned, blue eyed professor in his forties. I last spoke to him in Dillard's. He said he had a very insignificant spot on his leg and the doctors were making a big thing out of it. The next year I heard he had died.
The second man, also a fair skinned blue eyed guy got melanoma at seventy nine. It was on his ear. They cut it out and his wife had to "change the dressing" daily. For years he was fine. Then last year at eighty two he got it on his fingertip. They amputated the tip of his finger and he seems fine again.
In my experience, about ten years ago, doctors all said melanoma is a death sentence. This eighty something year old man is out pulling weeds and taking the train to shows with his wife.
So, the question is, was melanoma's death sentence reputation overstated? I believe basal cell carcinoma is scaring thousands of people into thinking they'll be dead soon. I've got good news for them? My parents had basal cell on their noses and cheeks. Dad lived until almost eighty nine, mom until eighty three. They both died of a stroke. I had a black and red, oozing one on my chest in 1985. The doctor looked concerned , it was biopsied and was basal cell. Haven't had one since.
What are your feelings about the seriousness of melanoma?
basal cell is something that affects many of us as we get older. especially those who have lived in the sunniest part of the country and soaked up the sun as kids. It is rarely anything to worry about as long as it is removed. There is a second type which I forget the name of, but it is a little more dangerous than basal cell but still not a killer. I have had 2 of them removed. The third and what you are talking about, Melanoma can be deadly or not all that bad, depending on the type and has it stayed insitu. Both my husband and doughter, both fair skinned had had 2 removed; both cases years ago, both cases no spreading. John McCain had several Melanomas removed. It has been at least 10 years since his were diagnosed. They can, on the other hand like many cancers be fatal. In the case of our daughter and my husband there wasn't even need for any meds or follow up except the usualy check up every 6 months or so
A friend's father went to his doctor about getting foot fungus treated. The doctor took one look at his big toe and said, "That's not fungus."
It was stage IV melanoma.
He has already outlived the initial prognosis by a year. He's been on the new immunotherapy drugs, Keytruda and Opdivo.
I'm very fair-skinned and spent a lot of time in the sun and in the water as a child. I get a skin check every year religiously.
Because melanoma is really that serious.
Ok, I just had to chime in here. To the OP. The answer is a renounced YESSSSSS. Melanoma is a very, very mean cancer, even today. I know this because my husband is currently battleing stage 4 melanoma, as is not well at this time.
if the melanoma is caught early, it is highly curable if it hasn't gone beyond the dermis. My husband had a beauty mark on his jaw all his life. He went to the doctor for something else and the doctor said he didn't like the looks of that. That was 3 years ago. And my husband is in a battle,for,his life.
Melanoma is NOT something to take lightly, years ago and not now.
The immunotherapy are cutting edge and look very promising, but unfortunately doesn't work on everyone. You have to be a responder but you don't know if you are until you try it. The first immunotherapy my husband tried didn't work. (Keytruda). Now he is on Yervoy. He only had 2 treatments so,we don't know yet if he will respond. But there is always hope, and am praying for a good outcome.
Marble cake
I am so sorry for your husband's condition. The reason I got the feeling it isn't terminal is my BFF's husband is 83 and has melanoma. A few years ago they cut it off from the tip of his ear. Last month they amputated an inch of one finger. I thought most men would be gone by 83 or at least hospitalized. But no; he's out driving and pulling weeds. So that gave me the impression it isn't that serious. If the guy were , say, forty years old I'd be much more concerned. But he has led such a long, easy life. He doesn't actually seem ill .
Marble cake
I am so sorry for your husband's condition. The reason I got the feeling it isn't terminal is my BFF's husband is 83 and has melanoma. A few years ago they cut it off from the tip of his ear. Last month they amputated an inch of one finger. I thought most men would be gone by 83 or at least hospitalized. But no; he's out driving and pulling weeds. So that gave me the impression it isn't that serious. If the guy were , say, forty years old I'd be much more concerned. But he has led such a long, easy life. He doesn't actually seem ill .
Like all cancers it depends on what stage it is, if it spread, etc. I had breast cancer 22 years ago and I'm fine. Other people suffer terribly with breast cancer. That's not to say breast cancer isn't a serious disease.
Rest assured the melanoma is sucking the life out if my husband, and I'm standing by feeling helpless.
I can tell you melanoma is a very mean cancer and not to be taken lightly at all. I'm so glad your 83 year old neighbor is doing well. I'm quite sure they caught it at an early stage because if not, he wouldn't be driving, pulling weeds, etc. he'd be quite ill.
I do still
have hope that my husband will have a good outcome as well. There is always hope, and we will not give up. I just wanted to let you know that melanoma is indeed a very serious illness if not caught early.
Be well
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I believe basal cell carcinoma is scaring thousands of people into thinking they'll be dead soon. I've got good news for them? My parents had basal cell on their noses and cheeks. Dad lived until almost eighty nine, mom until eighty three. They both died of a stroke. I had a black and red, oozing one on my chest in 1985. The doctor looked concerned , it was biopsied and was basal cell. Haven't had one since. 
