3 ms·
My father is currently dying of malignant melanoma with brain metastasis... I wish this treatment was available a few years ago.
by hummuscience 1mo ago
My father is currently dying of malignant melanoma with brain metastasis...
I wish this treatment was available a few years ago.
- exolymph 1mo agoThat is devastating. How are you doing?
- hummuscience 1mo agoCoping. It's been a long process. When I saw his first diagnosis (he was diagnosed very late) I read the papers and knew that his chances are slim. It's hard seeing him like this. 63 years old. Going from completely functioning to non-verbal in 3 months fucks you up
- pfdietz 1mo agoImmune therapy didn't help? Darn.
- Gibbon1 1mo agoImmune therapy is hit or miss. Friends lung cancer was exquisitely sensitive to it. Stage 4 to no sign of disease. Another friend with melanoma immune therapy didn't seem to help at all. Melanoma is usually completely resistant to traditional cancer drugs. So that sometimes immune therapy works is very welcome.
- hummuscience 1mo agoSadly it didn't. And it also lead to extreme bleeding in the brain metastasis that we had to stop it. Switched to BRAF/MEK inhibitors and that looked good for a few months until it didn't anymore.
- onlyrealcuzzo 1mo agoI'm so sorry to hear that, but thank you for sharing your story to highlight the importance of this!
- leetrout 1mo agoMy dad died 30 years ago after it spread to his liver. He was in the study at duke for what is today the standard treatment line for immunotherapy. I hope he was able to help. He died 9 months after his diagnosis. Enjoy the time you have with him now and be grateful for all the years you've had. Nothing is going to make the loss of a parent "OK" and it will hurt no matter if you see it coming like you are or it's a surprise. Remember to breathe.