Hello, I am worried about my husband's ex-wife with whom he has 2 kids a boy 13 and a girl 11. My husband and I have a 6 yr old together and I also have 2 kids from my first marriage age 14 and 10. So total we have 5. She had a hysterectomy 2 weeks ago, which confirmed she had cancer of both ovaries, and a malignant tumor in her uterus, some cancer in the lining of her bladder. She was sent to a Cancer specialist, then discovered a rare form of Melanoma (from what her mother said) that spreads to other organs. They found malignant tumors in both breasts and one in her hip, I think they said hip bone. She began chemo last friday....4 days of it, then wait a day and start radiation on the hip tumor. If no response they said they would send her to Houston TX i think the MD Anderson Cancer clinic. I worry about the kids loosing thier mother. Has anyone here, any info or know anyone that this sounds similar too? and the outcome? I have never known anyone with cancer. I'm a member here, I have SLE Lupus, so I thought I would try the boards here. Thanks
Donna

I'm very sorry to hear about the malignant melanoma, it is the least common type of skin cancer. Malignant melanoma is also the most dangerous type of skin cancer. If discovered early, it can be completely cured. If not treated quickly, it may spread throughout the body and is often deadly.

we found out she is in stage 4 cancer.....she was in the hospital during the chemo, and they let her go home last monday evening and she ended up going back in the hospital tuesday due to she was in so much pain. Is stage 4 curable? Does anyone know the statistics?
Thanks
Donna

This is the National Cancer Institute link for melanoma information:
http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancer_information/cancer_type/melanoma/

Here you can locate the statistics for each cancer by stage. Something to keep in mind: statistics are used to describe a population and not to predict one individual's prospects. For each person with cancer, the real statistics to be faced are 0% or 100%. Aim for the 100%.

Good luck,
Jay

Sorry to hear about her illness.....I just had surgery for stage 2....Stage 4 I thank GOD know nothing about. But I live in Houston, and I have heard great things about MD Anderson. So at least she will get the very best care......Good luck to her, and you also.....

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Live and Love each day as if it were your last.......

My husband had Stage 3 in 1999, and we go to M D ANDERSON, going in Oct., and wouldn't go anywhere else.

They are doing great things with Melanoma, though it is SOME SCARY disease. I do mole patrol on my husband every month.

Chances are: she had a primary mole somewhere and did not catch it and it spead to her organs. That may not be the case, but I would be surprised if that's not the story.

Sometimes they never find the primary. It targets the brain, liver and lungs, but can be found anywhere in the body. He had been NED (no evidence of disease) since then but it was not in his lymph nodes. It was on his ear lobe and he lost half and ear, but saved his life.

MD ANDERSON is GREAT...let me say it again. If she can get Dr. Merrick Ross (our doctor) she would be most pleased with him. He is over the skin dept. there. Can't find a better Doc...he also consulted on Maureen Reagan's case before she died, and she could afford the best.

Hope this helps some.....she needs to be somewhere where they specialize in this. The regular JOE DOC does have have the knowledge to handle this. And that's my best 15 cents worth of advice.



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Blessed <><

i am new to this board but i was diagnosed with desmoplastic malignant melanoma stage 5 in feb 02 the tumor was in the nose. desmoplastic might be what she has it can spread thru the nerves.i have had 5 surgeries ct mri and pet scan. i did conventional and alternative treatment i lost 2/3 of nose but am cancer free by the grace of god. im no expert but i will share all i learned thru this

update...she has now numerous tumors in her brain, one which began bleeding, they slowed it down, by thickening her blood or giving her plasma? Somehow....she has been thru 3 rounds of chemo...got a body scan yesterday to learn the chemo did not help, nor the radiation. The dr gave her 1 month to live (the brain tumor that has been bleeding is the most immediate life threatening.) The source of her melanoma has not been found....the dr knew when they did her hysterectomy when they opened her up, just by looking at the tumors that is was melanoma...such a horrible cancer. Thanks to all who have replied.
Donna