Chemo therapy for melanoma cancer?

Question

do you have to get chemo if you have melanoma cancer and it spread to the lymph nodes?

Answer 1

There are some cases in which chemotherapy may be used for advanced melanoma . . as chemo is a systemic treatment. The idea of chemo is that it will follow the same paths that any microscopic malignant cells follow and kill them before they start a new tumor in a distant location. Chemotherapy can be used successfully to control the spread of disease especially to the lymph nodes. So, in some cases chemo will be used in the treatment of melanoma. Another way to use chemo is to perfuse only one area of the body (such as an arm or leg). Heating the chemo can also be used to effectively kill off or halt the spread of disease.

What you need to know about melanoma
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/melanoma/page1

You can check the guidelines given for melanoma at various stages:

National Comprehensive Cancer Network: Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology - Melanoma
http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/melanoma.pdf

Best to you.

Answer 2

Melanoma is the most serious and deadly type of skin cancer. Melanoma develops in the cells that produce melanin — the pigment that gives your skin its color. Melanoma can also form in the eyes and, rarely, in internal organs, such as the intestines.

Although melanomas make up the smallest percentage of all skin cancers, they cause the greatest number of deaths. That's because they're more likely to spread to different parts of the body. And the incidence of melanoma is on the rise.

Apart from various types of treatments chemotherapy also will be given. This form of treatment uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. Two or more drugs are often given in combination and may be administered intravenously, in pill form or both — usually for four to six months. Melanoma has long been thought to be resistant to most forms of chemotherapy, but new chemotherapy regimens are being studied and developed. In the meantime, chemotherapy is sometimes used to relieve symptoms in people with advanced metastatic melanoma.-

Answer 3

Melanoma is usually treated interferon alfa-2b. Chemo itself does not work well with Melanoma.

Answer 4

There are so many alternatives to Chemo, please explore them. Visit Curezone.org and search for melanoma and what others have done.

Read the free ebook about MMS. I just read the hard copy and it sounds very promising. Don't be put off by it's name.. the miracle part, it is just good chemistry.

Answer 5

Chemotherapy will not help....prayers at that point.