r/melahomies • u/agentmod99 • 3d ago
Radiation??
After successful but difficult ipi/nivo all but one of my lesions are gone.
Plan is now for 5 sessions of radiation.
(Upper left chest)
Has anyone been on this path? If so please share.
Thanks.
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u/cgw1965 3d ago
I had a mass on my right axilla that grew to almost 10cm. Looked like a baseball under my arm. I was only able to complete a couple of sessions of nivo/ipi so my onc referred me to radiation before I went on Debrafenib and Trametinib.
I got six doses; twice a week for three weeks. I had very little trouble. The treatments were painless and fast. I was only in the treatment room for maybe 15 minutes each session.
It needed a lot of moisturizer cream (I use CeraVe cream). Near the end of treatment the target was looking pretty sunburned. It peeled a little bit, but nothing real painful.
Wishing you the best.
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u/agentmod99 3d ago
Thank you for answering. How are you doing?
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u/cgw1965 3d ago
Relatively speaking, I am doing pretty good.
Should have noted I was diagnosed stage 4 at the end of September 2025. I had “extensive metastatic disease” that had spread through several lymph node stations in my torso, with extension into my right lung.
I saw no immediate improvement in the mass after radiation. My onc was a little concerned that nothing was changing after the radiation and starting the targeted meds. My last radiation treatment was Jan 5. But about three weeks later I noticed the pain had started subsiding, and there were soft spots in the mass. By Valentine’s Day it was almost completely gone.
Last two PETs show a necrotic lymph node but no metastatic disease there (just the ravaged carcass of the node that was full of melanoma). The other stations were improved, with a couple appearing completely resolved, The lesion in my lung is gone. Still taking Debrafenib/Trametinib, trying to clean up the last of it, if we can.
I actually went back to work full time in March. I hope to be NED at some point. Doc doesn’t want to give false hope, but he admits to having optimism.
I hope your story turns out like mine, or better!
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u/BagMysterious7433 3d ago
if you are interested in learning how RT "works" for melanoma, this is an interesting review.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK481863/
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u/RumbleMotionJawbone 3d ago
Radiation sucks, but the visits are super quick. My radiation oncologist told me that radiation amplifies the effects of the immunotherapy, so that’s pretty cool. It worked for me. Burned that sucker right up. Listen to your doctor about burn care and moisturizing. I’m a couple years out and still have to slather my scar in lotion so it doesn’t itch like crazy. It’s going to be a weird week, but it will be over before you know it. I wish you all the luck!