Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-lac, QC
In 2013, following the appearance of a small lump in the neck, I underwent an ultrasound that showed that it was a ganglion. After the surgery, the verdict fell: Metastatic melanoma of unknown source. Two months later, I underwent a dissection of the left armpit with removal of 43 ganglia, 7 of which were malignant. Follow-up exams did not show any other cancer, but the risk of recurrence was very high.
I was put on Ipilimumab in a dose of 10mg. Four treatments were initially planned in the first phase. The first did not cause too much side effect, but in the second (early 2014) I had liver hepatitis and had two hospitalizations. The treatments had to be stopped then the hepatitis treated. The medication caused me medical pneumonia, which required a third hospitalization. Since July 2014, I stopped any treatment.
As a precaution, I have follow-up exams every 3 months for the next 2 years. The latest exams show no signs of recurrence. I had to stop all activities for a period of one year (work, physical activities, etc.), activities that gradually resumed in September 2014. Today, everything is fine and I benefit, day by day, from the life that is offered to me.
