A New Wing at The Hotel Melanoma

“The reality is that this cancer will probably find a way around most drugs. Although we are always searching for a cure, it may be more realistic to turn cancer into a chronic disease, like diabetes, that you don’t cure but rather you manage.” Karl Lewis, M.D., in The Melanoma Puzzle, July 1, 2010.

There will never be a “good time” to check into this Hotel. But better now than 5 or 10 years ago. For a brief time in 2003, my docs thought I was very likely at Stage IV and it sounded to me like they had no treatment options to offer that would be a source of any realistic hope for survival. Today, they would.

So, with gratitude for how far we’ve come during my 8-year stay at the Hotel and with best wishes to all of my fellow guests, here’s a new version of the Eagles’ “New Kid in Town”…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6FsnmaJrQQ



There’s talk on the news, it sounds like a thriller.
Great expectations, everybody’s testing you.
Patients you treat they all seem to love you,
Even your skeptics treat you like you’re something new.

treatment-come-lately, the new drug in town,
everybody wants you, so don’t let them down.

Your name is Yervoy, insurance begin to pay.
Hopeless romantics, now we hope again.
But after a while we’re looking for other ways.
It’s those restless cells that grow again.

treatment-come-lately, the new drug in town,
hope it will cure us after the last round

there’s so many cells we want no older
but night after night those cells may get bolder,
just hold our fears on your shoulder.

There’s talk on the news, it’s there to remind you
That it doesn’t really matter if magic’s gone.
They’re working today on new drugs to succeed you.
We will never forget you till new wonder drugs come along.

where you been lately? there’s a new drug in town.
everybody loves it, don’t they? now we’re taking it
and you’re still around, oh my my.
there’s a new drug in town,
just another new drug in town.

oo-hoo, everybody’s talking ’bout the new drug in town.
oo-hoo, everybody’s doctor likes the new drug in town.
there’s a new drug in town I don’t want to need it
there’s a new drug in town I don’t want to need it
there’s a new drug in town
there’s a new drug in town
there’s a new drug in town everybody’s talking
there’s a new drug in town patients started stalking
there’s a new drug in town
there’s a new drug in town