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| Dr. Juliana Meyer |
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – A few months ago, Stacey Yount’s
passion for running may have seemed like a long-distance proposition after
being diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma. But she’s getting back on her feet,
thanks to an innovative surgical therapy.
Yount recently underwent videoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy (VIL) at Franciscan St. Francis Health. It’s
a minimally invasive procedure to treat melanoma that has spread to lymph nodes
in the groin area.
After being diagnosed with melanoma, the Martinsville
resident met with Juliana E. Meyer, MD, melanoma surgeon with Franciscan
Physician Network, and director of the Melanoma Clinic at Franciscan St. Francis
Health Cancer Center.
After further assessment and consultation with her
colleagues, Dr. Meyer told Yount she was a good candidate for VIL.
“For certain melanoma patients, this is an effective
procedure and offers many benefits over traditional invasive surgical therapy,”
said Dr. Meyer. “It reduces the risk of infection and leads to speedier
recovery.”
Under videoscopic guidance, this new approach uses standard laparoscopic
instruments and techniques to remove the affected lymph nodes in the groin. In
most cases, patients only have to stay overnight, often less time than had they
undergone an open procedure.
“Because it is performed laparoscopically, VIL has smaller,
less visible scarring compared to an open procedure,” said Dr. Meyer.
And there are other important benefits, notes Yount, who is
said to be the first patient in Central Indiana to undergo the procedure.
"Mine was an aggressive
melanoma, and in addition to the immediate concern of mortality, I was really
worried that melanoma would forever change my quality of life,” said Yount who
formerly worked in the pharmaceutical clinical trials industry. “Like most
cancer patients, feeling normal again was desperately important. Running was a
big part of that."
In large part, “normal” to Yount means spending more time
with her husband and daughters (ages 12 and 14) at the lake and pursuing outdoor
activities. And it means setting a new pace in her passion for running. She
recently completed a half-marathon and grueling triathlon.
To find out if you are a candidate for a lymphadenectomy, or
to schedule a skin cancer screening, please call the Franciscan St. Francis
Health Cancer Center at 317-528-1420.
