Sarah424
04-20-2005, 03:28 PM
Hi, I like everyone else cant believe I am having to visit this site. I posted on the cancer site and then found this skin cancer site, which is a better fit I guess. I just found out that I have Melanoma Level 2, it is .8 mm. Has anyone had any experience in this? I dont know what to expect. I go later this week for a CAT scan. I originally went to a dematologist that wanted to do the Mohs procedure, but after talking to a friend of the family ( who is a surgeon) he said it was better to do surgery and remove the whole area. It is so hard to know what to do. I am going with the surgeon's suggestion. Does anyone have any input on this? I of course am scared that it has spread, since I have had this funny looking mole for quite some time. Has anyone had it spread. Thank you for any suggestions!
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txlady3k
04-20-2005, 04:30 PM
Hi Sara,
I'm new to this too, but I can share what has happened so far with me. Everything seems to have happened so fast. On a visit to my doctor the end of February because I was feeling tired I asked him to have a look at some moles on my back. Only one of them looked suspicious to him and he did a punch biopsy. That came back cancerous and in less than 2 weeks I was in our local surgeons office having the entire area removed. That came back stage 3 melanoma. I don't remember the depth, a good reason you should always take someone with you when you go to the dr. The cancer had spread to the surrounding tissue. They did not do a CT scan on me but they did do x-rays of my lungs and blood work. My doctor said he felt sure it had not spread to my blood or anywhere else, other than possibly my lymph nodes, still waiting on that biopsy to come back.
From everything I've been reading on Melanoma, and that's been quit a bit, removing the area is the best course. Especially at a stage 2. I think I would listen to the surgeon and have the entire area removed.
I hope all goes well for you, I do know how scarry this is.
Kathy
I'm new to this too, but I can share what has happened so far with me. Everything seems to have happened so fast. On a visit to my doctor the end of February because I was feeling tired I asked him to have a look at some moles on my back. Only one of them looked suspicious to him and he did a punch biopsy. That came back cancerous and in less than 2 weeks I was in our local surgeons office having the entire area removed. That came back stage 3 melanoma. I don't remember the depth, a good reason you should always take someone with you when you go to the dr. The cancer had spread to the surrounding tissue. They did not do a CT scan on me but they did do x-rays of my lungs and blood work. My doctor said he felt sure it had not spread to my blood or anywhere else, other than possibly my lymph nodes, still waiting on that biopsy to come back.
From everything I've been reading on Melanoma, and that's been quit a bit, removing the area is the best course. Especially at a stage 2. I think I would listen to the surgeon and have the entire area removed.
I hope all goes well for you, I do know how scarry this is.
Kathy
FearfuL
04-20-2005, 06:08 PM
Can I ask what your mole looked like exactly? What about it made you get it removed? Was it changing for some time?
I suggest going to MPIP (do a search on a search engine). You'll see why it's helpful when you get there.
I suggest going to MPIP (do a search on a search engine). You'll see why it's helpful when you get there.
Sarah424
04-20-2005, 06:32 PM
Thank you both for replying! Kathy, I am glad that they didnt think it has spread anywhere else for you! Good luck with your results. If you dont mind me asking, how do they check your lymph nodes? That is another thing they are going to do to me. I just found out today, so I am quite surprised by all this. I know nothing on the subject. Thanks for your advice!
Fearful, it has been darker than normal and oddly shaped for about 8 mths and it makes me angry because, I went to a DR and asked them about it and they completely blew me off. Then it started to turn black and I went back and they referred me to a dermatologist. By the time I got in to see the dermatologist it was black and raised and crusty feeling. I did a search on MPIP and I am still checking out all the info. Thank you!
Fearful, it has been darker than normal and oddly shaped for about 8 mths and it makes me angry because, I went to a DR and asked them about it and they completely blew me off. Then it started to turn black and I went back and they referred me to a dermatologist. By the time I got in to see the dermatologist it was black and raised and crusty feeling. I did a search on MPIP and I am still checking out all the info. Thank you!
FearfuL
04-20-2005, 07:42 PM
No problem, Sarah!
So was this a new mole that just showed up as a 'weird looking' one? Or was it a mole that had been there for years before it underwent these changes? Was it flat to start? Can I ask where the location of the mole was and did it get lots of sun exposure? I had a scare a while back and am just constantly watching all my moles, so sorry for all the questions. I know you have questions you need answered youself. If you have trouble, post here and I'll try to find more resources for you.
Ah! Doctors should learn to listen to their patients concerns more, huh? Let us know how everything goes. Best wishes.
So was this a new mole that just showed up as a 'weird looking' one? Or was it a mole that had been there for years before it underwent these changes? Was it flat to start? Can I ask where the location of the mole was and did it get lots of sun exposure? I had a scare a while back and am just constantly watching all my moles, so sorry for all the questions. I know you have questions you need answered youself. If you have trouble, post here and I'll try to find more resources for you.
Ah! Doctors should learn to listen to their patients concerns more, huh? Let us know how everything goes. Best wishes.
txlady3k
04-20-2005, 07:46 PM
Hi Sara,
The way they checked the lymph nodes was by doing a Sentinel Lymph node mapping. I had posted a question on the board about the mapping, it's just below your question, you might want to look at it because a nice gentleman answered a question I had about the biopsy. They inject this blue radio active stuff, in my case 4 injections around the initial site. It attaches to the lymph nodes and they remove the closest one for biopsy. The stuff they inject follows the path the cancer would take. In my case because my cancer is in my back, right between my shoulder blades, they had to remove 2 lymph nodes, 1 under each arm.
I was in such shock over all of this, and everything has happened so fast, I had alot of fear and probably even a bit of depression going on, and alot of guilt because I had had issues with that particular mole for well over a year and never had it checked. I hope your lymph biopsy will turn out ok. At this point for me, the hardest part is waiting for the dr. to call me back and tell me my results.
Take care,
Kathy
The way they checked the lymph nodes was by doing a Sentinel Lymph node mapping. I had posted a question on the board about the mapping, it's just below your question, you might want to look at it because a nice gentleman answered a question I had about the biopsy. They inject this blue radio active stuff, in my case 4 injections around the initial site. It attaches to the lymph nodes and they remove the closest one for biopsy. The stuff they inject follows the path the cancer would take. In my case because my cancer is in my back, right between my shoulder blades, they had to remove 2 lymph nodes, 1 under each arm.
I was in such shock over all of this, and everything has happened so fast, I had alot of fear and probably even a bit of depression going on, and alot of guilt because I had had issues with that particular mole for well over a year and never had it checked. I hope your lymph biopsy will turn out ok. At this point for me, the hardest part is waiting for the dr. to call me back and tell me my results.
Take care,
Kathy
Sarah424
04-20-2005, 08:05 PM
Fearful, It had been there for as long as I can remember, it is my arm just past my shoulder, so thankfully it will be able to be covered by a short sleeved shirt. I had spent the entire summer outside last year and that is when I first noticed the change, right as the summer was ending. It just got larger and funny shaped, it didnt look like the rest. Then it got a darker brown. Then it turned black. That is when I went to the DR and yes they should listen! Are you ok now?
Sarah424
04-23-2005, 08:42 PM
Kathy,
Thank you for the information on the lymph nodes. I had no idea that it consisted of that. I had the CT scan yesterday and it came back fine. Did your dr check your lymph nodes when he was taking out your melanoma affected area? Did they give you a sedative before doing all this? I have the surgery set up for next week but I havent met with the dr to discuss all the details yet. You are right, it is scary and I do feel guilty too. I have spent years tanning and in the sun. Thanks for all your help.
Thank you for the information on the lymph nodes. I had no idea that it consisted of that. I had the CT scan yesterday and it came back fine. Did your dr check your lymph nodes when he was taking out your melanoma affected area? Did they give you a sedative before doing all this? I have the surgery set up for next week but I havent met with the dr to discuss all the details yet. You are right, it is scary and I do feel guilty too. I have spent years tanning and in the sun. Thanks for all your help.
txlady3k
04-24-2005, 08:42 AM
Sara,
In my case they did the lymph node mapping the morning of my surgery and they removed the lymph nodes at the same time they were removing the cancerous tissue from my back, so I was completly asleep. When they initially removed the mole and a little of the surrounding tissue, they just gave me a local.
On a very bright note though, mine was a stage 3, and I spoke with my doctors nurse Thursday, my lymph node biopsies came back benign. The cancer had not spread any further than the tissue on my back, and that was all removed during the surgery.
I too felt guilty. As a teenager, and into my early 20's my goal every summer was to get a bad sunburn so I would tan afterwards. But we didn't know how harmful this was at the time. Also, you might want to make a list of all the questions you want to ask. From my experience, I couldn't remember them when I was face to face with my doctor. It seemed every time I went in he told me something I wasn't expecting to hear and then I couldn't remember what I wanted to ask. There is so much fear and shock going on then.
Good luck with your biopsy and recovery.
Kathy
In my case they did the lymph node mapping the morning of my surgery and they removed the lymph nodes at the same time they were removing the cancerous tissue from my back, so I was completly asleep. When they initially removed the mole and a little of the surrounding tissue, they just gave me a local.
On a very bright note though, mine was a stage 3, and I spoke with my doctors nurse Thursday, my lymph node biopsies came back benign. The cancer had not spread any further than the tissue on my back, and that was all removed during the surgery.
I too felt guilty. As a teenager, and into my early 20's my goal every summer was to get a bad sunburn so I would tan afterwards. But we didn't know how harmful this was at the time. Also, you might want to make a list of all the questions you want to ask. From my experience, I couldn't remember them when I was face to face with my doctor. It seemed every time I went in he told me something I wasn't expecting to hear and then I couldn't remember what I wanted to ask. There is so much fear and shock going on then.
Good luck with your biopsy and recovery.
Kathy
esstwobee
04-24-2005, 07:04 PM
I had melanoma stage II (a bit larger in size) and have been cancer free now for two years...
...usually when they say 'check your lymph nodes' they mean map them first (by injecting radioactive dye into the primary site and watching to see where the first nodes are that 'light up') and then removing them, these are usually called sentinal nodes.
they then biopsy the nodes and you will know shortly if the cancer has spread. I had the mapping and the surgery to remove the primary site on the same day. Both reports came back 'clean' meaning that the surgery had removed all the cancerous localized cells (by taking a chunk of tissue from my thigh) and that they detected no cancerous cells in the lymph nodes they removed.
does this information assist you? where is your mole/melanoma located? MOHS is usually suggested for visible areas (face) and when I asked because of the prominant location on my thigh, they said MOHS was not the best option, surgery was.
wishing you successful treatment and good health!
...usually when they say 'check your lymph nodes' they mean map them first (by injecting radioactive dye into the primary site and watching to see where the first nodes are that 'light up') and then removing them, these are usually called sentinal nodes.
they then biopsy the nodes and you will know shortly if the cancer has spread. I had the mapping and the surgery to remove the primary site on the same day. Both reports came back 'clean' meaning that the surgery had removed all the cancerous localized cells (by taking a chunk of tissue from my thigh) and that they detected no cancerous cells in the lymph nodes they removed.
does this information assist you? where is your mole/melanoma located? MOHS is usually suggested for visible areas (face) and when I asked because of the prominant location on my thigh, they said MOHS was not the best option, surgery was.
wishing you successful treatment and good health!
Sarah424
04-24-2005, 07:14 PM
Thank you again Kathy! I am so glad to hear that your biopsy results were good news!
Esstwobee,
It is on my arm, right below my shoulder, so yes I am opting for the surgery, it is good to hear that you both think that is a good option. It is so hard to know what to do when you dont know anything about it. I am having it done this week. So just a CT scan wont tell you if you had it spread, you also have to have the lymph nodes done too?
Esstwobee,
It is on my arm, right below my shoulder, so yes I am opting for the surgery, it is good to hear that you both think that is a good option. It is so hard to know what to do when you dont know anything about it. I am having it done this week. So just a CT scan wont tell you if you had it spread, you also have to have the lymph nodes done too?
esstwobee
04-26-2005, 02:34 AM
I was not offered a CT scan so I do not know the extent in which it would be able to 'see' the spread of the cancer...I was lucky that my surgeon was the one who developed the 'mapping' technique I described, and so I felt confident that this would be more definitive regarding the extent of the cancer.
Do check back and let us know what the results are after your surgery...good luck!
Do check back and let us know what the results are after your surgery...good luck!