Melanoma Need Advice - Cancer: Skin Message Board

cherman · 09-27-2006, 07:45 AM

I recently had surgery on my face to remove Lentigo Melanoma. Margins around area are clear. I did not see a oncoligist before I had the surgery. I have since seen one and he wants me to have more surgery to get a larger margin and go deeper. Question is should I go ahead and have more surgery?Need any advice> Thanks Cherman

m1e1b1s1 · 09-27-2006, 10:18 AM

Yes, do what they reccommend.

I had 3 dermatofibromas removed, 2 from my thigh (one had been there 3 years) and one from the left side of my foot. They were tested, one came back with some questionable cells, so my surgeon wanted a re-excision done to remove a larger area. All tested well after the second one, though I need to watch out for a re-occurance, even though it wasn't cancerous.

I saw a dermatologist for the first one that popped up, he told me not to worry, if it got bothersome, he'd remove it, but didn't want to....I went to a second dermatologist who reccommended I get them removed....after the second one appeared I went to someone new...guess what...the first one is the one that was troublesome....I'm glad I went for a second opinion and did what I needed to get them removed and be safe!

Be safe....

Ga Lady · 09-29-2006, 07:16 PM

Larger margins and deep incisions are based on the depth and the clark level of your recent diagnosis. If it was MIS (melanoma in situ) then only a .5 cm would be removed in marginal terms. Mine was a .80 with a clark IV and I had a 1 cm margins taken from around the biopsy site. I also went to an oncologist after my derm did the surgery. My oncologist suggested further this and that. I later went for scans. Then finally went for a Pet Scan to rule out met's to any organs. All was clear. Follow your "inner gut" is what I always say. Don't be mislead but dont go fishing in deep waters, there will always be oddities. My scans sent me on a road trip of inconclusive tests for over 3 months. FINALLY after all that I was "settled with the news"....and after a year I have let it rest. I am in the medical field and I am well aware what melanoma can and will do if not treated properly. Just be viligalant. And ALWAYs keep your skin check ups! Good luck and God Bless