Malignant Melanoma - Cancer: Skin Message Board

zizi7 · 10-12-2006, 08:40 AM

My 89 yr young Mom was diagnosed with Level IV malignant melanoma and does not want to go through with surgery. Dr's have told me all will be OK as long as this surgery is done. My concern is the 3 hr surgery with general anesthisia. Since the melanoma is on her cheek, close to her eye, it seems like most of the surgery time is for the reconstruction of her cheek not the melanoma. Does anyone out there know of someone going through this at this age? Reply quick, she should have surgery next week.
Thanks!

Subs30 · 10-12-2006, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zizi7

My 89 yr young Mom was diagnosed with Level IV malignant melanoma and does not want to go through with surgery. Dr's have told me all will be OK as long as this surgery is done. My concern is the 3 hr surgery with general anesthisia. Since the melanoma is on her cheek, close to her eye, it seems like most of the surgery time is for the reconstruction of her cheek not the melanoma. Does anyone out there know of someone going through this at this age? Reply quick, she should have surgery next week.
Thanks!

Hi Zizi

Yep---while I was at the Univ of Penn---last week of Sep 06 for Mohs surgery---on upper lip---there was an 85 yr old---with Melanoma on her nose---with me for surgery/removal---(via Mohs Surgery) and then an extensive reconstruction---(nose is a tough area---not much skin, etc...)---the Mohs surgery for her lasted about 1hr 1/2

---then what was removed---had to be sent to pathology---to see if it was all out

---then---the Reconstruction surgery took another 3 to 4 hours for her---she was there with her daughter...her mother made it through it all---with little complaints or problems---fact much better then all of us---including her daughter & her daughter's husband.

Neither one(85 or me)had general anesthesia---both of us had a local.

You are correct---I think----in that---the reconstruction surgery---takes the longest---at least for me it worked out that way---also----took them 30 min(stage I) for the surgery and about 2 1/2 for the reconstruction surgery----was there from 1PM to 6PM---since the surgeon was bouncing between the two of us----for both the Mohs & the reconstruction surgery.

P.s. not saying that Mohs surgery is the way to go--for her---just trying to answer ur question on age---vis---a---vis surgery.

Good Luck

zizi7 · 10-12-2006, 09:52 AM

Thanks. The3-4 hr reconstructive surgery on the 85 yr old...that was done under local anesthisa?
zizi7

Subs30 · 10-12-2006, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zizi7

Thanks. The3-4 hr reconstructive surgery on the 85 yr old...that was done under local anesthisa?
zizi7

Hi Zizi

Yes

---I was not in the room with her---but---she would be walking around in between the surgery stages,I, II, III, etc... of the Mohs surgery

---waiting for the pathology results to come back----from each surgery stage

----what they do in Mohs is take out some---send it to pathology---if all is still not out---then take some more out---send it to pathology, etc...until pathology verifies it is all out

---then the reconstructive surgeon sits down with u/her and discusses the reconstructive surgery---before they start---for me and her that was done with a local---for her it was extensive---in that they had to take a layer of the skin from her far-head---above her nose---leaving the bottom portion of that skin attached---just above the bridge of her nose---and lay/attach/graft it---over her entire nose, etc......

Now that's the way its done for "MOHS Surgery" it is done in a "Out Patient" environment---at the Hosp(Univ of Penn--for me/her)

However---not sure if that is the type of surgery they plan for ur mother---ur post said:

..."general anesthisia"....

Which would lead u to believe---that it is not a Mohs Surgery they intend to perform.

Mohs---is usually reserved(not always--but usually) for skin cancer removal involving the face, lip, ears nose, etc...since the way it is done---insures removal--of the tumor---and a slight border---as a safety margin---but minimizes---removal of any tissue beyond---what pathology tests determine---is required---allowing the Reconstruction surgery to hide/mask the surgery cuts/incisions---also reducing the trauma of an operation on the body---etc....

But it can not be used for all skin cancer probs/removal---at least as I understand it.