Melanoma specialist
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Melanoma specialist

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Melanoma specialist

  • Post
    • January 7, 2015 at 2:28 pm
    ymellin
    Participant

    When have a diagnois of melanoma is it best to seek out a doctor who speicalize in just melanoma cancer?

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  • Replies
      • January 7, 2015 at 2:34 pm
      JC
      Participant

      If I remember you were diagnosed with melanoma in situ?  If that is the case you wouldn’t really need any oncologist at all.

      • January 7, 2015 at 2:34 pm
      JC
      Participant

      If I remember you were diagnosed with melanoma in situ?  If that is the case you wouldn’t really need any oncologist at all.

      • January 7, 2015 at 2:34 pm
      JC
      Participant

      If I remember you were diagnosed with melanoma in situ?  If that is the case you wouldn’t really need any oncologist at all.

      • January 7, 2015 at 2:45 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      Certainly at stage III or stage IV when you are looking at possible treatments or clinical trials, you want to see a melanoma specialist.  At stage 0 or 1, not nearly as important because surgery is really the only treatment other than watching for new melanomas.  Stage II — it would be nice to at least have seen one for an opinion even if that isn't who you see regularly.   Some melanoma specialists won't see early stagers because they treat active disease and the likelihood that an early stager will ever have active disease is very low.

      It is hard to find a derm who specializes only in melanoma or skin cancer, but since it appears you are stage I, that is what I'd be looking for if possible.  Cutaneous oncologist.  Most likely found at cancer centers.  But if you can't find that type of derm, find someone who at least takes you seriously and works with you and will remove suspicious lesions.  Watch your own skin for CHANGE and alert your derm if that happens.  When it comes to early stagers, YOU are the most important person.  YOU know your body.  You know your gut feeling.  YOU are the best one to watch for change. 

      Janner

      Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries

      • January 7, 2015 at 2:45 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      Certainly at stage III or stage IV when you are looking at possible treatments or clinical trials, you want to see a melanoma specialist.  At stage 0 or 1, not nearly as important because surgery is really the only treatment other than watching for new melanomas.  Stage II — it would be nice to at least have seen one for an opinion even if that isn't who you see regularly.   Some melanoma specialists won't see early stagers because they treat active disease and the likelihood that an early stager will ever have active disease is very low.

      It is hard to find a derm who specializes only in melanoma or skin cancer, but since it appears you are stage I, that is what I'd be looking for if possible.  Cutaneous oncologist.  Most likely found at cancer centers.  But if you can't find that type of derm, find someone who at least takes you seriously and works with you and will remove suspicious lesions.  Watch your own skin for CHANGE and alert your derm if that happens.  When it comes to early stagers, YOU are the most important person.  YOU know your body.  You know your gut feeling.  YOU are the best one to watch for change. 

      Janner

      Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries

        • January 7, 2015 at 2:49 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        I agree with the first poster.  Your profile says <1mm, but after I looked at your original post, it is for stage 0 – melanoma in situ.  A melanoma specialist (oncologist) is unlikely to see you because your risk of spread is so low.  So your best bet is to find a good derm who can help you monitor for new primaries.  Your risk of a new primary is higher than your risk of a recurrence from melanoma in situ.

        • January 7, 2015 at 2:49 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        I agree with the first poster.  Your profile says <1mm, but after I looked at your original post, it is for stage 0 – melanoma in situ.  A melanoma specialist (oncologist) is unlikely to see you because your risk of spread is so low.  So your best bet is to find a good derm who can help you monitor for new primaries.  Your risk of a new primary is higher than your risk of a recurrence from melanoma in situ.

        • January 7, 2015 at 2:49 pm
        Janner
        Participant

        I agree with the first poster.  Your profile says <1mm, but after I looked at your original post, it is for stage 0 – melanoma in situ.  A melanoma specialist (oncologist) is unlikely to see you because your risk of spread is so low.  So your best bet is to find a good derm who can help you monitor for new primaries.  Your risk of a new primary is higher than your risk of a recurrence from melanoma in situ.

      • January 7, 2015 at 2:45 pm
      Janner
      Participant

      Certainly at stage III or stage IV when you are looking at possible treatments or clinical trials, you want to see a melanoma specialist.  At stage 0 or 1, not nearly as important because surgery is really the only treatment other than watching for new melanomas.  Stage II — it would be nice to at least have seen one for an opinion even if that isn't who you see regularly.   Some melanoma specialists won't see early stagers because they treat active disease and the likelihood that an early stager will ever have active disease is very low.

      It is hard to find a derm who specializes only in melanoma or skin cancer, but since it appears you are stage I, that is what I'd be looking for if possible.  Cutaneous oncologist.  Most likely found at cancer centers.  But if you can't find that type of derm, find someone who at least takes you seriously and works with you and will remove suspicious lesions.  Watch your own skin for CHANGE and alert your derm if that happens.  When it comes to early stagers, YOU are the most important person.  YOU know your body.  You know your gut feeling.  YOU are the best one to watch for change. 

      Janner

      Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries

      • January 7, 2015 at 3:10 pm
      Gene_S
      Participant

      There are dermatologist that specialize in Melanoma patients as I see one.

      • January 7, 2015 at 3:10 pm
      Gene_S
      Participant

      There are dermatologist that specialize in Melanoma patients as I see one.

      • January 7, 2015 at 3:10 pm
      Gene_S
      Participant

      There are dermatologist that specialize in Melanoma patients as I see one.

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