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7 year update
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7 year update

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › 7 year update

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    • May 23, 2020 at 3:47 pm
    aquamak
    Participant
      Hello all:

      2020 update – Just had my 7 year PET/CT scan on 5/4 and it showed a foci of FDG avid attenuation in the parotid surgery bed as well as 4 enlarged left neck FDG avid lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are not large (i think 1.5 CM the largest) and the SUV relatively low (2.1-3.9) compared to the 7.7 I had 6+ years ago when I had my 1st occurrence. My Melanoma specialist is at a loss for words as I have been NED for 6 years and have had no recurrences. I had a left neck dissection and parotidectomy with 60+ lymph nodes removed and only 1 Lymph node involve with no extra capsular spread. I also participated in a dendritic cell vaccine trail but no other adjuvant therapy.
      When we had our video-visit after my test I asked her if my infected left eye had any bearing on this and she said that having the infection was reassuring so instead of immediately going in for biopsies, etc. she decided to wait and re-scan in 3 weeks which will be on 6/1. In the meantime, I had a face-to-face (w/mask) exam by my eye MD and what was though to be bacterial pink eye turned out to be viral herpes simplex in my left eye which he said could definitely fire up the lymph nodes especially with reduced # of lymph nodes and altered lymphatic drainage due to the past surgery. So i sit and wait with extreme anxiety. I am hoping and praying for a positive outcome but I am very worried about it as I have a bad feeling.

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        • May 25, 2020 at 12:42 pm
        Bubbles
        Participant
          As you rightly note, aquamak – many things can cause a lymph node to enlarge. Fingers crossed for good results on your next scan! However, should melanoma EVER recur for you, there are many treatment options available for adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatments that were unavailable when you were first diagnosed, as well as much more knowledge and drug options surrounding both targeted and immunotherapy that had just been introduced at the time of your diagnosis. Wishing you my best. celeste
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