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Anyone ever know anybody who had sub-micro metastsis to a lymph node and it never come back?
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Anyone ever know anybody who had sub-micro metastsis to a lymph node and it never come back?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Anyone ever know anybody who had sub-micro metastsis to a lymph node and it never come back?

  • Post
    • May 29, 2014 at 5:31 pm
    1friend
    Participant

      I am sure they exist, but I have never heard about anybody who did the "watch and observe" after a positive node detection and be cured at that point. Seems it always comes back and they have to have the CLND anyway.

      Please let me know if you or someone you know of has been so fortunate.

       

      Thanks

    Viewing 2 reply threads
    • Replies
        • July 12, 2014 at 2:53 pm
        Jydnew
        Participant

          Hi,

          I don't know what a sub-micrometastasis means, but I think I have a similar case for you.  My husband was dx 12.5 years ago with stage 3a, at age 26.  Originally, we got the call that his lymph nodes were clear.  They did some more staining on them and found micromets in 1 lymph node.  I remember the path report said something like "loose collection of cells" in one part of that lymph node, and in another it said "not more than 10 cells."  So, apparently, a very small amount of the cancer had spread.

          He has been NED since, with observation only.  He was scanned 4x a year for the first 2 years, and then 2x a year for the next 3 years, and then 1x a year until 11 years out from the dx, and now he is not scanned at all, which scares the crap out of me, but so be it.  His doctor said that at this point, the damage from the scans is greater than the chance of recurrance.  He gets yearly bloodwork, sees the oncologist once a year and the dermatologist twice a year.

          Take care…

          • July 12, 2014 at 2:53 pm
          Jydnew
          Participant

            Hi,

            I don't know what a sub-micrometastasis means, but I think I have a similar case for you.  My husband was dx 12.5 years ago with stage 3a, at age 26.  Originally, we got the call that his lymph nodes were clear.  They did some more staining on them and found micromets in 1 lymph node.  I remember the path report said something like "loose collection of cells" in one part of that lymph node, and in another it said "not more than 10 cells."  So, apparently, a very small amount of the cancer had spread.

            He has been NED since, with observation only.  He was scanned 4x a year for the first 2 years, and then 2x a year for the next 3 years, and then 1x a year until 11 years out from the dx, and now he is not scanned at all, which scares the crap out of me, but so be it.  His doctor said that at this point, the damage from the scans is greater than the chance of recurrance.  He gets yearly bloodwork, sees the oncologist once a year and the dermatologist twice a year.

            Take care…

            • July 12, 2014 at 2:53 pm
            Jydnew
            Participant

              Hi,

              I don't know what a sub-micrometastasis means, but I think I have a similar case for you.  My husband was dx 12.5 years ago with stage 3a, at age 26.  Originally, we got the call that his lymph nodes were clear.  They did some more staining on them and found micromets in 1 lymph node.  I remember the path report said something like "loose collection of cells" in one part of that lymph node, and in another it said "not more than 10 cells."  So, apparently, a very small amount of the cancer had spread.

              He has been NED since, with observation only.  He was scanned 4x a year for the first 2 years, and then 2x a year for the next 3 years, and then 1x a year until 11 years out from the dx, and now he is not scanned at all, which scares the crap out of me, but so be it.  His doctor said that at this point, the damage from the scans is greater than the chance of recurrance.  He gets yearly bloodwork, sees the oncologist once a year and the dermatologist twice a year.

              Take care…

          Viewing 2 reply threads
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