In Feb. I was diagnosed with a melanoma in situ on upper left check just underneath my eye. My dermatologist recommended a wide area excision done by a plastic surgeon, and I agreed. It was done, but the path report returned with a report that the margins were not clear. Here are the comments:
"Mart-1 stain reveals irregularly distributed nests, confluent solitary melanocytic proliferations as well as intraepidermal pagetoid spreading, consistent with melanoma in situ (lentigo maligna). Inked margins are narrowly clear of melanocyctic lesion (peripheral margins from both lateral sides are les than 1 mm to junctional melanocytic proliferation). No definite invasive lesion is identified in the sections. Additional margins are recommended if clinically feasible."
I went to Moffitt Cancer center where I saw a surgeon for a second opinion. He suggested another surgery using "Slow Mohs" to insure all margins were clear. That may leave extensive scarring due to the location near the eye.
My dermatologist has recommended just waiting, keeping an eye on the area, and I already go in every three months, as I am a 66 year old who has spent a consider time in the sun growing up and have a lot of skin damage from such. My mother and a sibling both had melanoma (my mother stage 4, dying eventually from it), my sibling stage 2, with no recurrence yet.).
I am torn as to what to do. Anyone have experience with another excision?
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