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Husband- recent melanoma diagnosis
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Husband- recent melanoma diagnosis

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Husband- recent melanoma diagnosis

  • Post
    • June 30, 2018 at 3:47 am
    Paysingermelissa
    Participant

      Hi my name is Melissa. My husband Patrick who is 38 y/o just got diagnosed with melanoma. He had a mole on his chest turn dark and went to dermatologist who removed it. We received a call on Wednesday of dx and was made an appointment for today with a surgical oncologist. He was set up for a wide excision and lymph node dissection for 7/10. His path report showed Maligant melanoma w/superficial spreading, Clark level IV, Breslow 1.1 mm at least, growth phase vertical, epithelioid cells, mitosis 2/mm2, primary tumor classification pT2a. Tumor is present on base of biopsy and the actual depth of invasion may be greater than measured Depth. We asked about a PET scan and she stated they would do that scan if any of the lymph nodes tested positive for CA why not now while waiting for surgery?   I guess my concern is she tell us it aggressive but is 12 days soon enough especially if there is still tumor present . I am here to absorb and educate my self with any information shared. We are very scared and would appreciate any advice. 

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        • June 30, 2018 at 11:54 am
        Cooper
        Participant

          I found this site to be very helpful when we were new to melanoma.  Very reassuring.  https://melanomainternational.org/melanoma-facts/newly-diagnosed/#.WzdvLdVKiM8

          • June 30, 2018 at 1:03 pm
          Bubbles
          Participant

            Hi Melissa,

            Sorry you and your husband are dealing with this.  However, it sounds as though your husband has been given advice and a plan that is very much in keeping with the appropriate standard of care for his current melanoma stage.  Yes, it is scary and when you are in the spot you are in – you want everything done YESTERDAY!!!  (Been there, thought that!!!)  Hopefully your husband's sentinel lymph nodes will be negative.  And beyond reasonable care and skin follow-ups he will have no more issues with melanoma at all!!!  Should he have a positive node, he would be considered Stage III and would need a different plan.  There are plenty of us here who can help answer applicable questions at that time, should you have the need!!!  However, I am going to keep fingers crossed that all his nodes are clear come July 10 (and yes, that is a more than acceptable time frame!!).  If interested in more info pertinent to your current status, look by posts from Janner (or perhaps she will chime in) she is our resident expert for this presentation!!!  I wish you both my best.  Celeste

              • July 1, 2018 at 12:49 am
              Paysingermelissa
              Participant

                Thank you for this information. Some people are saying he will still have to take treatments? The oncologist did not mention that yet. Also everyone keeps asking what stage he is all we know is Clark level 1V.  Some have said so stage 1V , I told them it’s differnt am I correct in saying so ? 

                • July 1, 2018 at 1:02 am
                Bubbles
                Participant

                  It sounds as though your husband has melanoma –  Stage 1, T2a (meaning a lesion that is 1 -2 mm thick as you have already been told).  The presence of positive nodes would change that.  Chapter 3 in the "pamphlet" I gave you a link to below explains staging.  Stage I patients do not need treatment, beyond removal of the local lesion, wide excision, sentinel node testing, and follow-up.

                • June 30, 2018 at 2:07 pm
                Bubbles
                Participant

                  P.S.  Here is a link to a pretty up-to-date "pamphlet" fromm NCCN that is pretty good regarding melanoma care and planning per stage:

                  https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/melanoma/files/assets/common/downloads/files/melanoma.pdf  

                  I posted it below to help answer a different set of melanoma questions and thought portions of it might be helpful to you as well.  Yours, c

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