› Forums › General Melanoma Community › My mom – Her melanoma story
- This topic has 15 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 7 months ago by
JerryfromFauq.
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- April 12, 2012 at 5:40 am
My mom has had melanoma, since 1994, possible as early as 1965. She has had 18 tumors/spots and subsequent excisions. All have been on her forehead with the exception of one on her neck. The melanoma cancer cells, in her case, while malignant, act benign. She has had MRI's and bloodwork for confirmation. However, this time her doctor, a cosmetic surgeon, has gone several rounds and has not got the complete borders on two spots, one on her forehead, the other on her left temple. She has had multiple excisions many times to get all the cancer cell
My mom has had melanoma, since 1994, possible as early as 1965. She has had 18 tumors/spots and subsequent excisions. All have been on her forehead with the exception of one on her neck. The melanoma cancer cells, in her case, while malignant, act benign. She has had MRI's and bloodwork for confirmation. However, this time her doctor, a cosmetic surgeon, has gone several rounds and has not got the complete borders on two spots, one on her forehead, the other on her left temple. She has had multiple excisions many times to get all the cancer cells, but this time the doctor seems to be a little more frustrated.
The pathology report indicated as follows:
forehead excision: Residual malignant melanoma involving peripheral deep 3 to 6 o'clock and 6 to 9 o'clock margins
left temple excision: Positive for residual malignant melanoma focally extends into the deep peripheral 3 to 6 o'clock margin.
First, I was wondering if the best course of action was further excisions, which are painful on a woman in her 80s. I had hoped Mohs surgery would be an option but now understand that does not work well for melanomas. What about radiation therapy?
Second, would a second opinion and fresh set of eyes be a good idea at this point? And if so, would that necessarily be another cosmetic surgeon, or a dermatologist?
Any guidance would be appreciated. Shes been through this many, many times, and Im just looking for some thoughts to bring to her primary doctor whom my mom keeps in the loop on all this. thank you,
Paul
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- April 12, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Hi Paul,
Does your Mom see a Melanoma specialist? I would make sure she does even if for only a second opinion. By him not getting clear margins it could cause it to metastisize.
Judy (loving wife and caregiver of Gene Stage IV)
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- April 12, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Hi Judy,No my mom hasn’t seen a melanoma specialist, as this doctor has always eventually been able to excise the tumor, without metastizing occurring. However, that is something I will ask her primary for referal, as the less surgeries the better.
thanks and my prayers to your husband.
Paul
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- April 14, 2012 at 8:09 am
HI! Your mom needs a comprehensive melanoma center…MRF has this list of centers in California that might be helpful. A regular doc or plastic surgeon is not enough….Blessings!
CALIFORNIA
City of Hope National Medical Center
1500 1500 E. Duarte Road
Duarte, CA 91010
626-256-HOPE (4673)
http://www.cityofhope.org/patient_care/treatments/skin-cancer/Pages/default.aspxJohn Wayne Cancer Institute
Melanoma Treatment Center
2200 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (800) 262-6259
Phone: (310) 829-8363
Fax: (310) 582-7185
http://www.jwci.org
E-mail: generaladministration@jwci.orgStanford University Medical Center
Pigmented Lesion and Cutaneous Melanoma Clinic
900 Blake Wilbur Drive, W0001
Stanford, CA 94305
Phone: (650) 723-7471USC Norris Cancer Hospital
University of Southern California
1441 Eastlake Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90033
1-800-700-3956
http://www.uscnorriscancerhospital.org/uscnorris/services/cancer-services-and-treatments/skin-cancerUCLA Dermatology Center
The Pigmented Lesion Clinic at
The UCLA Dermatology Center
Division of Dermatology
200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 450
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: (310) 917-3376Northern California Melanoma Center
Saint Mary's Medical Center, 6th Floor
450 Stanyan Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1079
Phone: (415) 750-5660
Fax: (415) 750-4860Melanoma Research Center of San Diego
477 N. El Camion Real
Encinitas, CA 92024
760-452-3340
htto://www.pacificoncology.comUniversity of California Irvine Medical Center
CHAO Family Comprehensive
Cancer Center – Melanoma Clinic
Hematology-Oncology Department
101 The City Drive-South
Bldg. 23
Orange, CA 92868
Phone: (714) 456-7890UCSF Clinical Cancer Center
The Melanoma Center
UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center
Box 0128, UCSF
San Francisco, CA 94143
Phone: (800)888-8664
Phone: (415) 885-7777
http://www.cancer.ucsf.edu
E-mail: referral.center@ucsfmedicalcenter.orgThe Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
2001 Santa Monica Blvd
Suite 560W
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310-582-7906
http://www.theangelesclinic.org -
- April 14, 2012 at 8:09 am
HI! Your mom needs a comprehensive melanoma center…MRF has this list of centers in California that might be helpful. A regular doc or plastic surgeon is not enough….Blessings!
CALIFORNIA
City of Hope National Medical Center
1500 1500 E. Duarte Road
Duarte, CA 91010
626-256-HOPE (4673)
http://www.cityofhope.org/patient_care/treatments/skin-cancer/Pages/default.aspxJohn Wayne Cancer Institute
Melanoma Treatment Center
2200 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (800) 262-6259
Phone: (310) 829-8363
Fax: (310) 582-7185
http://www.jwci.org
E-mail: generaladministration@jwci.orgStanford University Medical Center
Pigmented Lesion and Cutaneous Melanoma Clinic
900 Blake Wilbur Drive, W0001
Stanford, CA 94305
Phone: (650) 723-7471USC Norris Cancer Hospital
University of Southern California
1441 Eastlake Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90033
1-800-700-3956
http://www.uscnorriscancerhospital.org/uscnorris/services/cancer-services-and-treatments/skin-cancerUCLA Dermatology Center
The Pigmented Lesion Clinic at
The UCLA Dermatology Center
Division of Dermatology
200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 450
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: (310) 917-3376Northern California Melanoma Center
Saint Mary's Medical Center, 6th Floor
450 Stanyan Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1079
Phone: (415) 750-5660
Fax: (415) 750-4860Melanoma Research Center of San Diego
477 N. El Camion Real
Encinitas, CA 92024
760-452-3340
htto://www.pacificoncology.comUniversity of California Irvine Medical Center
CHAO Family Comprehensive
Cancer Center – Melanoma Clinic
Hematology-Oncology Department
101 The City Drive-South
Bldg. 23
Orange, CA 92868
Phone: (714) 456-7890UCSF Clinical Cancer Center
The Melanoma Center
UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center
Box 0128, UCSF
San Francisco, CA 94143
Phone: (800)888-8664
Phone: (415) 885-7777
http://www.cancer.ucsf.edu
E-mail: referral.center@ucsfmedicalcenter.orgThe Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
2001 Santa Monica Blvd
Suite 560W
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310-582-7906
http://www.theangelesclinic.org -
- April 14, 2012 at 8:09 am
HI! Your mom needs a comprehensive melanoma center…MRF has this list of centers in California that might be helpful. A regular doc or plastic surgeon is not enough….Blessings!
CALIFORNIA
City of Hope National Medical Center
1500 1500 E. Duarte Road
Duarte, CA 91010
626-256-HOPE (4673)
http://www.cityofhope.org/patient_care/treatments/skin-cancer/Pages/default.aspxJohn Wayne Cancer Institute
Melanoma Treatment Center
2200 Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (800) 262-6259
Phone: (310) 829-8363
Fax: (310) 582-7185
http://www.jwci.org
E-mail: generaladministration@jwci.orgStanford University Medical Center
Pigmented Lesion and Cutaneous Melanoma Clinic
900 Blake Wilbur Drive, W0001
Stanford, CA 94305
Phone: (650) 723-7471USC Norris Cancer Hospital
University of Southern California
1441 Eastlake Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90033
1-800-700-3956
http://www.uscnorriscancerhospital.org/uscnorris/services/cancer-services-and-treatments/skin-cancerUCLA Dermatology Center
The Pigmented Lesion Clinic at
The UCLA Dermatology Center
Division of Dermatology
200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 450
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: (310) 917-3376Northern California Melanoma Center
Saint Mary's Medical Center, 6th Floor
450 Stanyan Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1079
Phone: (415) 750-5660
Fax: (415) 750-4860Melanoma Research Center of San Diego
477 N. El Camion Real
Encinitas, CA 92024
760-452-3340
htto://www.pacificoncology.comUniversity of California Irvine Medical Center
CHAO Family Comprehensive
Cancer Center – Melanoma Clinic
Hematology-Oncology Department
101 The City Drive-South
Bldg. 23
Orange, CA 92868
Phone: (714) 456-7890UCSF Clinical Cancer Center
The Melanoma Center
UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center
Box 0128, UCSF
San Francisco, CA 94143
Phone: (800)888-8664
Phone: (415) 885-7777
http://www.cancer.ucsf.edu
E-mail: referral.center@ucsfmedicalcenter.orgThe Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
2001 Santa Monica Blvd
Suite 560W
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310-582-7906
http://www.theangelesclinic.org -
- April 12, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Hi Judy,No my mom hasn’t seen a melanoma specialist, as this doctor has always eventually been able to excise the tumor, without metastizing occurring. However, that is something I will ask her primary for referal, as the less surgeries the better.
thanks and my prayers to your husband.
Paul
-
- April 12, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Hi Judy,No my mom hasn’t seen a melanoma specialist, as this doctor has always eventually been able to excise the tumor, without metastizing occurring. However, that is something I will ask her primary for referal, as the less surgeries the better.
thanks and my prayers to your husband.
Paul
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- April 14, 2012 at 6:37 pm
It is puzzling to me to read a pathology report that does not address the depth of the lesion. The depth of the melanoma is alwasy the most important marker, I have assumed, over the lateral margins, although of course it is important to get those margins too.
As you say, Mohs is not recommended for mel because it does not remove enough margin of skin.
I agree that a consult with a melanoma specialist is in order. It sounds like your hospital is not quite equipped to handle anything more than a superficial or thin melanoma.
-
- April 14, 2012 at 6:37 pm
It is puzzling to me to read a pathology report that does not address the depth of the lesion. The depth of the melanoma is alwasy the most important marker, I have assumed, over the lateral margins, although of course it is important to get those margins too.
As you say, Mohs is not recommended for mel because it does not remove enough margin of skin.
I agree that a consult with a melanoma specialist is in order. It sounds like your hospital is not quite equipped to handle anything more than a superficial or thin melanoma.
-
- April 14, 2012 at 6:37 pm
It is puzzling to me to read a pathology report that does not address the depth of the lesion. The depth of the melanoma is alwasy the most important marker, I have assumed, over the lateral margins, although of course it is important to get those margins too.
As you say, Mohs is not recommended for mel because it does not remove enough margin of skin.
I agree that a consult with a melanoma specialist is in order. It sounds like your hospital is not quite equipped to handle anything more than a superficial or thin melanoma.
-
- April 14, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Radiation is usually of limited value on whole melanoma tumors. Oustside of the brain it is used mainly as either pallitive or to lower the tumor load so that some tumors can be removed surgically. It is possible that since the main tumor has been removed that radiation might remove most of any extraneous cells. It is not uncommon for a small area around a tumor to be radiated with this intention. You should definately get the advice of a Melanoma Oncology specialist.
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- April 14, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Radiation is usually of limited value on whole melanoma tumors. Oustside of the brain it is used mainly as either pallitive or to lower the tumor load so that some tumors can be removed surgically. It is possible that since the main tumor has been removed that radiation might remove most of any extraneous cells. It is not uncommon for a small area around a tumor to be radiated with this intention. You should definately get the advice of a Melanoma Oncology specialist.
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- April 14, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Radiation is usually of limited value on whole melanoma tumors. Oustside of the brain it is used mainly as either pallitive or to lower the tumor load so that some tumors can be removed surgically. It is possible that since the main tumor has been removed that radiation might remove most of any extraneous cells. It is not uncommon for a small area around a tumor to be radiated with this intention. You should definately get the advice of a Melanoma Oncology specialist.
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