Need advice

This topic has 10 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 10 months ago by lindy303.

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- June 24, 2019 at 8:44 am
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Momand2kids
Participant
Hi all. I am new to the group. Thanks so much for being here

I was dx with early stage melanoma in May. By way of background I have had early stage breast cancer 11 ago and early stage thyroid cancer 5 years ago and consider myself really fortunate and really healthy I have 2 kids and a full-time career

I have been going to my dermatologist every 6 months for almost 20 years. Lots of moles removed and in all that time I had 1 basal

I noticed a light colored mole on my arm and brought it to his attention. Turned out to be stage 0 or 1 melanoma. Then I had my regular skin check and he biopsies another mole in my trunk. Not melanoma but they want to do a wider excision this week. And finally I see an unusual shaped mole on my neck that I am now anxious about. Sent him a picture and will follow up this week.

My Derm is great but I am starting to wonder if I should be working with a group like Dana Farber since my risk factors are high. What would you all recommend?

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- - June 24, 2019 at 8:58 am
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  Momand2kids
  Participant
  I should also add that my pathology mentioned that I had. No cell mitosis
  - June 24, 2019 at 11:37 pm
    
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    Debbiem
    Participant
    
    Are you getting care at a cancer center?
    
    With your history, it seems like there would be benefit in going to a cancer center if possible.
    
    Hang in there!
    Debbie
  - June 24, 2019 at 11:57 pm
    
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    Momand2kids
    Participant
    
    Debbie,
    yes the follow up for my thyroid and breast cancer is done at Dana Farber– so I am thinking about talking with them about their melanoma group— these things are early and solvable- but I think I need to be vigilant with this one!
    thanks
  - June 25, 2019 at 10:26 am
    
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    Rocco
    Participant
    
    All my care since 2005 is thru DFCI. My derm at their recommendation is Dr. Rubenstein through Brigham and Women’s. He’s great.
  - June 25, 2019 at 10:27 am
    
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    Rocco
    Participant
    
    PS- Dr Hodi is my Onc at DFCI
  - June 25, 2019 at 7:53 pm
    
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    momand2girls
    Participant
    
    Rocco,
    thanks so much- I will talk to my oncologist in July about this- and with the nurse navigator– just don’t want to take any chances!
  - June 25, 2019 at 12:14 pm
    
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    A
    Participant
    
    I am sorry about your diagnosis. Wonder if you could describe that “light colored mole” that turned to be melanoma. It is unusual for melanoma not to be dark and it would be good to know how it looked like for awareness. It is great that you caught is so early! Thanks!
  - June 25, 2019 at 1:44 pm
    
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    mandyjill
    Participant
    
    The melanoma tumor I had removed was also light colored. It looked like a bug bite. It was amelonotic, which is not too common.
  - June 25, 2019 at 7:59 pm
    
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    momand2girls
    Participant
    
    It sort of looked, at first glance, like a bug bite– I thought it was more red/pink–and it did not cause my derm any concern in my January appointment… But as I look at the photo now, I can see that it was brown underneath….They actually said some melanoma do present lighter– and if you had been looking at my arm, standing next to me, you would have thought it was a mosquito bite… but a closer look showed how it was somewhat darker undereath. I have another one that I am chasing down that looks irregular to me but I cannot tell if I am just being paranoid now. They did take another mole off that was unusual- not malignant but they took it and will do a wider excision anyway.
    
    So gratful that you are all out there— when I got breast cancer, I became a real breast cancer expert– but I don’t really want to become an expert on other types of cancer- but I know I have to be vigilant— your information has been very helpful.
  - June 26, 2019 at 5:50 pm
    
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    lindy303
    Participant
    
    My T1A melanoma on my thigh looked like a freckle, but it was more whitish on one end. The only thing that drew my attention was that the skin felt odd as I rubbed my hand across it. Thank goodness for my dermatologist being suspicious as well because it definitely wasn’t a “textbooik” melanoma.