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Need good thoughts and reassurance
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Need good thoughts and reassurance

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Need good thoughts and reassurance

  • Post
    • March 10, 2016 at 6:20 pm
    Gordknight
    Participant

      So just to give you a bit of history here back in October of 2014 I was diagnosed with stage 1a melanoma on my neck.  It was .22 mm depth, clark 2, no regression, no ulceration, no mitotic figures identified.  I obviously did not have SLNB.  Fastforward to two weeks ago I noticed a tiny (less than pea sized) lump about a half inch away from my scar.  I instantly paniced thinking it was a subq in transit met which would then obviously fast track me to stage 3.  

      I went and saw my derm today and he looked at it and removed it saying that he thought it was just a new mole developing ( I couldnt see pigment with the naked eye, could just feel it.)  I asked him about my fears and asked him what were the chances that this was related to my melanoma IE in transit met.  He said as close to 0% as he could say without actually saying zero.  He said the .1% chance it was related is the reason he removed it.  He then said less than 2% of melanoma patients with a melanoma as shallow as mine was recur and even then its almost always a local recurrence.  He has been practicing for over 15 years and he said that he has only seen in transit melanoma four times, all of which were black in color and from lesions deeper than mine.  He said they can be non pigmented or red or pink but they are almost always black if subq.  

      Now I trust my derm with my life, but I am back into full panic mode now.  I can't help but think this is an in transit lesion.  Any thoughts or reassurance would be great if you have a similar experience or hell even if you havent but have something to add.  Id really appreciate it.  Thank you!

    Viewing 2 reply threads
    • Replies
        • March 10, 2016 at 11:06 pm
        WithinMySkin
        Participant

          First, good job on being vigilant! I think that's the most important thing about melanoma. I'm glad the derm took it seriously, too, and removed it. Did they do a punch biopsy or a shave biopsy? 

          My subQ in-transit was about the size of a chickpea and started out non pigmented, but then changed to purplish in color. So you really can't diagnose a subq based on color. But sounds like your primary was shallow and stage Ia bodes extremely well in the long run. 

          I'm crossing my fingers for you for good results!

            • March 11, 2016 at 9:22 am
            Gordknight
            Participant

              Thanks within.  I know that the odds are very much in my favor having such a thin and low risk melanoma and its more reasurrance that my derm who is very good says that the chances that this lump is related is as close to zero as you can get without saying zero.  I shoud know within the next day or two what the result is and I will surely let you know.  Thanks for the kind words.  I think I am on top of being vigilant.  Shit at this point Id say Im almost paranoid.. but better safe than sorry in this case.  I will NEVER take a chance where melanoma is concerned.  

              • March 11, 2016 at 8:39 pm
              Gordknight
              Participant

                So great news!  Got the pathology back and it was merely an inflamed hair follicule!  Praise Odin!  

                • March 11, 2016 at 10:00 pm
                Janner
                Participant

                  This is why my doc basically has a 6 week rule.  If it has not gone away or improved in 6 weeks, off it goes.  An inflamed hair follicle most likely would have resolved in that time, and no biopsy would be needed.  Not saying this for anything other than…..it doesn't help to panic and sometimes waiting and giving something a chance to heal on its own IS the best course.  Glad you're back on the mend now.

                  • March 11, 2016 at 10:00 pm
                  Janner
                  Participant

                    This is why my doc basically has a 6 week rule.  If it has not gone away or improved in 6 weeks, off it goes.  An inflamed hair follicle most likely would have resolved in that time, and no biopsy would be needed.  Not saying this for anything other than…..it doesn't help to panic and sometimes waiting and giving something a chance to heal on its own IS the best course.  Glad you're back on the mend now.

                    • March 11, 2016 at 10:00 pm
                    Janner
                    Participant

                      This is why my doc basically has a 6 week rule.  If it has not gone away or improved in 6 weeks, off it goes.  An inflamed hair follicle most likely would have resolved in that time, and no biopsy would be needed.  Not saying this for anything other than…..it doesn't help to panic and sometimes waiting and giving something a chance to heal on its own IS the best course.  Glad you're back on the mend now.

                      • March 11, 2016 at 8:39 pm
                      Gordknight
                      Participant

                        So great news!  Got the pathology back and it was merely an inflamed hair follicule!  Praise Odin!  

                        • March 11, 2016 at 8:39 pm
                        Gordknight
                        Participant

                          So great news!  Got the pathology back and it was merely an inflamed hair follicule!  Praise Odin!  

                          • March 11, 2016 at 9:22 am
                          Gordknight
                          Participant

                            Thanks within.  I know that the odds are very much in my favor having such a thin and low risk melanoma and its more reasurrance that my derm who is very good says that the chances that this lump is related is as close to zero as you can get without saying zero.  I shoud know within the next day or two what the result is and I will surely let you know.  Thanks for the kind words.  I think I am on top of being vigilant.  Shit at this point Id say Im almost paranoid.. but better safe than sorry in this case.  I will NEVER take a chance where melanoma is concerned.  

                            • March 11, 2016 at 9:22 am
                            Gordknight
                            Participant

                              Thanks within.  I know that the odds are very much in my favor having such a thin and low risk melanoma and its more reasurrance that my derm who is very good says that the chances that this lump is related is as close to zero as you can get without saying zero.  I shoud know within the next day or two what the result is and I will surely let you know.  Thanks for the kind words.  I think I am on top of being vigilant.  Shit at this point Id say Im almost paranoid.. but better safe than sorry in this case.  I will NEVER take a chance where melanoma is concerned.  

                            • March 10, 2016 at 11:06 pm
                            WithinMySkin
                            Participant

                              First, good job on being vigilant! I think that's the most important thing about melanoma. I'm glad the derm took it seriously, too, and removed it. Did they do a punch biopsy or a shave biopsy? 

                              My subQ in-transit was about the size of a chickpea and started out non pigmented, but then changed to purplish in color. So you really can't diagnose a subq based on color. But sounds like your primary was shallow and stage Ia bodes extremely well in the long run. 

                              I'm crossing my fingers for you for good results!

                              • March 10, 2016 at 11:06 pm
                              WithinMySkin
                              Participant

                                First, good job on being vigilant! I think that's the most important thing about melanoma. I'm glad the derm took it seriously, too, and removed it. Did they do a punch biopsy or a shave biopsy? 

                                My subQ in-transit was about the size of a chickpea and started out non pigmented, but then changed to purplish in color. So you really can't diagnose a subq based on color. But sounds like your primary was shallow and stage Ia bodes extremely well in the long run. 

                                I'm crossing my fingers for you for good results!

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