› Forums › General Melanoma Community › New diagnosis. Advice needed. Please read
- This topic has 6 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 3 months ago by
ldub.
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- August 28, 2016 at 3:55 am
Hi everyone. I am new to this forum. This week I was diagnosed with Melanoma after watching a very small change on my leg over some time. I am glad I got it checked out, as my GP didn't think it would come back as anything. My diansosis after the initial encision is Melanoma In Situ (no ulceration) supervening on active regressing compound melanocytic naevus. I was told this is good news as it is in situ. My concern is that on the report it states that the tumor was found in the top layer of the skin extending to the granular layer. it states however "in the papillary dermis most of the change comprises of an infiltrate of lymphocytes and melangophages with a small number of bland naveoid melanocytes. These changes represent active regression in a melanocytic tumor. There is no ulceration. Deeper levels wer performed which confirm the changes discribed.". This has me worried as there has been regression. Does this mean that they can't actually determine how big the melanoma was as it may have started to regress? Are they able to be sure it is insitu in this case? I am terrifed. I have been referred to a dermatologist who I see in two days to see if I will need a wider excision as the margin is only by 0.3mm at present.
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- August 28, 2016 at 11:28 am
Hi. If you have to have melanoma then you are at being told you are at the better end of the spectrum and complete cure by excision is the likeliest outcome.
Hold onto that if you can but keep an eye out for anything that might indicate that it has spread.
Also,try to reduce your risk by applying sunscreen as appropriate etc etc
Distraction by doing funthings prior to appointments can help too.
Try not to let the what ifs run away with you and DW what you have to now.
You have no option but to cope with this. Well done for noting changes and getting yourself treatment.
Best wishes,
Deb.
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- August 28, 2016 at 11:28 am
Hi. If you have to have melanoma then you are at being told you are at the better end of the spectrum and complete cure by excision is the likeliest outcome.
Hold onto that if you can but keep an eye out for anything that might indicate that it has spread.
Also,try to reduce your risk by applying sunscreen as appropriate etc etc
Distraction by doing funthings prior to appointments can help too.
Try not to let the what ifs run away with you and DW what you have to now.
You have no option but to cope with this. Well done for noting changes and getting yourself treatment.
Best wishes,
Deb.
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- August 28, 2016 at 11:28 am
Hi. If you have to have melanoma then you are at being told you are at the better end of the spectrum and complete cure by excision is the likeliest outcome.
Hold onto that if you can but keep an eye out for anything that might indicate that it has spread.
Also,try to reduce your risk by applying sunscreen as appropriate etc etc
Distraction by doing funthings prior to appointments can help too.
Try not to let the what ifs run away with you and DW what you have to now.
You have no option but to cope with this. Well done for noting changes and getting yourself treatment.
Best wishes,
Deb.
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- August 28, 2016 at 2:02 pm
I also had a MIS on my left lower leg last year. After hearing this from my dermatologist, I chose to go to "melanoma center of excellence" for the subsequent wide local excision. Though we are at the lucky end of the spectrum with our super thin melanomas, I still felt it was important to go see a dermatological surgery team who deals with melanoma every day and where the center had dermatopathologists who read skin slides as their only job. I don't know if you have that available to you, but it helped my anxiety level a bit. AND, the pathologist at the cancer center reviewed my original biopsy as well so I had some agreement on what my slides were showing. The oncology nurse at the center told me that they got under-reads and over-reads about 10% of the time, so it was a bit nerve-wracking waiting for that information. So my choice for follow up made sense for me and my peace of mind – it might help you as well. Good luck and keep us posted!
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- August 28, 2016 at 2:02 pm
I also had a MIS on my left lower leg last year. After hearing this from my dermatologist, I chose to go to "melanoma center of excellence" for the subsequent wide local excision. Though we are at the lucky end of the spectrum with our super thin melanomas, I still felt it was important to go see a dermatological surgery team who deals with melanoma every day and where the center had dermatopathologists who read skin slides as their only job. I don't know if you have that available to you, but it helped my anxiety level a bit. AND, the pathologist at the cancer center reviewed my original biopsy as well so I had some agreement on what my slides were showing. The oncology nurse at the center told me that they got under-reads and over-reads about 10% of the time, so it was a bit nerve-wracking waiting for that information. So my choice for follow up made sense for me and my peace of mind – it might help you as well. Good luck and keep us posted!
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- August 28, 2016 at 2:02 pm
I also had a MIS on my left lower leg last year. After hearing this from my dermatologist, I chose to go to "melanoma center of excellence" for the subsequent wide local excision. Though we are at the lucky end of the spectrum with our super thin melanomas, I still felt it was important to go see a dermatological surgery team who deals with melanoma every day and where the center had dermatopathologists who read skin slides as their only job. I don't know if you have that available to you, but it helped my anxiety level a bit. AND, the pathologist at the cancer center reviewed my original biopsy as well so I had some agreement on what my slides were showing. The oncology nurse at the center told me that they got under-reads and over-reads about 10% of the time, so it was a bit nerve-wracking waiting for that information. So my choice for follow up made sense for me and my peace of mind – it might help you as well. Good luck and keep us posted!
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