› Forums › General Melanoma Community › New to here & melanoma
- This topic has 10 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 2 months ago by
MichaelFL.
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- February 21, 2011 at 4:04 am
My husband was diagnosed in Dec 2010 with a melanoma on his back. Has since been removed along with the sentinal nodes in his armpits. (they were clear). I am very confused about his diagnosis & was hoping maybe you could answer some questions for me. Initial pathology report was very brief, 0.42 Breslow depth, clarks level lll, 1.6 x 1.1 cm with ulceration. We can't seem to get an answer on what stage this is or if we should be concerrned at all. The drs feel there should be no re-occurance.
My husband was diagnosed in Dec 2010 with a melanoma on his back. Has since been removed along with the sentinal nodes in his armpits. (they were clear). I am very confused about his diagnosis & was hoping maybe you could answer some questions for me. Initial pathology report was very brief, 0.42 Breslow depth, clarks level lll, 1.6 x 1.1 cm with ulceration. We can't seem to get an answer on what stage this is or if we should be concerrned at all. The drs feel there should be no re-occurance. I am beside myself with worry it will show up elsewhere. The oncologist did tell him a few things to watch for but I feel this isn't enough. Am I just a worry wort?
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- February 21, 2011 at 4:13 am
I believe your husband would be stage IB. In general, once you have the wide excision, there is no additional treatment other than periodic skin checks. Should you be concerned? Yes. Any cancer diagnosis comes with risk. However, stage IB has less risk than a more advanced stage. In general, a 0.42 lesion is considered very low risk but the ulceration component increases the risk a little. However, there really are no treatments for this stage and no scans are warranted. Watch his skin for anything new and different. Watch the scar area for pigment regrowth. Monitor the lymph node basins for any swelling (have his doctor show him how to do this). The first year is the toughest – learning mentally to deal with a cancer diagnosis. But in general, his risk is low and his lesion quite small. All this gets easier with time.
Best wishes,
Janner
Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries
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- February 21, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Thank-you so much for your input Janner. My usband has had some trouble with his lymph nodes swelling up. He goes back to the surgeon in a couple of weeks for follow up care & will ask about it. I have read alot of the stories here & it amazes me the strength everyone seems to have. I applaud all of you.
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- February 21, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Thank-you so much for your input Janner. My usband has had some trouble with his lymph nodes swelling up. He goes back to the surgeon in a couple of weeks for follow up care & will ask about it. I have read alot of the stories here & it amazes me the strength everyone seems to have. I applaud all of you.
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- February 21, 2011 at 4:13 am
I believe your husband would be stage IB. In general, once you have the wide excision, there is no additional treatment other than periodic skin checks. Should you be concerned? Yes. Any cancer diagnosis comes with risk. However, stage IB has less risk than a more advanced stage. In general, a 0.42 lesion is considered very low risk but the ulceration component increases the risk a little. However, there really are no treatments for this stage and no scans are warranted. Watch his skin for anything new and different. Watch the scar area for pigment regrowth. Monitor the lymph node basins for any swelling (have his doctor show him how to do this). The first year is the toughest – learning mentally to deal with a cancer diagnosis. But in general, his risk is low and his lesion quite small. All this gets easier with time.
Best wishes,
Janner
Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries
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- February 21, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Hi, and welcome to the forum no one wants to be a member of by choice.
As Jan stated, it seems your husband is stage 1b.
I read your profile and it mentions swollen lymph nodes there as well, so I am guessing that they were swollen as a result of the SNB/WLE surgeries and not before? At any rate, sometimes when a SNB is performed the drainage path of the lymph nodes is affected.
I was also wondering why a SNB was performed at a depth of .42 mm Breslow? What did the doctors have to say concerning why it was done? Was there some additional circumstance to performing the SNB as they are usually not considered unless the lesion is .75 mm Breslow if ulcerated and 1.0 mm if not ulcerated.
At any rate, stage 1b is considered a low risk lesion.
Michael-stage 1b as well
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- February 21, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Thanks for the info! My husband had a nuclear test done the morning of surgery & it showed activity between the 2 nodes & the melanoma so they were removed as a precaution, they were clear. Yes since removal the nodes have swollen & we do believe it is because of fluid build up.
I am just so confused about melanoma, it just happened so quickly.
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- February 21, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Thanks for the info! My husband had a nuclear test done the morning of surgery & it showed activity between the 2 nodes & the melanoma so they were removed as a precaution, they were clear. Yes since removal the nodes have swollen & we do believe it is because of fluid build up.
I am just so confused about melanoma, it just happened so quickly.
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- February 21, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Hi, and welcome to the forum no one wants to be a member of by choice.
As Jan stated, it seems your husband is stage 1b.
I read your profile and it mentions swollen lymph nodes there as well, so I am guessing that they were swollen as a result of the SNB/WLE surgeries and not before? At any rate, sometimes when a SNB is performed the drainage path of the lymph nodes is affected.
I was also wondering why a SNB was performed at a depth of .42 mm Breslow? What did the doctors have to say concerning why it was done? Was there some additional circumstance to performing the SNB as they are usually not considered unless the lesion is .75 mm Breslow if ulcerated and 1.0 mm if not ulcerated.
At any rate, stage 1b is considered a low risk lesion.
Michael-stage 1b as well
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