› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Newly diagnosed
- This topic has 21 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 3 months ago by
Nikkib.
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- August 27, 2016 at 9:26 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 11:01 am
Hi
Sorry to hear your diagnosis. With melanoma we all end up dealing with uncertainty and probabilities. It sounds probable that your melanoma was successfully attackers by your immune system and regressed. So yes you may never know for certain the exact size. This would make me favour a bigger excision margin than if you could calculate the exact size.
Almost everyone's on this board would favour seeking out a melanoma expert who is better placed to make clinical judgement based on more experience and is more likely to be well informed in the rapidly progressing field of melanoma treatments.
Unfortunately, some of us with small and thin melanomas progress whilst the majority don't. Odds are that you will be part of this much larger group, but it is still good to do what you can to skew the odds. Some who progress will have had the stage at diagnosis underestimated . Regression and no ulceration are good points. Have you been given any info on the miotic rates ?
Gather your info, find a specialist in melanoma and ask your questions. Go for the wider exision if recommended . Where was your melanoma ? Get them to explain which lump nodes that area would drain to and make sure you examine that area for changes..say when you do your monthly breast exam…
It is tough dealing with uncertainty, but we have this in so many areas of our lives. The good news is small and regressed and there is treatment which is highly successful . You are in a good place and even if it did progress..all the research is moving quickly with new and better treatment regimes being approved.. and better combo treatments and evidence on the best order for treatments being researched each year. This is a comfort to me anyway, but if excision is enough then great as the treatment side effects can be tough to DW but its a trade we make for the anticipated benefits.
Best of luck,
Deb
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- August 28, 2016 at 11:01 am
Hi
Sorry to hear your diagnosis. With melanoma we all end up dealing with uncertainty and probabilities. It sounds probable that your melanoma was successfully attackers by your immune system and regressed. So yes you may never know for certain the exact size. This would make me favour a bigger excision margin than if you could calculate the exact size.
Almost everyone's on this board would favour seeking out a melanoma expert who is better placed to make clinical judgement based on more experience and is more likely to be well informed in the rapidly progressing field of melanoma treatments.
Unfortunately, some of us with small and thin melanomas progress whilst the majority don't. Odds are that you will be part of this much larger group, but it is still good to do what you can to skew the odds. Some who progress will have had the stage at diagnosis underestimated . Regression and no ulceration are good points. Have you been given any info on the miotic rates ?
Gather your info, find a specialist in melanoma and ask your questions. Go for the wider exision if recommended . Where was your melanoma ? Get them to explain which lump nodes that area would drain to and make sure you examine that area for changes..say when you do your monthly breast exam…
It is tough dealing with uncertainty, but we have this in so many areas of our lives. The good news is small and regressed and there is treatment which is highly successful . You are in a good place and even if it did progress..all the research is moving quickly with new and better treatment regimes being approved.. and better combo treatments and evidence on the best order for treatments being researched each year. This is a comfort to me anyway, but if excision is enough then great as the treatment side effects can be tough to DW but its a trade we make for the anticipated benefits.
Best of luck,
Deb
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- August 28, 2016 at 11:01 am
Hi
Sorry to hear your diagnosis. With melanoma we all end up dealing with uncertainty and probabilities. It sounds probable that your melanoma was successfully attackers by your immune system and regressed. So yes you may never know for certain the exact size. This would make me favour a bigger excision margin than if you could calculate the exact size.
Almost everyone's on this board would favour seeking out a melanoma expert who is better placed to make clinical judgement based on more experience and is more likely to be well informed in the rapidly progressing field of melanoma treatments.
Unfortunately, some of us with small and thin melanomas progress whilst the majority don't. Odds are that you will be part of this much larger group, but it is still good to do what you can to skew the odds. Some who progress will have had the stage at diagnosis underestimated . Regression and no ulceration are good points. Have you been given any info on the miotic rates ?
Gather your info, find a specialist in melanoma and ask your questions. Go for the wider exision if recommended . Where was your melanoma ? Get them to explain which lump nodes that area would drain to and make sure you examine that area for changes..say when you do your monthly breast exam…
It is tough dealing with uncertainty, but we have this in so many areas of our lives. The good news is small and regressed and there is treatment which is highly successful . You are in a good place and even if it did progress..all the research is moving quickly with new and better treatment regimes being approved.. and better combo treatments and evidence on the best order for treatments being researched each year. This is a comfort to me anyway, but if excision is enough then great as the treatment side effects can be tough to DW but its a trade we make for the anticipated benefits.
Best of luck,
Deb
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- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
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- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
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- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
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- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
-
- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
-
- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
-
- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
-
- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
-
- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
-
- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
-
- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
-
- August 28, 2016 at 11:07 am
Sorry, just spotted melanoma leg…..so you would be checking your groin on that side in particular for any changes and being esp suspicious of any hard non sore or tender lumps in that area which might emerge gradually or seem to appear almost overnight.
Deb
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- August 29, 2016 at 2:53 am
Hi, sorry to hear that. But please do keep good mood and have a positive attitude.
–IL
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- August 29, 2016 at 2:53 am
Hi, sorry to hear that. But please do keep good mood and have a positive attitude.
–IL
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- August 29, 2016 at 2:53 am
Hi, sorry to hear that. But please do keep good mood and have a positive attitude.
–IL
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