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Occult Melanoma? Recessed Melanoma?
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Occult Melanoma? Recessed Melanoma?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Occult Melanoma? Recessed Melanoma?

  • Post
    • August 18, 2010 at 4:20 am
    lovingwifedeb
    Participant

      Has anyone ever heard of this?

      Husband's melanoma tumor (2 inches long) was in an enlarged lymph node in the groin area as a secondary sight, primary melanoma source was never found as such, not by any mole or freckle on body.

      Surgery is completed. All other lymph nodes in surrounding area also taken and were all tested as non-cancerous.

      Since Primary tumor has not been found, is it recessed? Occult? Just what has happened?

      Suggestions for treatment?

      Has anyone ever heard of this?

      Husband's melanoma tumor (2 inches long) was in an enlarged lymph node in the groin area as a secondary sight, primary melanoma source was never found as such, not by any mole or freckle on body.

      Surgery is completed. All other lymph nodes in surrounding area also taken and were all tested as non-cancerous.

      Since Primary tumor has not been found, is it recessed? Occult? Just what has happened?

      Suggestions for treatment?

    Viewing 1 reply thread
    • Replies
        • August 18, 2010 at 11:44 am
        lhaley
        Participant

          Deb,

          I'm glad that the surgery is overwith. They need to test your husbands tumor for various mutations. Since the primary is unknown he needs to know if it is mucosal or not and any other information they can gleem, that will help to determine treatment.

          Wishing both of you the best,

          Linda

          Stage IV since 06

          • August 18, 2010 at 2:50 pm
          Janner
          Participant

            No one knows for sure what happens when you have an "unknown primary".  One current thought is that the primary regressed.  Regression is when the body attacks and destroys it the lesion.  However, it doesn't always happen before a tumor has a chance to send off cells elsewhere.  Regression also happens in normal moles and is considered a natural process.  At this point in time, I don't believe there are any treatments that are targeted toward those with unknown primaries.  Basically, you go with what treatment options are available per your staging.  Most likely, you will never know exactly what happened with the primary lesion.

            Best wishes,

            Janner

              • August 18, 2010 at 8:37 pm
              lovingwifedeb
              Participant
                Thank you for responding, we find the information for regressed primaries very limited but even more frightening there is no guarantee that this is is absolute. We are told that all tests are not 100% and tumors too small to be detected by scans could be the size of a pecol eraser.

                Who could rest easy with this kind of news? Treatment? Interferon? Clinical vaccine trial? Choices to make on what if’s?

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