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Recently Diagnosed

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  • Post
    • December 16, 2020 at 10:22 pm
    Danielle T
    Participant
      I know melanoma is a very serious disease and my heart goes out to everyone fighting it.

      About 8 years ago at age 36 I was diagnosed with a Melanoma in-situ. I had the WLE and saw my dermatologist every 6 months.

      I just got a call that I have a 2nd melanoma, stage T1a.  I had a flu shot around Halloween and noticed around the shot area what looked like a hematoma. Luckily, I had my annual appointment with my dermatologist last week and he suggested a biopsy. I was really surprised it came back as melanoma. But it must have grown very quickly because it wasn’t there prior to my flu shot. I have my WLE tomorrow.

      Anyways, now I’m freaking out because it’s my 2nd one.  Am I doomed to keep getting melanomas?

      Also, my original biopsy did not require stitches, so I’m very concerned that my stage may change.  Has this happened to anyone? How frequent is it?

      The 2nd melanoma is on my outer arm near my bicep.

       

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    • Replies
        • December 17, 2020 at 11:34 am
        ThinkingPositive
        Participant
          Hi Danielle,

          Its impossible to know if you will get another melanoma. Thats why you had the regular followups with your Derm and a very good thing!

          The uncertainty has been hard on me too. Three years ago I had an excision and graft for Stage 2A and every 3 month followup. Last June I found a lump in my armpit and found I had progressed to metastatic melanoma. Started Keytruda. It has been humbling to go from being very healthy (at 65 now) to having to take infusions. Maybe I took my health for granted. Now I realize many people live with an illness and still enjoy a good life while managing symptoms.

          To deal with uncertainty, I found knowledge is empowering. Read through this sites and Celeste’s educational links. This forum has been very helpful for me to move through the grief of a diagnosis to living my best life in the moment.

          Cindy

          • December 17, 2020 at 4:43 pm
          tkoss
          Participant
            i just finished immo therapy for 3c.  4 lymph nodes involved.

            it was a breeze , mostly.  and i am NED.

             

            the trick is to get diagnosed early and hopefully remove all tissue involved. If it has moved into the lymph nodes, opvido or keytruda should work well.

             

            Ps…new format is new and therefore irrating.

            but i do love the new edit button

             

             

            • December 17, 2020 at 8:06 pm
            Danielle T
            Participant
              Thank you everyone for responding. I had my WLE today and received my pathology.

              .5mm in thickness, >=1 mitosis, no ulceration, regression, etc.

              abnormal melanocytes disposed as solitary units and in nests are present within the epidermis and in the upper part of the dermis. The in-situ component extends to one lateral margin.

              9 days went by from biopsy to WLE. He said it’s unlikely stage would change bc of the short amount of time, but also commented it grew rapidly so a great thing that I had a check up with my dermatologists.

              I feel fortunate that my annual appointment was when it was. I’ll be going every 3 months now.

              anything in the pathology I should be concerned about?

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