results from first melanoma punch/wide excision last May. Now DXed with Melanoma again almost same spot. (right bicept(

I know you are in complete shock right now.Breathe deep and take stock at where you are.You only see the worst right now without all your results.Medicial research has made tremendous advances against melanoma in just the last 5 years with so such more on the horizon.No matter what your status is your responsibility is to fight as hard as you can.First advice I give anyone is make sure you have a melnoma specialist. A regular oncologist is not good enough.Read these posts to self teach so you do not see doctors without the right question.Record your sessions with your doc. so you can always recall anything you are not sure they said.Have the support of a loved one.Keep prayer and a PMA(positive mind attitude) in your battleplan.This is my plan and I am winning.My only mistake was not to see a melanoma specilist first.You will Beat the Beast.Keep us posted as we all are concerned for everyone here.  Al

I know you are in complete shock right now.Breathe deep and take stock at where you are.You only see the worst right now without all your results.Medicial research has made tremendous advances against melanoma in just the last 5 years with so such more on the horizon.No matter what your status is your responsibility is to fight as hard as you can.First advice I give anyone is make sure you have a melnoma specialist. A regular oncologist is not good enough.Read these posts to self teach so you do not see doctors without the right question.Record your sessions with your doc. so you can always recall anything you are not sure they said.Have the support of a loved one.Keep prayer and a PMA(positive mind attitude) in your battleplan.This is my plan and I am winning.My only mistake was not to see a melanoma specilist first.You will Beat the Beast.Keep us posted as we all are concerned for everyone here.  Al

I know you are in complete shock right now.Breathe deep and take stock at where you are.You only see the worst right now without all your results.Medicial research has made tremendous advances against melanoma in just the last 5 years with so such more on the horizon.No matter what your status is your responsibility is to fight as hard as you can.First advice I give anyone is make sure you have a melnoma specialist. A regular oncologist is not good enough.Read these posts to self teach so you do not see doctors without the right question.Record your sessions with your doc. so you can always recall anything you are not sure they said.Have the support of a loved one.Keep prayer and a PMA(positive mind attitude) in your battleplan.This is my plan and I am winning.My only mistake was not to see a melanoma specilist first.You will Beat the Beast.Keep us posted as we all are concerned for everyone here.  Al

Hi Tony.

Hang in there.  The unknown in the beginning is so difficult.   I would only add that you make sure and get copies of all path reports, Doc comments and every other piece of paper you can get your hands on.  Keep good records.  Even get cd's of your scans for your records.  Make sure your path reports goes to the melanoma specialist that you have chosen.  Even the surgeon should be a melanoma surgeon and part of a melanoma team.  

Good luck and keep us posted.

Colleen 

Hi Tony.

Hang in there.  The unknown in the beginning is so difficult.   I would only add that you make sure and get copies of all path reports, Doc comments and every other piece of paper you can get your hands on.  Keep good records.  Even get cd's of your scans for your records.  Make sure your path reports goes to the melanoma specialist that you have chosen.  Even the surgeon should be a melanoma surgeon and part of a melanoma team.  

Good luck and keep us posted.

Colleen 

Hi Tony.

Hang in there.  The unknown in the beginning is so difficult.   I would only add that you make sure and get copies of all path reports, Doc comments and every other piece of paper you can get your hands on.  Keep good records.  Even get cd's of your scans for your records.  Make sure your path reports goes to the melanoma specialist that you have chosen.  Even the surgeon should be a melanoma surgeon and part of a melanoma team.  

Good luck and keep us posted.

Colleen 

Hi Tony,

Did they just do a wide excision or did they test the lymph nodes too?  Typically, they do the SNB (sentinel node biopsy) before doing the WLE.  The WLE can disturb the drainage patterns and compromise the SNB.  The sentinel node before the WLE may not be the same one after the SNB.  Typically, you would have a SNB done for any lesion over 1mm.  Not sure how it works at the Tucson VA, but I know it was offered to my Dad here in SLC.

Sorry to hear you may have another lesion, too.  Please get a copy of that pathology report as well for your own records.

Unfortunately, 39 isn't all that young when it comes to melanoma.  It's more typical to have women diagnosed earlier, though.  Melanoma is the #2 cancer for women between ages 25-29.

Hang in there.  Get the info on your latest lesion and go from there.

Janner

Hi Tony,

Did they just do a wide excision or did they test the lymph nodes too?  Typically, they do the SNB (sentinel node biopsy) before doing the WLE.  The WLE can disturb the drainage patterns and compromise the SNB.  The sentinel node before the WLE may not be the same one after the SNB.  Typically, you would have a SNB done for any lesion over 1mm.  Not sure how it works at the Tucson VA, but I know it was offered to my Dad here in SLC.

Sorry to hear you may have another lesion, too.  Please get a copy of that pathology report as well for your own records.

Unfortunately, 39 isn't all that young when it comes to melanoma.  It's more typical to have women diagnosed earlier, though.  Melanoma is the #2 cancer for women between ages 25-29.

Hang in there.  Get the info on your latest lesion and go from there.

Janner

Hi Tony,

Did they just do a wide excision or did they test the lymph nodes too?  Typically, they do the SNB (sentinel node biopsy) before doing the WLE.  The WLE can disturb the drainage patterns and compromise the SNB.  The sentinel node before the WLE may not be the same one after the SNB.  Typically, you would have a SNB done for any lesion over 1mm.  Not sure how it works at the Tucson VA, but I know it was offered to my Dad here in SLC.

Sorry to hear you may have another lesion, too.  Please get a copy of that pathology report as well for your own records.

Unfortunately, 39 isn't all that young when it comes to melanoma.  It's more typical to have women diagnosed earlier, though.  Melanoma is the #2 cancer for women between ages 25-29.

Hang in there.  Get the info on your latest lesion and go from there.

Janner

" Melanoma is the #2 cancer for women between ages 25-29."  What's #1?  What about for men?

" Melanoma is the #2 cancer for women between ages 25-29."  What's #1?  What about for men?

" Melanoma is the #2 cancer for women between ages 25-29."  What's #1?  What about for men?