› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Stage 3A melanoma on sole of foot. , microscopic deposit in lymph node
- This topic has 3 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 1 month ago by
Bubbles.
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- March 30, 2018 at 4:28 am
i was diagnosed Jan 4 with Melanoma, i found a little callus looking thing on bottom of my foot , near the upper arch, the soft part of the foot. I was immediatly referred to a surgical oncolgist with a very good reputation at UCLA, i liked him and felt cofident. Sent for a PETSCAN January 11, surgery for the removal was Jan 17. Excision was made, wound was left open and dressed with daily wound care for 4 weeks, the same day i had one lymph node removed from my groin. Double whammy. I was not allowed to put any pressure on my foot for about 7.5-8 weeks. That was challenging because i am a very busy active person. My tumor was NOT ulcerated and the mitotic rate was low enought not to be concerning. Even though there was a microscopic deposit in my lymph node. they have opted to watch the situation with ultra sounds and ct scans. I had a second opitnion and simliar thoughts were shared. Not to treat me, and to hope it did not return. Apparently the reoccurence rate for people specific to my condition was relatively low. Im still nervous anyway. I have had a soreness in my inner thigh under the area where the node was removed but several inches away from the scar and node removal area….Feels like a bruise ..Not sure if this is going to go away, i was sleeping with my leg elevated for 8 weeks and also still learning how to walk properly.
anywone else have any experieve like this
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- March 30, 2018 at 5:27 am
Hi, yours is very similar to my mother’s story if you want to read my prior posts. I would be concerned that if microscopic cells were found in the only lymph node they removed and tested, other nodes may also be involved in that area or even beyond. A Pet Scan will not pick this up yet. You could do a complete lymph node dissection of the area, or just wait and see and maybe you’ll be one where everything was truly removed already. Best wishes to that end!
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- March 30, 2018 at 10:41 am
I was diagnosed with skin cancer melanoma last week and it was ulcerated also I am worried , my G P told me the biopsy result he referred me before to the dermatologist and they cutted it out but I need to go back to the dermatologist next Tuesday. I am worried about that
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- March 30, 2018 at 3:00 pm
Hi Travelgirl.
Sorry you have had to deal with a new diagnosis of melanoma and your surgeries! Hopefully….things will only get better from here. It would probably be wise to see a melanoma specialist (if you aren't already) Hamid and Ribas are amazing in your area…as things in melanoma have changed a great deal over the past 6 years.
While we once did a CLND (complete lymph node disection – removal of all the lymph nodes in an area if any nodes were found to be positive on biopsy of the sentinel node) – that is no longer the standard of care. SLNB (sentinel lymph node biopsy)? Yes. CLND? For folks with the history you describe? Usually no!
Now that pendulum has flopped around over the years! I should know! I have had TWO CLND's…to both underarms. BUT! They were done in 2003 and 2007. I (and my docs at the time) thought it was the best thing to do. However, since then we have developed treatments that are effective for many melanoma patients should they need them. We had NONE of them then. And…by virtue of looking at tons of folks like me….docs who used to advocated doing the surgery have had to admit that "Immediate completion lymph-node dissection was not associated with increased melanoma-specific survival…"
Here is a post that contains that recent report and links to other reports over the years:
What your docs have already told you sounds correct as well based on the history you report. It is very likely that you caught your melanoma early. It is gone!! And you will do very well with a schedule of monitoring and watchfulness!!!
However, here is a link to a post I put together about melanoma treatments…mostly for folks who are a more advanced Stage than you are…but could be helpful if you want to read up on them:
Hope that helps. Unfortunately, nothing is entirely clear or easy in melanoma. But, armed with information and the support of the really smart and supportive peeps that make up this forum, I am sure you can find the path that is best for you. I wish you my best. Celeste
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