Very New Diagnosis

You may be a stage 2. But until you have a copy of the pathology report, indicating the depth of the removed lesion, there really is no way to be sure. Most derms will not schedule for lymph node biopsy for stage 1A, but will for stage 1B. This is all assuming the derm has read the report, and has pathologicall evidence that it is indeed melanoma. Like you, I'm guessing the doc wouldn't schedule you for further excision WITH lymph node biopsy if it the report showed "only" atypical. You may want to ask your derm for a copy of that report. One never knows when it might be helpful to have the original diagnosis at hand. 

After the surgery, there will be a second path report, which includes the status of the sentinal node. THIS is where you will have more accurate staging confirmation. A positive lymph node can send you from 1A or 1B to stage 3. Complicating things further… if a lymph node comes back positive, they'll check additional nodes… and may even send you for a CT to rule out any further spread.

Once you have solid staging, you will be given treatment options… if anything further is needed. If that sentinal node is clear, you may just be looking at continued routine derm check ups.  : )  Sadly, there isn't much you can do in the way of dealing with the stress and anxiety. Distract yourself with regular living life, and try not to dig too far ahead on Google searches of what may or may not be. Once you know for sure what stage you may be, there will be lots of help here from people in the same boat. Answers to your questions will likely flow in long before any follow up appointments with docs. You'll be solidly equipped to ask additional questions of them! : )

Hang in there! The not knowing is a rough mental road!

First thing you should do is don't look for any statistics about survival or cancer calculators or anything like that.  I made that mistake.  All of the ones I've seen are outdated and do not account for modern treatments.  I'm fairly new to this so there are others much more informed than I about everything else, but I can tell you what I went through. 

In July, I got news from my Dermatologist about the biopsy, which put me immediately at at least level 2 because of how thick the tumor was.  I then met with the surgeon, did Pet scan, and MRI, and then did a wide level excision and sentinal lymph node biopsy.  About a week after the surgery, I met with the surgeon again, who told me what they found, which was a micromet in the first lymph node.  I expected at least that much would be likely, based on how thick my melanoma was.  My scans were clean though.  A week or two later I met with my Oncologist, who classified me as stage 3a.  She estimated that if I did nothing at all, my chance of recurrance could be around 60%.  Fortunately, my insurance approved Nivo treatment and I've been getting that ever since.

The stress and anxiety of it all felt nearly unbearable.  My excision was on the back of my head, so I was barely getting any sleep also.  I wrote in a journal all of my thoughts for family and friends.  I felt like, well this is how I die.  But, that's not the way I wanted to go if I did.  Cancer may end up stealing part of my life eventually, but I'm not going to willingly give up the rest of it constantly thinking and worrying about my cancer.  I burned those pages I'd written. Friends and family were essential for me to get over that depression.  If you do not have close relationships, it's worth looking into any support groups or churches in your area.  

Also, I learned how to focus on the little victories and glass that was half full, even if it was only 40% full.  My doctor said she loosely estimated a 60% of recurrance if I did nothing.  Well, that also means a 40% chance of not having a recurrance if I did nothing, and I'm not doing nothing.  I'm doing whatever I can to help bump those odds up.  I jumped in completely on changing diet, exercising, stopped biting my fingernails after 30 years.  Whatever I can do to strengthen my immune system.  Shoot for the things you can do and they all add up.

This board is useful too.  I don't post a lot, and I don't talk a lot either, but I do read a lot.  Information is the most useful tool in getting the right treatment.

Good luck and I'm sorry you're joining us.

Hello GrossieGal313,

Sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. I was also recently diagnosed with nodular malignant melanoma (on my left ear).  It’s amazing how one small spot on my ear is changing my life.  I did my consolation with my surgeon and he recommended a WDE and SLNB which is scheduled for Oct. 25th.  I am worried but my wife keeps telling me not but it’s not that easy.  On my pathology report I am staged at pT1b.  Good luck and God Bless.  Terry