@alanamaranto22
Forum Replies Created
- Replies
-
-
- June 15, 2015 at 7:04 pm
Hi, your dermatologist shouldn't tell you that "there is high likelihood that it has spread to lymph nodes and beyond." No one can tell you that. I was diagnosed in April 2013. My pathology report stated "ulcerated nodular and infiltrsting melanoma with mitotic rate highly variable- up to 5 per square MM, Bresthlow Depth >5 MM extending to deep margin, lymphovascular invasion "PRESENT" and Clark Level of "at least Level 4."
Now with that pathology report it seems (and is pretty serious) "likely" for at least a Stage IIIC. But my sentinal node biopsy was clear. Therefore, I was originally diagnosed as Stage IIC. I am now a Stage IIIC. Even though all melanomas are serious, the new treatments they have now provide more positive outcomes. Just because you have a deep melanoma doesn't necessarily mean it has spread beyond the point of origin. As deep as mine was, some may have thought I would have been at least a Stage IV. So, like I said, no one should tell you the "likelihood" of it spreading anywhere. Everyone is different. Until you have all of the proper tests to stage, only then should you proceed to the next step of treatment (if any). But it's one step at a time.
I hope that helps to give you a more positive perspective. Hope is what we have to hold on to. Don't ever let that go.
Good luck and I'll be praying for you.
Alana
-
- June 15, 2015 at 7:04 pm
Hi, your dermatologist shouldn't tell you that "there is high likelihood that it has spread to lymph nodes and beyond." No one can tell you that. I was diagnosed in April 2013. My pathology report stated "ulcerated nodular and infiltrsting melanoma with mitotic rate highly variable- up to 5 per square MM, Bresthlow Depth >5 MM extending to deep margin, lymphovascular invasion "PRESENT" and Clark Level of "at least Level 4."
Now with that pathology report it seems (and is pretty serious) "likely" for at least a Stage IIIC. But my sentinal node biopsy was clear. Therefore, I was originally diagnosed as Stage IIC. I am now a Stage IIIC. Even though all melanomas are serious, the new treatments they have now provide more positive outcomes. Just because you have a deep melanoma doesn't necessarily mean it has spread beyond the point of origin. As deep as mine was, some may have thought I would have been at least a Stage IV. So, like I said, no one should tell you the "likelihood" of it spreading anywhere. Everyone is different. Until you have all of the proper tests to stage, only then should you proceed to the next step of treatment (if any). But it's one step at a time.
I hope that helps to give you a more positive perspective. Hope is what we have to hold on to. Don't ever let that go.
Good luck and I'll be praying for you.
Alana
-
- June 15, 2015 at 7:04 pm
Hi, your dermatologist shouldn't tell you that "there is high likelihood that it has spread to lymph nodes and beyond." No one can tell you that. I was diagnosed in April 2013. My pathology report stated "ulcerated nodular and infiltrsting melanoma with mitotic rate highly variable- up to 5 per square MM, Bresthlow Depth >5 MM extending to deep margin, lymphovascular invasion "PRESENT" and Clark Level of "at least Level 4."
Now with that pathology report it seems (and is pretty serious) "likely" for at least a Stage IIIC. But my sentinal node biopsy was clear. Therefore, I was originally diagnosed as Stage IIC. I am now a Stage IIIC. Even though all melanomas are serious, the new treatments they have now provide more positive outcomes. Just because you have a deep melanoma doesn't necessarily mean it has spread beyond the point of origin. As deep as mine was, some may have thought I would have been at least a Stage IV. So, like I said, no one should tell you the "likelihood" of it spreading anywhere. Everyone is different. Until you have all of the proper tests to stage, only then should you proceed to the next step of treatment (if any). But it's one step at a time.
I hope that helps to give you a more positive perspective. Hope is what we have to hold on to. Don't ever let that go.
Good luck and I'll be praying for you.
Alana
-
- June 6, 2013 at 11:34 am
I feel like I’ve come here for support and guidance and I’m getting bombarded in every direction. Was I scared to death after receiving the pathology report? Of course, any type of cancer with my health history is going to scare me- especially when the dermatologist tells me I’m going to die. So of course I’m even more frightened and trying to look everything up from the pathology report to try and understand why he would say that. Wrong or right, I was afraid. I am also new to all of this so I am not as knowledgable with what happens and how long things take, I’m only thinking about getting rid of this ASAP because I do not want to die. So I then come here and listen to your stories and suggestions and yes- while I’m still very afraid I’m getting many differing suggestions. I then see the surgeon/oncologist (with my soon-to-be ex husband) he tells me he has to do the surgery, ordered the scans and tells me it will be three weeks out. Is this concerning to me? Of course, when he tells me that he’s very concerned with the mitotic rate. Again, I’m new to this and didn’t understand the waiting process. Then many have suggested finding a melanoma specialist and others are saying to stay with my current doctor. So I calm down a little and decide I will just wait it out and stay with my current doc. Now I feel that I’m being bombarded again and I don’t understand why. I guess maybe it was too soon to join this group until I was appropriately staged and gained more knowledge on melanoma from personal experience. I will just ride it out and pray for a positive outcome.I wish you all the best.
God Bless.
Alana -
- June 6, 2013 at 11:34 am
I feel like I’ve come here for support and guidance and I’m getting bombarded in every direction. Was I scared to death after receiving the pathology report? Of course, any type of cancer with my health history is going to scare me- especially when the dermatologist tells me I’m going to die. So of course I’m even more frightened and trying to look everything up from the pathology report to try and understand why he would say that. Wrong or right, I was afraid. I am also new to all of this so I am not as knowledgable with what happens and how long things take, I’m only thinking about getting rid of this ASAP because I do not want to die. So I then come here and listen to your stories and suggestions and yes- while I’m still very afraid I’m getting many differing suggestions. I then see the surgeon/oncologist (with my soon-to-be ex husband) he tells me he has to do the surgery, ordered the scans and tells me it will be three weeks out. Is this concerning to me? Of course, when he tells me that he’s very concerned with the mitotic rate. Again, I’m new to this and didn’t understand the waiting process. Then many have suggested finding a melanoma specialist and others are saying to stay with my current doctor. So I calm down a little and decide I will just wait it out and stay with my current doc. Now I feel that I’m being bombarded again and I don’t understand why. I guess maybe it was too soon to join this group until I was appropriately staged and gained more knowledge on melanoma from personal experience. I will just ride it out and pray for a positive outcome.I wish you all the best.
God Bless.
Alana -
- June 6, 2013 at 11:34 am
I feel like I’ve come here for support and guidance and I’m getting bombarded in every direction. Was I scared to death after receiving the pathology report? Of course, any type of cancer with my health history is going to scare me- especially when the dermatologist tells me I’m going to die. So of course I’m even more frightened and trying to look everything up from the pathology report to try and understand why he would say that. Wrong or right, I was afraid. I am also new to all of this so I am not as knowledgable with what happens and how long things take, I’m only thinking about getting rid of this ASAP because I do not want to die. So I then come here and listen to your stories and suggestions and yes- while I’m still very afraid I’m getting many differing suggestions. I then see the surgeon/oncologist (with my soon-to-be ex husband) he tells me he has to do the surgery, ordered the scans and tells me it will be three weeks out. Is this concerning to me? Of course, when he tells me that he’s very concerned with the mitotic rate. Again, I’m new to this and didn’t understand the waiting process. Then many have suggested finding a melanoma specialist and others are saying to stay with my current doctor. So I calm down a little and decide I will just wait it out and stay with my current doc. Now I feel that I’m being bombarded again and I don’t understand why. I guess maybe it was too soon to join this group until I was appropriately staged and gained more knowledge on melanoma from personal experience. I will just ride it out and pray for a positive outcome.I wish you all the best.
God Bless.
Alana -
- June 17, 2015 at 3:37 am
Sorry it's been so long. My mother passed away shortly after my first post. That was a devastation beyond any. Anyhow, I had my wide excision surgery and sentinel node biopsy a week after her funeral. My nodes were clean so I was staged IIC. It is now June 2015 and my latest scans show new lung nodules. Every scan shows at least one or two. I was told "Big enough to be concerned but too small to biopsy," so we wait and watch. I have a cluster of nodules on my right lung and two on my left. A little nerve racking but I'm tired of worrying. I just received my biopsy results from the dermatologist and I now have invasive basal cell carcinoma on both my chest and back. I feel like I'm a walking cancer stick. First it was thyroid cancer, then melanoma and now invasive basal cell carcinoma. Can't wait to find out what cancer I'll have next year. Geesh. Still not worrying though. I'm done with worrying. Whatever God has planned is out of my hands. I'm living my life. Hope everyone else is doing good.
Oh, and both my surgical oncologist and melanoma oncologist are awesome. Love them both. They have the best attitudes and make me feel very positive. They truly give me hope. So I'm so grateful I stuck with them.
God Bless!
Alana
-
- June 17, 2015 at 3:37 am
Sorry it's been so long. My mother passed away shortly after my first post. That was a devastation beyond any. Anyhow, I had my wide excision surgery and sentinel node biopsy a week after her funeral. My nodes were clean so I was staged IIC. It is now June 2015 and my latest scans show new lung nodules. Every scan shows at least one or two. I was told "Big enough to be concerned but too small to biopsy," so we wait and watch. I have a cluster of nodules on my right lung and two on my left. A little nerve racking but I'm tired of worrying. I just received my biopsy results from the dermatologist and I now have invasive basal cell carcinoma on both my chest and back. I feel like I'm a walking cancer stick. First it was thyroid cancer, then melanoma and now invasive basal cell carcinoma. Can't wait to find out what cancer I'll have next year. Geesh. Still not worrying though. I'm done with worrying. Whatever God has planned is out of my hands. I'm living my life. Hope everyone else is doing good.
Oh, and both my surgical oncologist and melanoma oncologist are awesome. Love them both. They have the best attitudes and make me feel very positive. They truly give me hope. So I'm so grateful I stuck with them.
God Bless!
Alana
-
- June 17, 2015 at 3:37 am
Sorry it's been so long. My mother passed away shortly after my first post. That was a devastation beyond any. Anyhow, I had my wide excision surgery and sentinel node biopsy a week after her funeral. My nodes were clean so I was staged IIC. It is now June 2015 and my latest scans show new lung nodules. Every scan shows at least one or two. I was told "Big enough to be concerned but too small to biopsy," so we wait and watch. I have a cluster of nodules on my right lung and two on my left. A little nerve racking but I'm tired of worrying. I just received my biopsy results from the dermatologist and I now have invasive basal cell carcinoma on both my chest and back. I feel like I'm a walking cancer stick. First it was thyroid cancer, then melanoma and now invasive basal cell carcinoma. Can't wait to find out what cancer I'll have next year. Geesh. Still not worrying though. I'm done with worrying. Whatever God has planned is out of my hands. I'm living my life. Hope everyone else is doing good.
Oh, and both my surgical oncologist and melanoma oncologist are awesome. Love them both. They have the best attitudes and make me feel very positive. They truly give me hope. So I'm so grateful I stuck with them.
God Bless!
Alana
-
- June 17, 2015 at 3:06 am
-
- June 17, 2015 at 3:06 am
-
- June 17, 2015 at 3:06 am
-
- June 17, 2015 at 2:48 am
Yes, my tumor was 8mm deep into my foot. It looked like a mushroom cap growing out of my foot. Even with it being that deep, my surgical oncologist kept a positive attitude. He told me, unless the tests come back positive- your sentinel nodes are fine. And mine were negative for melanoma even though the tumor was deep and had all of the worst characteristics. I have a huge hole in my foot and of course the cancer had returned but it may just be localized again. I'll worry after they remove it and do the testing.
And yes, when I had my wide excision surgery they did the sentinel node biopsy at the same time and send it for testing while I was still under so if it did come back positive- they would remove all the nodes then rather than go back in again. At least that's how they do it at Johns Hopkins. Everything is immediately sent to the lab and the results come back while you're still in surgery.
Melanoma, if caught early, has a high cure rate. Always stay positive and worry later.
Good luck and I'll keep you in my prayers. It's an everyday battle but positivity is key.
God Bless.
Alana
-
- June 17, 2015 at 2:48 am
Yes, my tumor was 8mm deep into my foot. It looked like a mushroom cap growing out of my foot. Even with it being that deep, my surgical oncologist kept a positive attitude. He told me, unless the tests come back positive- your sentinel nodes are fine. And mine were negative for melanoma even though the tumor was deep and had all of the worst characteristics. I have a huge hole in my foot and of course the cancer had returned but it may just be localized again. I'll worry after they remove it and do the testing.
And yes, when I had my wide excision surgery they did the sentinel node biopsy at the same time and send it for testing while I was still under so if it did come back positive- they would remove all the nodes then rather than go back in again. At least that's how they do it at Johns Hopkins. Everything is immediately sent to the lab and the results come back while you're still in surgery.
Melanoma, if caught early, has a high cure rate. Always stay positive and worry later.
Good luck and I'll keep you in my prayers. It's an everyday battle but positivity is key.
God Bless.
Alana
-
- June 17, 2015 at 2:48 am
Yes, my tumor was 8mm deep into my foot. It looked like a mushroom cap growing out of my foot. Even with it being that deep, my surgical oncologist kept a positive attitude. He told me, unless the tests come back positive- your sentinel nodes are fine. And mine were negative for melanoma even though the tumor was deep and had all of the worst characteristics. I have a huge hole in my foot and of course the cancer had returned but it may just be localized again. I'll worry after they remove it and do the testing.
And yes, when I had my wide excision surgery they did the sentinel node biopsy at the same time and send it for testing while I was still under so if it did come back positive- they would remove all the nodes then rather than go back in again. At least that's how they do it at Johns Hopkins. Everything is immediately sent to the lab and the results come back while you're still in surgery.
Melanoma, if caught early, has a high cure rate. Always stay positive and worry later.
Good luck and I'll keep you in my prayers. It's an everyday battle but positivity is key.
God Bless.
Alana
-
