Eugenia

Thank you all for your help on this!  SIL decided to go through with the WLE/SNB and is making herself absolutely sick with worry that the mel has spread to her lymph nodes.  I do not know what the doctor said to her.  I passed on the suggestion to have the original slides forwarded to new doc and helped her brainstorm a list of questions like "can mel spread to my lymphatic system if it was only on the very surface of the skin."  I don't know what all was said as I did not accompany her to her appt, but she came out convinced that she is in grave danger and must do the SNB, so here we go.  She did say that the doctor kept stressing that he just didn't know the depth of the original mel so that is why they are going this route.  I pointed out that he should know from the path report that it wasn't 5 mm or thicker because that is how thick the excision was that came out completely clear.  Oh, well.  Trying to be positive and supportive of her decisions–which I know is playing it safe at best and unnecessary at worst–so she will have it all over and done with next Friday and can put this behind her.  So thankful for all of you!   You are the island of logic and objectivity in that raging sea of a melanoma dx!

Thank you all for your help on this!  SIL decided to go through with the WLE/SNB and is making herself absolutely sick with worry that the mel has spread to her lymph nodes.  I do not know what the doctor said to her.  I passed on the suggestion to have the original slides forwarded to new doc and helped her brainstorm a list of questions like "can mel spread to my lymphatic system if it was only on the very surface of the skin."  I don't know what all was said as I did not accompany her to her appt, but she came out convinced that she is in grave danger and must do the SNB, so here we go.  She did say that the doctor kept stressing that he just didn't know the depth of the original mel so that is why they are going this route.  I pointed out that he should know from the path report that it wasn't 5 mm or thicker because that is how thick the excision was that came out completely clear.  Oh, well.  Trying to be positive and supportive of her decisions–which I know is playing it safe at best and unnecessary at worst–so she will have it all over and done with next Friday and can put this behind her.  So thankful for all of you!   You are the island of logic and objectivity in that raging sea of a melanoma dx!

Thank you all–you are awesome!!!  Will post path report when I get a copy.  SIL told her doc this AM not to touch it (the biopsy wound is infected so she will be on oral antibiotic) and asked for recommendation to a cancer center.  She now has an appt. Wednesday.  I would love to have her go to my doc but about 6 months after I finished my high dose INF, my doc got a job as head of research and clinical trials in St. Louis, which is 600+ miles from us.  🙁

SIL read me the path report over the phone.  No way to determine margins because of the shave, mel. described as in situ, letiginous (sp?) with no evidence of mitosis, etc.  but will post more details when I get it to see what you all think.

Thank you all–you are awesome!!!  Will post path report when I get a copy.  SIL told her doc this AM not to touch it (the biopsy wound is infected so she will be on oral antibiotic) and asked for recommendation to a cancer center.  She now has an appt. Wednesday.  I would love to have her go to my doc but about 6 months after I finished my high dose INF, my doc got a job as head of research and clinical trials in St. Louis, which is 600+ miles from us.  🙁

SIL read me the path report over the phone.  No way to determine margins because of the shave, mel. described as in situ, letiginous (sp?) with no evidence of mitosis, etc.  but will post more details when I get it to see what you all think.

Thank you all–you are awesome!!!  Will post path report when I get a copy.  SIL told her doc this AM not to touch it (the biopsy wound is infected so she will be on oral antibiotic) and asked for recommendation to a cancer center.  She now has an appt. Wednesday.  I would love to have her go to my doc but about 6 months after I finished my high dose INF, my doc got a job as head of research and clinical trials in St. Louis, which is 600+ miles from us.  🙁

SIL read me the path report over the phone.  No way to determine margins because of the shave, mel. described as in situ, letiginous (sp?) with no evidence of mitosis, etc.  but will post more details when I get it to see what you all think.

Thank you all–you are awesome!!!  Will post path report when I get a copy.  SIL told her doc this AM not to touch it (the biopsy wound is infected so she will be on oral antibiotic) and asked for recommendation to a cancer center.  She now has an appt. Wednesday.  I would love to have her go to my doc but about 6 months after I finished my high dose INF, my doc got a job as head of research and clinical trials in St. Louis, which is 600+ miles from us.  🙁

SIL read me the path report over the phone.  No way to determine margins because of the shave, mel. described as in situ, letiginous (sp?) with no evidence of mitosis, etc.  but will post more details when I get it to see what you all think.

Thanks, Janner!  She is on her way to see an oncologist with melanoma background, but not a specialist.  There is an excellent dermatologist with melanoma experience associated with the oncologist's cancer center.

Also, what would you make of this–my SIL clearly saw 4 pieces of skin in the container when they did her shave biopsy.  On the day she picked up her path report the doctor made a comment that she had done two biopsies in a 24 hour period that both came back as melanoma and felt that the situation was highly unusual.  I'm naturally a little paranoid so I'm thinking maybe the samples were switched or mislabeled.  If the two unmentioned pieces of skin were too small to do anything with, wouldn't the report still say that they were present?

Thanks, Janner!  She is on her way to see an oncologist with melanoma background, but not a specialist.  There is an excellent dermatologist with melanoma experience associated with the oncologist's cancer center.

Also, what would you make of this–my SIL clearly saw 4 pieces of skin in the container when they did her shave biopsy.  On the day she picked up her path report the doctor made a comment that she had done two biopsies in a 24 hour period that both came back as melanoma and felt that the situation was highly unusual.  I'm naturally a little paranoid so I'm thinking maybe the samples were switched or mislabeled.  If the two unmentioned pieces of skin were too small to do anything with, wouldn't the report still say that they were present?