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Thanks for the great info.  Thinking ahead to my appoint. with the melanoma oncologist should I ask for chest x ray as baseline?  Been researchIng and seems Breslow depth is mostly used to determine if pet scans, mri’s etc are needed at stage 1a.  Is depth of .07mm enough to insist on X-ray even if insurance will not cover costs.  Thanks again for all the support.  

Thank you for the insight and comments, greatly appreciative.  

Thanks for the great info.  In regard to monthly self checks of lymph nodes do I specially check certain areas more closely or all lymph node areas?  Trying to find research on possible lymph nodes affected by original lesion on upper left shoulder. 

Thanks for the great info.  In regard to monthly self checks of lymph nodes do I specially check certain areas more closely or all lymph node areas?  Trying to find research on possible lymph nodes affected by original lesion on upper left shoulder. 

Thanks you all for your kindness and support!  Just trying to wrap my mind from online stories of stage 1a developing into stage IV within a couple years.  Are these mostly new legions or cells traveling from the primary legion stage 1a?  The past two days I have consulted with my dermatologist, a melanoma surgeon and two oncologists who soecializes in melanomas.  Wondering why when I ask them about possible chance of future mastitis from this current legion they focus solely on explaining about possibility of another legion reoccurrence, hence importance of three month checks.  If mastitis reoccurrence is possible then why would those in 1a, like me, not be offered lymph node testing???  I’m confused!  Also, already had my legion excised staged 1a with clear margins.  Going to have another excision with larger margins, should I expect the second lab results upstaging my 1a to a high stage?  Glad to have found you all…..thanks again!  

Thanks you all for your kindness and support!  Just trying to wrap my mind from online stories of stage 1a developing into stage IV within a couple years.  Are these mostly new legions or cells traveling from the primary legion stage 1a?  The past two days I have consulted with my dermatologist, a melanoma surgeon and two oncologists wjo soecializes in melanomas.  Wondering why when I ask them about possible chance of future mastitis from this current legion they focus solely on explaining about possibility of another legion reoccurrence.  If mastitis reoccurrence is possible then why would those in 1a, like me, not be offered lymph node testing???  I’m confused!  Also, already had my legion excised staged 1a with clear margins.  Going to have another excision with larger margins, should I expect the second lab results upstaging my 1a to a high stage?  Glad to have found you all…..thanks again!  

Thank you all for your positive thoughts and insightful info!  This is all new territory for me and my family as there is no family history of melanoma.  Along with the importance of having a melanoma specialist, what additional things can I do to be proactive and watch for recurrence?  And would this be a new skin lesion or lymph nodes swelling etc?  I plan on gathering as much knowledge as possible, keeping up on appointments and trying to live my life without too much anxiety…I’m sure this will be easier said than done.  Thanks again for all the support.  

Thanks Janner, appreciate your reply.  With stage 1a should I be worried cancer cells have traveled or would clear margins with no evidence of lymph nodes affected in my lab report be enough peace of mind?  

Thanks for the reply and sharing your knowledge.  After some thought and trying to obtain my original pathology to no avail I decided to go ahead with the excision with the plastic surgeon.  

Just curious if you might know: can scar tissue from a previous shave biospy years ago hide more serious atypica or melanoma or would a pathologist be able to decipher this with my second shave biopsy?  Was talking with the nurse as my dermatologist is on vacation who stated.. We just have to wait and see what the excision pathology brings back.  I'm a bit confused as the latest biopsy states mild atypica.  She also said because the current dermatopathologist doesn't have the original report/sample they requested a total excision to make sure any atypica cells are removed.  Thanks again 

Thanks for the reply and sharing your knowledge.  After some thought and trying to obtain my original pathology to no avail I decided to go ahead with the excision with the plastic surgeon.  

Just curious if you might know: can scar tissue from a previous shave biospy years ago hide more serious atypica or melanoma or would a pathologist be able to decipher this with my second shave biopsy?  Was talking with the nurse as my dermatologist is on vacation who stated.. We just have to wait and see what the excision pathology brings back.  I'm a bit confused as the latest biopsy states mild atypica.  She also said because the current dermatopathologist doesn't have the original report/sample they requested a total excision to make sure any atypica cells are removed.  Thanks again 

Thanks for the reply and sharing your knowledge.  After some thought and trying to obtain my original pathology to no avail I decided to go ahead with the excision with the plastic surgeon.  

Just curious if you might know: can scar tissue from a previous shave biospy years ago hide more serious atypica or melanoma or would a pathologist be able to decipher this with my second shave biopsy?  Was talking with the nurse as my dermatologist is on vacation who stated.. We just have to wait and see what the excision pathology brings back.  I'm a bit confused as the latest biopsy states mild atypica.  She also said because the current dermatopathologist doesn't have the original report/sample they requested a total excision to make sure any atypica cells are removed.  Thanks again 

Janner…Thank you very much for your kind reply.  

That's what I thought… This is a mole which needs to be fully excised but nothing remotely close to melanoma.  Out of curiosity from your knowledge and experience would a dermatopologist be able to clearly decipher a melanoma from atypical cells from a shave biopsy?  

And I have been trying to find the meaning of this sentence from the pathology report. "Minimal to focally moderate random cytoloical atypica, are arranged in a somewhat haphazard configuration and a accompanied by the subjacent reactive inflammatory response".  Not putting to much effort into the overall microspcopic description but was just curious as I am thinking this could be from the past trauma to the mole.  

Thanks again for your encouraging comments as my daughter also heard the comment the surgeon made and is now somewhat anxious… I told her power is in knowledge and went over the biopsy pathology report with her.  Thankfully the mole has been excised and now as a family we will be more diligent with sun protection, skin checks without being overly paranoid.  

Janner…Thank you very much for your kind reply.  

That's what I thought… This is a mole which needs to be fully excised but nothing remotely close to melanoma.  Out of curiosity from your knowledge and experience would a dermatopologist be able to clearly decipher a melanoma from atypical cells from a shave biopsy?  

And I have been trying to find the meaning of this sentence from the pathology report. "Minimal to focally moderate random cytoloical atypica, are arranged in a somewhat haphazard configuration and a accompanied by the subjacent reactive inflammatory response".  Not putting to much effort into the overall microspcopic description but was just curious as I am thinking this could be from the past trauma to the mole.  

Thanks again for your encouraging comments as my daughter also heard the comment the surgeon made and is now somewhat anxious… I told her power is in knowledge and went over the biopsy pathology report with her.  Thankfully the mole has been excised and now as a family we will be more diligent with sun protection, skin checks without being overly paranoid.