snootyusher

I decided it’s ridiculous to wait to get samples sent to MSKCC, then reviewed, then decide whether or not to see me for what is hopefully not even truly cancer. I’ve scheduled the excision with my dermatologist for tomorrow afternoon (back of neck, just below hairline).

Oh, and I think I forgot to say – the diagnosis came back as atypical intraepidermal melanocytic proliferation, arising in association with a compound dysplastic nevus. The pathologist goes on to say that they can’t rule out early malignant melanoma in situ, so therefore I need the WLE.

Hi Bill – I am an NYC local, so very close to MSK. Given that all I need is WLE (fingers crossed), and that my derm could perform it in 24 hours after the pathology report, I figured let me just get it over with. Hopefully the WLE confirms that it’s not even in situ. Thank you for your thoughts though. And I checked your recent posts – congrats on being over 2 years NED and wishing you a lifetime of NED.

Thanks alysoy. I am definitely breathing a sigh of relief, but yeah – hopefully the WLE confirms the pathology report. After I’m healed up I’m definitely bringing up these hard knots in my neck with my primary care physician to put that concern to rest. And also buying a handheld mirror so I can do my own checks in between my regular derm exams.

Wishing you good luck with your results.

You’re very right. I appreciate the desire for positivity, but after all the research and self-examination I’ve done I know I have it bad. I even researched medical sites to figure out exactly which lymph nodes are swollen and what drains into them – it’s definitely from the area where the biopsy was taken. It’s now over 1 full week from my biopsy and no call from my doctor. My stress is completely unmanageable and I’m unbearably stressed about how to talk to my parents about this. They had so much to look forward to in retirement and they deserve better than what I’m going to give them.

I’m not really sure what the derm did – it’s on the back of my neck, so I couldn’t see anything, and she didn’t say anything. I did notice one of those flat razorblades on the table with the used instruments after it was over, so I would suspect a shave.

Where did you hear that a shave is only used when melanoma isn’t suspected? I read a lot of people’s stories and shaves seem to be used quite regularly.