Melanoma in Transit found 7 years after Original Diagnoses and Surgery

Seutrvt13

Hi, I was Diagnosed with stage Ia Nodular Melanoma in 2007 via biopsy. I went through a battery of tests and underwent surgery to remove my axillary lymph nodes and a large area of tissue surrounding the initial lesion (wide excision). Histopathology/Immunochemisty confirmed that margins were clean so were the Nodes.

About a year ago, I felt a lump between my scars after I had hit the area pretty hard on a sharp corner. It began to grow but felt like a seroma, then it began to feel like a fatty tumor, then it began to hurt and was dark. I had it removed, and it turns out that some of the cells from the original site had broken loose and lodged in a lymph channel. It was completely encapsulated but still a melanoma.

After another battery of tests, I was relieved that it had not metastasized anywhere else but, now was staged at IIIb/c. Was wondering if ANYONE has had this happen and were there further occurences/abnormalities? 

Nice to be here with people who really understand and care! Thank you and hope all is well!

 

~Suzanne