Questions ?

melm
melm Member Posts: 104
edited March 2014 in Skin Cancer #1
Hi everyone. I am not a melanoma patient but my best friend just had melanoma removed from her ankle. She lives in Nashville and called last night to tell me about her surgery. They removed the melanoma, which the doctor said started on a scar she had gotten from waxing her legs. Anyway, they checked her lymph nodes in her groin area and they were clear. The doctors say they got it all. I myself am a 18 month cancer survivor and still going through treatment. I don't know a thing about Melanoma. Can any of you tell me about it and what my friend can expect? I want to support her anyway I can but I need a little education. I decided the best way is to talk to people who are living it!

Thank you for any input...God Bless each and everyone of you!!

Mel in Arkansas

Comments

  • auntcathy
    auntcathy Member Posts: 8
    #2
    You are doing the most you can do for your friend. Educate yourself. I have found a website....type in MPIP in your search area. It is the melanoma patient information page. There are lots of people who can and will answer any of your questions. I am a Stage II melanoma patient from NC. I am currently taking a vaccine every month at Duke University Hospital in Durham. It is scary but not impossible to beat this disease. Be tough and say your prayers.
    your friend in NC
    Cathy
  • melm
    melm Member Posts: 104
    #3
    auntcathy said:

    You are doing the most you can do for your friend. Educate yourself. I have found a website....type in MPIP in your search area. It is the melanoma patient information page. There are lots of people who can and will answer any of your questions. I am a Stage II melanoma patient from NC. I am currently taking a vaccine every month at Duke University Hospital in Durham. It is scary but not impossible to beat this disease. Be tough and say your prayers.
    your friend in NC
    Cathy

    Cathy,
    Thank you for your response. I will log into this site and see what I can learn. My prayers are with you. We must all fight this battle united and STRONG!
    God bless you,
    Mel in AR
  • inkognita
    inkognita Member Posts: 9
    #4
    Hi. I am a melanoma patient. My initial lesion was on the side of my knee. A wide excision was performed and the margins were clear. The doctors told me there was a 95% chance they had gotten it all. However, about 9 months later, I had a recurrence in lymph nodes and underwent radical lymph node dissection. I had 2 positive nodes out of 8. Subsequent therapy with Interferon had to be stopped due to impending liver failure. At this point, I am at extremely high risk for recurrence and am terrified of it. It's very hard to maintain a positive attitude.
    My melanoma developed in a mole. It didn't look particularly suspicious, even to my doctor, but I had it removed anyway. My point is not to wait if you are ever suspicious about a skin lesion. Wear sunscreen. You are at a higher risk if you have a family history of melanoma or if you have had bad sunburns in childhood. Check yourself regularly for new lesions or skin lesions that appear to be changing or growing. Don't take chances...it could mean your life.

    Anita in NC
  • rlavery
    rlavery Member Posts: 15
    #5
    inkognita said:

    Hi. I am a melanoma patient. My initial lesion was on the side of my knee. A wide excision was performed and the margins were clear. The doctors told me there was a 95% chance they had gotten it all. However, about 9 months later, I had a recurrence in lymph nodes and underwent radical lymph node dissection. I had 2 positive nodes out of 8. Subsequent therapy with Interferon had to be stopped due to impending liver failure. At this point, I am at extremely high risk for recurrence and am terrified of it. It's very hard to maintain a positive attitude.
    My melanoma developed in a mole. It didn't look particularly suspicious, even to my doctor, but I had it removed anyway. My point is not to wait if you are ever suspicious about a skin lesion. Wear sunscreen. You are at a higher risk if you have a family history of melanoma or if you have had bad sunburns in childhood. Check yourself regularly for new lesions or skin lesions that appear to be changing or growing. Don't take chances...it could mean your life.

    Anita in NC

    Question for Anita in NC
    Anita:
    How deep was your primary melanoma?
    Thanks in advance for your answer.
    Rick
  • auntcathy
    auntcathy Member Posts: 8
    #6
    Chek out the web page bulletin board for melanoma patients. It is full of info and wonderful helpful people. You are doing the best thing for your friend...educate yourself. Good luck. Type in MPIP in your search area.
  • auntcathy
    auntcathy Member Posts: 8
    #7
    inkognita said:

    Hi. I am a melanoma patient. My initial lesion was on the side of my knee. A wide excision was performed and the margins were clear. The doctors told me there was a 95% chance they had gotten it all. However, about 9 months later, I had a recurrence in lymph nodes and underwent radical lymph node dissection. I had 2 positive nodes out of 8. Subsequent therapy with Interferon had to be stopped due to impending liver failure. At this point, I am at extremely high risk for recurrence and am terrified of it. It's very hard to maintain a positive attitude.
    My melanoma developed in a mole. It didn't look particularly suspicious, even to my doctor, but I had it removed anyway. My point is not to wait if you are ever suspicious about a skin lesion. Wear sunscreen. You are at a higher risk if you have a family history of melanoma or if you have had bad sunburns in childhood. Check yourself regularly for new lesions or skin lesions that appear to be changing or growing. Don't take chances...it could mean your life.

    Anita in NC

    Hi Anita,
    I am also a melanoma patient living in NC. Sorry we have such a nasty thing in common but nice to meet you. I live in western part of the state in the mountains but I travel back and forth to Duke in Durham for my treatments. Am taking a vaccine under Dr Seigler at Duke. Where are you getting your care? Good luck inany event and stay focused...we can beat this thing.
  • gnail
    gnail Member Posts: 35
    #8
    Hi Mel,
    I will tell you anything you want to know about melanoma. E-mail me at gnail@sky.net.
  • gnail
    gnail Member Posts: 35
    #9
    inkognita said:

    Hi. I am a melanoma patient. My initial lesion was on the side of my knee. A wide excision was performed and the margins were clear. The doctors told me there was a 95% chance they had gotten it all. However, about 9 months later, I had a recurrence in lymph nodes and underwent radical lymph node dissection. I had 2 positive nodes out of 8. Subsequent therapy with Interferon had to be stopped due to impending liver failure. At this point, I am at extremely high risk for recurrence and am terrified of it. It's very hard to maintain a positive attitude.
    My melanoma developed in a mole. It didn't look particularly suspicious, even to my doctor, but I had it removed anyway. My point is not to wait if you are ever suspicious about a skin lesion. Wear sunscreen. You are at a higher risk if you have a family history of melanoma or if you have had bad sunburns in childhood. Check yourself regularly for new lesions or skin lesions that appear to be changing or growing. Don't take chances...it could mean your life.

    Anita in NC

    Anita,
    That is very sound advice. I also have melanoma. If you want to talk...feel free to e-mail me at gnail@sky.net. I will give you my phone number iif you want to chat. Take care. Be strong. E-mail me please. Greg
  • penny37
    penny37 Member Posts: 2
    #10
    Hi Mel,
    I had a malignant melanoma removed from my right upper arm in 1997. It was 9mm in thickness and I followed the normal routine of blood work and other test. Then this year in June, as I was bathing, I found a mass under my right armpit, of course my worst nightmare and come to life and it was the melanoma that had spread to my lymph nodes. I just had surgery on July the 22. They removed 40 some odd lymph nodes from under my armpit. The Doctor said that he got all the cancerous nodes out from under my armpit, but there is always the chance of it reoccuring somewhere else in other nodes or in other organs. I am to begin Interferon treatments in about a week. My best advise is to always pay attention to your body. Look for changes in exciting moles and look for new moles. If you notice anything new in an old mole or a new one, notify the Doctors asap. Also look for lumps and bumps and such on your body in the area of the lymph nodes.
    Melanoma is a very unperdictable disease, and there is no possible way to know what will happen or when it will happen. My best advice is to stay in constant contact with your Doctors and ask all the questions that you can. I guess that I should tell you that the reason for the Interferon, is to try to kill any cells that may have possibly broken away from the lymph nodes and to try and keep me cancer free. I will finish by saying I wish you both the best of luck, hang in there and trust in God to see you through this very difficult and trying time. You will both be in my thougts and prayers.
    Best wishes to you both and my God speed your recoverys.
    Penny
  • gnail
    gnail Member Posts: 35
    #11
    penny37 said:

    Hi Mel,
    I had a malignant melanoma removed from my right upper arm in 1997. It was 9mm in thickness and I followed the normal routine of blood work and other test. Then this year in June, as I was bathing, I found a mass under my right armpit, of course my worst nightmare and come to life and it was the melanoma that had spread to my lymph nodes. I just had surgery on July the 22. They removed 40 some odd lymph nodes from under my armpit. The Doctor said that he got all the cancerous nodes out from under my armpit, but there is always the chance of it reoccuring somewhere else in other nodes or in other organs. I am to begin Interferon treatments in about a week. My best advise is to always pay attention to your body. Look for changes in exciting moles and look for new moles. If you notice anything new in an old mole or a new one, notify the Doctors asap. Also look for lumps and bumps and such on your body in the area of the lymph nodes.
    Melanoma is a very unperdictable disease, and there is no possible way to know what will happen or when it will happen. My best advice is to stay in constant contact with your Doctors and ask all the questions that you can. I guess that I should tell you that the reason for the Interferon, is to try to kill any cells that may have possibly broken away from the lymph nodes and to try and keep me cancer free. I will finish by saying I wish you both the best of luck, hang in there and trust in God to see you through this very difficult and trying time. You will both be in my thougts and prayers.
    Best wishes to you both and my God speed your recoverys.
    Penny

    Hi Penny,

    How are you? I know Interferon is not fun. I want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers, I wish for you, as a fellow warrior of melanoma, the best of luck and that God blesses you with good health. Be strong. E-mail me at gnail@sky.net anytime if you want to chat.
  • fellers
    fellers Member Posts: 1
    #12
    auntcathy said:

    You are doing the most you can do for your friend. Educate yourself. I have found a website....type in MPIP in your search area. It is the melanoma patient information page. There are lots of people who can and will answer any of your questions. I am a Stage II melanoma patient from NC. I am currently taking a vaccine every month at Duke University Hospital in Durham. It is scary but not impossible to beat this disease. Be tough and say your prayers.
    your friend in NC
    Cathy

    Cathy & Anita in NC getting vaccine at Duke
    I would like to speak with you. I had melanoma in-situ 14 mos ago. Dr Siegler at Duke removed it. Now I have to have another surgery again for another primary almost melanoma. I would like to discuss preventative measures & vaccine with you. Please e-mail me at fdawnmichael@triad.rr.com. Thanks, Dawn
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #13
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • yalleh
    yalleh Member Posts: 36
    #14
    NEws
    I'm not a doctor but I believe that your friend would be classified as a stage 2 Melanoma (has not spread yet)... which I believe gives her a 96% chance that she will be fine for the rest of her life. She will stil have to be tested on a regular basis but as long as it doesnt spread she should be just fine!!!

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