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Pre-cancerous Moles, Invasive Melanoma, Normal Lymph Nodes. Survival Chance?
Question: Three Melanomas - Scared to death
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I am a 54 year old, light-skinned female who has not spent alot of time in the sun. While I was burned a few times as a a teenager, I've used sunblock and have avoided the sun most of my life. I have been seeing a dermitologist on an annual basis and had a couple of moles biopsied, which came back as 'pre-cancerous' but I was told they were the type that, left on their own, could return as melanoma. In November 2009, I went for my regular check when tmy doc identified a spot on my rear-end (left cheek) that turned out to be full-blown, invasive melanoma. Luckily, it was .23mm (I think it's mm as opposed to cm), which required an excision of 50 stitches, but that was that. Several months later, they found another melanoma on my upper back that was also removed. Since tha time, I have gone to my skin cancer doc every three months and haven't had any issues until ten days ago, when they discovered another spot on the middle of my back that they hadn't seen three months earlier. The punch biopsy revealed fast-growing, .5mm invasive melanoma, and the spot was removed with another 50 stitch surgery. While the first two melanomas didn't get to me, this one has made me frantic. My lymph nodes feel normal (had them checked by two different docs), so all seems well there. I also understand there were no ulcerations around the melanomas that were removed, which is supposdedly good. I understand it is very rare to have three melanomas in such a close time frame and am scared out of my mind, particularly because the last one grew so fast and furiously. Can you give me any advice on what else I can do to improve my odds, and tell me what you believe the odds are of surviving such a situation are? Do you have direct knowledge of other people who have survived similar situations and what did they do to do so? Again, I feel panicked and appreciate any advice or information you can provide.
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I am a 54 year old, light-skinned female who has not spent alot of time in the sun. While I was burned a few times as a a teenager, I've used sunblock and have avoided the sun most of my life. I have been seeing a dermitologist on an annual basis and had a couple of moles biopsied, which came back as 'pre-cancerous' but I was told they were the type that, left on their own, could return as melanoma. In November 2009, I went for my regular check when tmy doc identified a spot on my rear-end (left cheek) that turned out to be full-blown, invasive melanoma. Luckily, it was .23mm (I think it's mm as opposed to cm), which required an excision of 50 stitches, but that was that. Several months later, they found another melanoma on my upper back that was also removed. Since tha time, I have gone to my skin cancer doc every three months and haven't had any issues until ten days ago, when they discovered another spot on the middle of my back that they hadn't seen three months earlier. The punch biopsy revealed fast-growing, .5mm invasive melanoma, and the spot was removed with another 50 stitch surgery. While the first two melanomas didn't get to me, this one has made me frantic. My lymph nodes feel normal (had them checked by two different docs), so all seems well there. I also understand there were no ulcerations around the melanomas that were removed, which is supposdedly good. I understand it is very rare to have three melanomas in such a close time frame and am scared out of my mind, particularly because the last one grew so fast and furiously. Can you give me any advice on what else I can do to improve my odds, and tell me what you believe the odds are of surviving such a situation are? Do you have direct knowledge of other people who have survived similar situations and what did they do to do so? Again, I feel panicked and appreciate any advice or information you can provide.
Hi!,
Thank you for posting the query,
You have provided with good information regarding your health concern and it is a very good description. I appreciate it.
Let me also tell you that so far you have taken the best possible treatment .
There are various types of melanomas and there are various stagings of the same.
The change in size ,shape .color,ulceration ,itching on the site are not good signs of melanoma.
Excision surgery is one type of surgery which one can go for .Mohs surgery is another type of surgery which a advanced surgery which can be carried out in melanomas.
The melanoma usually spreads through lymphatic or by blood.So an early lymph node biopsy can be done to see whether it has spread or not.A CT-scan or MRI can also help in early diagnosis.
It is very important to see that one protects himself from direct sun exposure by wearing a good broad band sunscreen having 50 spf.Along with this one should wear full sleeves cloths and always wear a broad brimmed hat .
It is also said that metastasis to lung and skin has a better prognosis ,than to brain ,bone and lever.
In extensive cases chemotherapy and radiation therapy is needed.
Melanomas are more common in Caucasians, especially northern Europeans living in XXXXXXX climates, with high rates of incidence in Australia, New Zealand, North XXXXXXX (especially XXXXXXX and Florida), Latin XXXXXXX and Northern Europe.
I would advise you not to get panicky and consult a oncologist too for further advise.
Hope I've answered your query.
Should you have additional concern regarding the same ,I would be happy to address it.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Regards,
Dr.Bharat chawda XXXXXXX specialist, Dermatology.
Thank you for posting the query,
You have provided with good information regarding your health concern and it is a very good description. I appreciate it.
Let me also tell you that so far you have taken the best possible treatment .
There are various types of melanomas and there are various stagings of the same.
The change in size ,shape .color,ulceration ,itching on the site are not good signs of melanoma.
Excision surgery is one type of surgery which one can go for .Mohs surgery is another type of surgery which a advanced surgery which can be carried out in melanomas.
The melanoma usually spreads through lymphatic or by blood.So an early lymph node biopsy can be done to see whether it has spread or not.A CT-scan or MRI can also help in early diagnosis.
It is very important to see that one protects himself from direct sun exposure by wearing a good broad band sunscreen having 50 spf.Along with this one should wear full sleeves cloths and always wear a broad brimmed hat .
It is also said that metastasis to lung and skin has a better prognosis ,than to brain ,bone and lever.
In extensive cases chemotherapy and radiation therapy is needed.
Melanomas are more common in Caucasians, especially northern Europeans living in XXXXXXX climates, with high rates of incidence in Australia, New Zealand, North XXXXXXX (especially XXXXXXX and Florida), Latin XXXXXXX and Northern Europe.
I would advise you not to get panicky and consult a oncologist too for further advise.
Hope I've answered your query.
Should you have additional concern regarding the same ,I would be happy to address it.
Please accept my answer in case you do not have further queries.
Regards,
Dr.Bharat chawda XXXXXXX specialist, Dermatology.
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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