new to the group with questions

Greeny · Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:13 pm Post subject: new to the group with questions

Hi all, I just found out that I have Melanoma. I had a small tumor on my upper arm. I had a biopsy.

My diagnosis is:
[b]Invasive malignant melanoma, nodular[/b]
breslow measurement: 2mm
clark Level: 111
vertical growth phase: present
mitotic activity: High
cell type: spindle
tumor infiltrating lymphocytes: mild

can anyone translate what this stuff means?

Anyway, I had more surgery on Apr 1st ( great April Fools) They took a 8 inch by 2 inch piece to the muscle. Arm in a sling not in much pain but frustrated by the limitations and nervious about what lies ahead.The nurse phone me this past friday to say that the biopsy on this 2nd surgery was "good".

I see the Cancer doctor on tuesday and hope I don't have to do chemo etc. Anyone else have a similar profile?

brainman

Greeny, I am very sorry about your Melanoma. I cannot translate all of the information but some I can. The Breslow Measurement and the Clark Level are two of the ways to stage a Melanoma. Both are roughly equivalent... the both indicate a rather low to moderate stage of your Melanoma: It has not gone too deep yet.

Have they done any scans yet to check for metastatic tumors (cancer spreading to other organs)?
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

Greeny

Hi Brainman
No scans yet! I have a appointment with the Cancer clinic on Tuesday for a followup on the biopsy from latest surgery.

I imagine that I will be getting a scan then or getting setup for such at that time.

Greeny

I had my follow up appointment with the Cancer Doctor. The biopsy from the second surgery was clear. He did not think anything else was required

[b]BUT[/b] he consulted other Doctors and they when to removed some lympnods. He said something about putting a radiation pellet in and if it showed anything then further surgery. My Doctor sort of left it up to me! I have no swelling , no weight loss. Not sure what to do.
I have decided to let my arm heal 1st! Anyone else go through this?

Maureen · New User Joined: 25 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

Hi Greeny. I lost my father last week to melanoma and I was diagnosed with melanoma the week preceding my father's death. So, i understand how little information is really available out there to navigate through this. I have become far more knowledgeable than i would have ever thought given the frustration I experienced finding information to help my father. my best resource was catherine poole at the melonoma international foundation (just type that into google). she has an 800 number and is extremely responsive. she will help you interpret your results. The sooner you educate yourself the better as mel is particularly difficult to understand. i find that the medical community is still far behind where it should be.

Godspeed. And, remember that hope is a powerful emotion. Melanoma is one of the only cancers that can spontaneously go into remission.

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