Melanoma question

CarolinaChuck · New User Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 3

On May 27, I had a mole removed from my chest that was suspicious looking. As it turns out, it was a melanoma, but very superficial (0.4mm). The day after the surgery, the surgeon told me that there is a 95% chance that I will never have any problems out of it again. About a week later, I noticed that a lymph node about 2 inches from the cut (which has never hurt and appears to have healed nicely) had swollen; it is still swollen...about the size of a bean. The surgeon had already told me that he wanted to re-open the cut sometime in July to ensure that all is well with the mole removal; I have requested (and got) the re-opening for this Thursday, along with removing the lymph node. My question is this ---- is it common for a lymph node to swell after surgery, and remain swollen, even if the cut has healed nicely with no pain (appears to be no infection)? This lymph node stuff really worries me, because I've done enough reading to know what can happen if cancer reaches there...

HaoleBoy · Senior User Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 108

[quote="CarolinaChuck"]On May 27, I had a mole removed from my chest that was suspicious looking. As it turns out, it was a melanoma, but very superficial (0.4mm). The day after the surgery, the surgeon told me that there is a 95% chance that I will never have any problems out of it again. About a week later, I noticed that a lymph node about 2 inches from the cut (which has never hurt and appears to have healed nicely) had swollen; it is still swollen...about the size of a bean. The surgeon had already told me that he wanted to re-open the cut sometime in July to ensure that all is well with the mole removal; I have requested (and got) the re-opening for this Thursday, along with removing the lymph node. My question is this ---- is it common for a lymph node to swell after surgery, and remain swollen, even if the cut has healed nicely with no pain (appears to be no infection)? This lymph node stuff really worries me, because I've done enough reading to know what can happen if cancer reaches there...[/quote]

Chuck, it is normal for the lymph nodes to remain swollen; particularly given that you had the surgery less than a month ago.... Is your surgeon a General Surgeon or an Oncology Surgeon ? Ask him if they can do an ultrasound guided Fine Needle Aspiration of the lymph node .... How long was the timeframe beween the time you first noticed the melanoma lesion and your WLE ? What was the mitotic count in your pathology report ? If it was zero or "not noted/observed" this does seem a little extreme and there are other methods rather than opening you up again .... Presume the node is in the armpit ?

CarolinaChuck · New User Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 3

Lymph node removed, got the report yesterday (07/06). It does contain melanoma. Now I go to an oncologist at Baptist Hospital on 07/21; I don't know what to expect. The lymph node was on my chest. I am terrified; since I had cancer in one lymph node, does this automatically make me Stage III with no more than a 10 year life expectancy?

HaoleBoy · Senior User Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 108

Chuck, I'm very sorry to hear this bad news.... and unfortunately, melanoma in a lymph node does equate to Stage III disease, but not all Stage III disease is the same.... there are 3 sub-categories 3A, 3B and 3C and the criteria and outlook differ.....You may be 3A and the 5 year survival stats are almost 70& for Stage IIIA (micoscopic mets in a single lymph node).... and remember that you are an individual and not a statistic....

Mel varies widely in individuals because it is an immuno-sensitive disease and everybody's immune system is different..... Sam Donaldson, the former ABC Network News Anchor, is alive 14 years and counting with Stage IIIA or IIIB disease (believe IIIB) and disease-free I might add.....

Chuck, you may want to visit and start a dialogue with folks on the below melanoma sites.....

t I recommend that you visit the Melanoma Patient Information Page at the link below.... There are alot of patients there battling metatastic melanoma ..... This board and its members have a wealth of personal experience and they freely share it.... ...

http://www.mpip.org/bb/bbindex.html

I also recommend Catherine Poole's Melanoma International Foundation... Catherine is a professional melanoma patient advocate and very responsive; she is up on the latest treatments, is well connected to the US melanoma treatment centers of excellence and her forum is professionally moderated by melanoma surgical oncologists and oncologists....You will have to register at your site; not so at MPIP (not yet, though they will likely change this soon_

http://forum.melanomaintl.org/toastforums/toast.asp?
sub=show&action=topics&fid=4

Prayers and Blessings,

Haole Boy
Stage IIA

CarolinaChuck · New User Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 3

Thanks HaoleBoy...you're a beacon of light in a sea of darkness. I go to the oncologist tomorrow. You're right...I am an individual, not a statistic! I will keep this in mind during my fight! Thanks again, GOD bless!

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