Newly Diagnosed...Please Help!

littlebabykatelyn · New User Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Posts: 1

Hello everyone,
I was just diagnosed last week with melanoma in situ. I had 5 moles removed. The one removed near my colar bone turned out to be melanoma. I'm scheduled for surgery November 17th.

I noticed this morning that on the scar itself where i had the punch biopsy there is a small spot which looks like the mole is returning. Also, about an inch inche from there is a new dark fairly large freckle which i've NEVER seen before. . Is it possible that the mole is returning? Should i call me dr. or just wait till i have my surgery on November 17th to mention it?

I have a few quetions about the surgery that I hope someone could help me out with. My doctor told me its a whole day process. Why is that? Do they put you to sleep for this? How is the pain afterward? Will the pain be bad for a long time? I know i have alot of questions but i've tried looking online and i can't seem to find the answers i'm looking for.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

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

If it is melanoma in situ, then you are good to go... "in situ" is really more like "pre-cancerous" in a way, since the melanoma has not yet entered the vertical growth phase, but rather was still in its radial growth phase... Melanomas which do not penetrate into the underlying skin tissue (i.e. confined to the outer epidermis skin layer) lack the ability to metastize since the lymphatic and blood vessel systems in the skin lie in the dermis layer....

The 5 and 10 year survival rates for true "in situ" melanomas are 100 % for each.... Does an in situ melanoma occassionally misbehave and spread and eventually kill the patient -- there are those cases, but they were never true "in situ" melanomas in the first place (by definition); meaning the patient was much more likely misdiagnosed .....

Don't sweat the moles... moles are normal... melanomas can grow out of a mole, but not all moles are melanomas, and not all melanomas grow out of a mole -- mine didn't ... In fact, most melanomas pop up on clear skin ..."de novo" is the Latin medical speak for this BTW.....

If they got the biopsy right and this is truly an in situ melanoma, then the other freckles, moles whatever are inconsequential.... You're scared -- which is imminently normal since you were given the Big "C" word ... and you're now noticing things on your body which you would have never paid any attention to whatsoever the week before you were diagnosed or had the biopsy performed...If these thoughts weren't racing through a person's mind, THAT WOULD BE ABNORMAL...

You will be out under a general anesthesia during the Wide Local Excision. (WLE)... This will most likely be an all day affair because you will have quite a bit of paperwork to fill out first, then they have to monitor your heart rate and vitals for a baseline to ensure that something else is NOT acting up (like a pre-existing heart condition), prep you for the surgery, then administer a general anesthesia. The wide local excision will hurt somewhat afterwards,... They will give you pain meds to mitigate this.... I had a toe amputated and the oxcycodone I was on worked like a champ .... Just take the pain meds as prescribed and don't let the pain break through...

Good luck, you caught this bugger way early and -- if it is truly an in situ -- you will never have to deal with this thing again. HOWEVER, you need to pay attention to the possibility of a 2nd primary and regularly check your skin for any changes since you now have a history, which means a genetic predisposition for melanoma.... Melanoma is not lightening, IT DOES STRIKE THE SAME PATIENT TWICE, THRICE, and about 10% of all melanoma patients experience a new primary melanoma tumor at some point in their life (new case, not a metastases)....

Aloha,

Haole Boy (aka Hawaii Bob on other forums)
Stage IIA
Oahu, Hawaii, USA
No Evidence of Disease (knock on wood) since 21 August 2008
2.40mm Breslow Superficial Spreading Melanoma on the bottom of my left foot's 2nd toe, adjacent to the Great Toe, which was amputated in the WLE, Sentinel Node Biopsy (one node left inquinal groin region) negative for mets; Procedures performed at the Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA

jmp55 · New User Joined: 13 Oct 2009 Posts: 3

Hi HaoloBoy,

I just want to thank you for your informative post regarding melanoma in situ. I was aware of everything you said about the nature of melanoma in situ and what the survival rate is. However, even though I know all of this, I still have my doubts and fears about it. Reading your post reassured me that my melanoma is gone and God willing will never return. Unfortunately no matter how "lucky" I know I am, I will always have to be aware of the possiblility of developing a new primary. In the grand scheme of melanoma, those of us with in situ are very fortunate for having found it so early....Once again, thank you for your reassurance, I was having a few bad days recently, and you've just picked me up again. I wish you well!

Jane

PS As we are beginning to experience some chilly weather here in the northeast I very fondly remember a fabulous 3 week vacation in Hawaii! I envy you living there! (hard to stay out of the sun there though!)

jmp55 · New User Joined: 13 Oct 2009 Posts: 3

Kaitlyn,

I wish you well with your surgery on Nov. 17th. I know it is hard not to worry, but it sounds like you have caught this melanoma early and you should be all set. Hopefully you will never have to deal with melanoma again!

Jane

LucyM · Experienced user Joined: 06 Jul 2009 Posts: 51

Hi there,

Haoleboy is very experienced on here and does a lot of research so it's cool to be reassured by him Smile

I would just add that it can't hurt to call your doc, just to mention the two things you are concerned about - the little spot where you had your punch, and also the new freckle.

He might be able to put your mind at rest by having a look.

Hope it is nothing to worry about.

Best wishes
Lucy

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