Reached stage IIIC a couple weeks ago after a lump in my arm turned out to be a lymph node swollen by melanoma. Surgery yesterday to remove the cancerous lymph node in my left arm and to perform another sentinal lymph node biopsy. Arm is sore as would be expected. The mapping process this time around seemed much more thorough to me – nice work by the folks at Wake Forest Baptist Health Center. They very clearly identified 4 lymph nodes. The locations were surprising to me since they were in my upper arm (between my armpit and elbow).
Reached stage IIIC a couple weeks ago after a lump in my arm turned out to be a lymph node swollen by melanoma. Surgery yesterday to remove the cancerous lymph node in my left arm and to perform another sentinal lymph node biopsy. Arm is sore as would be expected. The mapping process this time around seemed much more thorough to me – nice work by the folks at Wake Forest Baptist Health Center. They very clearly identified 4 lymph nodes. The locations were surprising to me since they were in my upper arm (between my armpit and elbow). My first SNLB over a year ago took some lymph nodes below my armpit area which was much further away from the original melanoma site. Interestingly, the cancerous lymph node that was biopsied about 2 weeks ago did not get mapped – they speculated that the biopsy might have damaged the lymph pathway.
Now it is the waiting game again. Pathology results expected in a few days. Hoping that none of the other lymph nodes contain signs of melanoma. If they do, I am just going to ask them to put in a zipper down there :).
Kevin
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