› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Possible Local Recurrance- Original Stage 1A on Back
- This topic has 3 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 11 years, 11 months ago by
Janner.
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- March 6, 2014 at 8:05 pm
April 2011, I had a Melanoma removed from the Left center side of my back. Stage 1A. They did a SNB due to regression that consisted of nodes from both sides, due to the injection going both ways. They took two nodes for the right side and one from the left side, all came back negative. The concerning part is as I am approaching my 3 year mark and 37 years old, I had my first mammogram a few weeks ago. I knew they were going to call back because it was a baseline and others told me that would probably happen and not to worry. What I did not expect was the mammogram was negative, but I had prominent tissue and enlarged lymph nodes on the left side. I went yesterday for another mammogram and ultrasound and I am clear of breast cancer. My concern is my primary site is just around the corner from the “concerned area”. The enlarged lymph nodes are in the same area the biopsied one came from because I saw the clip. Could this be a local recurrence? Radiology would be able to see melanoma on a ultrasound could they? They said I was all good and I should get a mammogram every year now and not wait for the 40 year mark….. I concerned that I am not “all good” just yet. I think a biopsy of the tissue and lymph nodes needs to be done since the area is so close to the original site. Everyone says that Stage 1A isn’t anything to worry about…….. But I keep reminding those people about the people who started off at Stage 1A and are now at Stage IIIA or above….. They believed that too! It doesn’t seem like doctor’s are as aggressive with preventive diagnoses with melanoma other than getting you naked…… I’m not okay with that. It’s my life and I want to live. Experience and advice is greatly appreciated because they area I live in doesn’t seem to have mush experience with Melanoma patience and the ones I know about are in advance stages.
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- March 6, 2014 at 8:21 pm
It could easily be those nodes are "reactive" – enlarged from some trauma or when you had the SNB. They don't have to be melanoma. What I might suggest is that you request a followup ultrasound where those nodes can be compared for size change in 3 months (I did this same thing for a breast lump). Or you could request a PET/CT. (I'm not fond of all the radiation in a PET/CT and ultrasound can be effective at looking at those same nodes). This wouldn't be considered a 'local recurrence" if it were in the lymph nodes, and there are benign reasons these nodes could be enlarged. I certainly wouldn't jump to any conclusions, but I probably would call my derm or onc to followup and show them the scans. Be vigilant, not paranoid. You have reason to have another opinion on these nodes. You do NOT need to be paranoid because there may be many reasons for this to be benign.
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- March 6, 2014 at 8:21 pm
It could easily be those nodes are "reactive" – enlarged from some trauma or when you had the SNB. They don't have to be melanoma. What I might suggest is that you request a followup ultrasound where those nodes can be compared for size change in 3 months (I did this same thing for a breast lump). Or you could request a PET/CT. (I'm not fond of all the radiation in a PET/CT and ultrasound can be effective at looking at those same nodes). This wouldn't be considered a 'local recurrence" if it were in the lymph nodes, and there are benign reasons these nodes could be enlarged. I certainly wouldn't jump to any conclusions, but I probably would call my derm or onc to followup and show them the scans. Be vigilant, not paranoid. You have reason to have another opinion on these nodes. You do NOT need to be paranoid because there may be many reasons for this to be benign.
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- March 6, 2014 at 8:21 pm
It could easily be those nodes are "reactive" – enlarged from some trauma or when you had the SNB. They don't have to be melanoma. What I might suggest is that you request a followup ultrasound where those nodes can be compared for size change in 3 months (I did this same thing for a breast lump). Or you could request a PET/CT. (I'm not fond of all the radiation in a PET/CT and ultrasound can be effective at looking at those same nodes). This wouldn't be considered a 'local recurrence" if it were in the lymph nodes, and there are benign reasons these nodes could be enlarged. I certainly wouldn't jump to any conclusions, but I probably would call my derm or onc to followup and show them the scans. Be vigilant, not paranoid. You have reason to have another opinion on these nodes. You do NOT need to be paranoid because there may be many reasons for this to be benign.
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