Father has Mid Upper Forehead Breslow Thickness at least 2.8, Clark’s level at least IV

Just so you know it is Stage 3b according to this pathology report.  Has he has a WLE (Wide Local Excision) and a SNB (Sentinel Node Biopsy)?   This could change the staging a little.

Also Clark's Level IV might have sent you to believe that it is Stage IV but it is not.

Just so you know it is Stage 3b according to this pathology report.  Has he has a WLE (Wide Local Excision) and a SNB (Sentinel Node Biopsy)?   This could change the staging a little.

Also Clark's Level IV might have sent you to believe that it is Stage IV but it is not.

Just so you know it is Stage 3b according to this pathology report.  Has he has a WLE (Wide Local Excision) and a SNB (Sentinel Node Biopsy)?   This could change the staging a little.

Also Clark's Level IV might have sent you to believe that it is Stage IV but it is not.

pt3b is actually stage IIB, not stage III.  You can only determine stage III/IV from scans or lymph node biopsies.  pt3b refers to the primary tumor only.  An explanation can be found here:

http://cancerstaging.blogspot.com/2005/02/malignant-melanoma.html

Find a melanoma specialist.  Ideally, he'll have a SNB when he has more skin removed.  But age may play a factor into how aggressive he may want to be.  Diabetes may make healing harder, but the head is a better area than extremeties when diabetes is involved.  He is going to want to see a very good plastic surgeon because a lot of tissue will need to be removed.  A reconstructive specialist might be helpful.  Ask lots of questions and don't settle on the first opinion!

pt3b is actually stage IIB, not stage III.  You can only determine stage III/IV from scans or lymph node biopsies.  pt3b refers to the primary tumor only.  An explanation can be found here:

http://cancerstaging.blogspot.com/2005/02/malignant-melanoma.html

Find a melanoma specialist.  Ideally, he'll have a SNB when he has more skin removed.  But age may play a factor into how aggressive he may want to be.  Diabetes may make healing harder, but the head is a better area than extremeties when diabetes is involved.  He is going to want to see a very good plastic surgeon because a lot of tissue will need to be removed.  A reconstructive specialist might be helpful.  Ask lots of questions and don't settle on the first opinion!

pt3b is actually stage IIB, not stage III.  You can only determine stage III/IV from scans or lymph node biopsies.  pt3b refers to the primary tumor only.  An explanation can be found here:

http://cancerstaging.blogspot.com/2005/02/malignant-melanoma.html

Find a melanoma specialist.  Ideally, he'll have a SNB when he has more skin removed.  But age may play a factor into how aggressive he may want to be.  Diabetes may make healing harder, but the head is a better area than extremeties when diabetes is involved.  He is going to want to see a very good plastic surgeon because a lot of tissue will need to be removed.  A reconstructive specialist might be helpful.  Ask lots of questions and don't settle on the first opinion!

Hi,

The skin and underlying tissue on the forehead is not as thick as say on the thigh and so the melanoma can more easily penetrate to the lower levels of the dermis.

The pathologist is saying that the lesion is not contained within his sample- ie it extends beyond the side peripheral margin and is also deeper than the sample taken. So the staging given is a minimum..

He is reporting ulceration which is a less favourable prognostic feature.

For more explanation try googlin cancer research uk melanoma ( spam filter stopped links )

So, we know this is pretty serious, and  to remove leaving clear margins at the side may be tricky… 

It is likely they will want to do a sentinel lymph node biopsy to test for spread.. and the results of this may change the stage.They might also want to do a pet scan if the lymph nodes are positive.

SNB should be done prior to the wide excision as drainage patterns from this area might change after surgery.

In truth your Dads treatment can only be speculated upon until the full extent of disease is determined. 

You are likely to get the most up to date treatment and better quality decision making from a specialist centre where the doctors deal with melanoma all day every day and have extensive experience of head and neck lymph node dissection surgeries  and also may give your Dad access to newer treatments via clinical trials etc  This site has good information on treatments if you follow the understand melanoma tabs or try Melanoma international Foundation.

Appointments can be difficult as so much information is covered and you can find that you wish you had asked for more information at the time but your mind is still trying to process the openers.

I think you should be prepared for more tests and scans, the possibility that treatment will required beyond the surgical wider excision of the forehead lesion. However, I would warn against looking at the historic survival data for any given stage as recent treatments approved over the last five years and even last autumn are being used now and are achieving results that are game changers in this field. Even if the treatments stabilise or shrink possile tumours that is a result and if they can no longer be detected than that is the icing on the cake !

It will be a bumpy ride and some things need to be fought for. You may be in a good position to help get better treatment for your Dad by educating yourself on the possibities and going with him to appointments and asking questions. He is lucky to have your help love and support.

Good luck on the journey

Deb

Hi,

The skin and underlying tissue on the forehead is not as thick as say on the thigh and so the melanoma can more easily penetrate to the lower levels of the dermis.

The pathologist is saying that the lesion is not contained within his sample- ie it extends beyond the side peripheral margin and is also deeper than the sample taken. So the staging given is a minimum..

He is reporting ulceration which is a less favourable prognostic feature.

For more explanation try googlin cancer research uk melanoma ( spam filter stopped links )

So, we know this is pretty serious, and  to remove leaving clear margins at the side may be tricky… 

It is likely they will want to do a sentinel lymph node biopsy to test for spread.. and the results of this may change the stage.They might also want to do a pet scan if the lymph nodes are positive.

SNB should be done prior to the wide excision as drainage patterns from this area might change after surgery.

In truth your Dads treatment can only be speculated upon until the full extent of disease is determined. 

You are likely to get the most up to date treatment and better quality decision making from a specialist centre where the doctors deal with melanoma all day every day and have extensive experience of head and neck lymph node dissection surgeries  and also may give your Dad access to newer treatments via clinical trials etc  This site has good information on treatments if you follow the understand melanoma tabs or try Melanoma international Foundation.

Appointments can be difficult as so much information is covered and you can find that you wish you had asked for more information at the time but your mind is still trying to process the openers.

I think you should be prepared for more tests and scans, the possibility that treatment will required beyond the surgical wider excision of the forehead lesion. However, I would warn against looking at the historic survival data for any given stage as recent treatments approved over the last five years and even last autumn are being used now and are achieving results that are game changers in this field. Even if the treatments stabilise or shrink possile tumours that is a result and if they can no longer be detected than that is the icing on the cake !

It will be a bumpy ride and some things need to be fought for. You may be in a good position to help get better treatment for your Dad by educating yourself on the possibities and going with him to appointments and asking questions. He is lucky to have your help love and support.

Good luck on the journey

Deb

Hi,

The skin and underlying tissue on the forehead is not as thick as say on the thigh and so the melanoma can more easily penetrate to the lower levels of the dermis.

The pathologist is saying that the lesion is not contained within his sample- ie it extends beyond the side peripheral margin and is also deeper than the sample taken. So the staging given is a minimum..

He is reporting ulceration which is a less favourable prognostic feature.

For more explanation try googlin cancer research uk melanoma ( spam filter stopped links )

So, we know this is pretty serious, and  to remove leaving clear margins at the side may be tricky… 

It is likely they will want to do a sentinel lymph node biopsy to test for spread.. and the results of this may change the stage.They might also want to do a pet scan if the lymph nodes are positive.

SNB should be done prior to the wide excision as drainage patterns from this area might change after surgery.

In truth your Dads treatment can only be speculated upon until the full extent of disease is determined. 

You are likely to get the most up to date treatment and better quality decision making from a specialist centre where the doctors deal with melanoma all day every day and have extensive experience of head and neck lymph node dissection surgeries  and also may give your Dad access to newer treatments via clinical trials etc  This site has good information on treatments if you follow the understand melanoma tabs or try Melanoma international Foundation.

Appointments can be difficult as so much information is covered and you can find that you wish you had asked for more information at the time but your mind is still trying to process the openers.

I think you should be prepared for more tests and scans, the possibility that treatment will required beyond the surgical wider excision of the forehead lesion. However, I would warn against looking at the historic survival data for any given stage as recent treatments approved over the last five years and even last autumn are being used now and are achieving results that are game changers in this field. Even if the treatments stabilise or shrink possile tumours that is a result and if they can no longer be detected than that is the icing on the cake !

It will be a bumpy ride and some things need to be fought for. You may be in a good position to help get better treatment for your Dad by educating yourself on the possibities and going with him to appointments and asking questions. He is lucky to have your help love and support.

Good luck on the journey

Deb

I had a simular diagnosis on the back of my head in June 2015. I have a baseball size hole in the back of my scalp after 5 surguries. One year later I have 7 tumors in my lungs and 1 removed from the left neck/shoulder area.

I had a simular diagnosis on the back of my head in June 2015. I have a baseball size hole in the back of my scalp after 5 surguries. One year later I have 7 tumors in my lungs and 1 removed from the left neck/shoulder area.

I had a simular diagnosis on the back of my head in June 2015. I have a baseball size hole in the back of my scalp after 5 surguries. One year later I have 7 tumors in my lungs and 1 removed from the left neck/shoulder area.