› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Recurrence???
- This topic has 12 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 5 months ago by
JoshF.
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- September 3, 2013 at 2:08 am
It’s been 2.5 years since diagnosis. To get to the point, I had follow appt this past Friday. All good! Well this nothing I was rubbing scar on face and when I “scrunched” it during a yawn I felt something odd. Needless to say I felt around but can’t really feel anything unless I scrunch my face or put thumb on inside of my cheek in mouth and forefinger on scar. There it was a bump maybe the size of a pencil eraser. My heart sunk! I was just at oncologist! She felt nothing! I know everyone will say go get it checked…which of course I plan on doing right away.I know it can be scar tissue and I have no idea how long it’s been there. I know it can be recurrence. Blood work was fine…LDH was normal and thou thorough exam just days ago by a melanoma specialist! I’m guessing its 50/50 chance of recurrence and knowing nature of this cancer I’m feeling pessimistic. Anyone have any experience or knowledge on this? Would it be local recurrence? Would I need another SNLB? Anxiety is killing me!
Josh
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- September 3, 2013 at 2:31 am
Sorry to hear this. I know it is crazy going over the scenarios.
mine is not a good one but i want to give you the info all the same…i think getting support here is wonderful but also truth when it is relavant.
you can check my profile although i have some updating to do.
So dx over 1mm 11 months ago…on base of right ear/cheek.
Beginning of june 2013 went to MD Anderson for normal ul;strasounds of head and neck..all clear. no biopsy nothing on exam etc.
end of june 2013. i felt what was like a small hard pea….not moving…about a half inch maybe 2.5 cm below my primary WLE site between the WLE and the SNB scar.
within 2 weeks it grew…I finally got into UCLA as i was moving during the time…by end of July it was size of an olive…FNA Biopsy confirmed Metastatic melanoma 2 weeks ago.
I'm not sure what they classify this as…local recurrence? intransit? etc. But I know the Pathology report reads.
SALIVARY GLAND – Metastatic Melanoma
So yes definitely get it checked….sorry for the alarmist post. But mine is still in there…growing…about the size of a small bouncy ball out of a gumball machine. It is very hard, fixed, immoblie, painless, and can now be seen clearly as a rise out of the skin.
All th
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- September 3, 2013 at 2:31 am
Sorry to hear this. I know it is crazy going over the scenarios.
mine is not a good one but i want to give you the info all the same…i think getting support here is wonderful but also truth when it is relavant.
you can check my profile although i have some updating to do.
So dx over 1mm 11 months ago…on base of right ear/cheek.
Beginning of june 2013 went to MD Anderson for normal ul;strasounds of head and neck..all clear. no biopsy nothing on exam etc.
end of june 2013. i felt what was like a small hard pea….not moving…about a half inch maybe 2.5 cm below my primary WLE site between the WLE and the SNB scar.
within 2 weeks it grew…I finally got into UCLA as i was moving during the time…by end of July it was size of an olive…FNA Biopsy confirmed Metastatic melanoma 2 weeks ago.
I'm not sure what they classify this as…local recurrence? intransit? etc. But I know the Pathology report reads.
SALIVARY GLAND – Metastatic Melanoma
So yes definitely get it checked….sorry for the alarmist post. But mine is still in there…growing…about the size of a small bouncy ball out of a gumball machine. It is very hard, fixed, immoblie, painless, and can now be seen clearly as a rise out of the skin.
All th
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- September 3, 2013 at 2:31 am
Sorry to hear this. I know it is crazy going over the scenarios.
mine is not a good one but i want to give you the info all the same…i think getting support here is wonderful but also truth when it is relavant.
you can check my profile although i have some updating to do.
So dx over 1mm 11 months ago…on base of right ear/cheek.
Beginning of june 2013 went to MD Anderson for normal ul;strasounds of head and neck..all clear. no biopsy nothing on exam etc.
end of june 2013. i felt what was like a small hard pea….not moving…about a half inch maybe 2.5 cm below my primary WLE site between the WLE and the SNB scar.
within 2 weeks it grew…I finally got into UCLA as i was moving during the time…by end of July it was size of an olive…FNA Biopsy confirmed Metastatic melanoma 2 weeks ago.
I'm not sure what they classify this as…local recurrence? intransit? etc. But I know the Pathology report reads.
SALIVARY GLAND – Metastatic Melanoma
So yes definitely get it checked….sorry for the alarmist post. But mine is still in there…growing…about the size of a small bouncy ball out of a gumball machine. It is very hard, fixed, immoblie, painless, and can now be seen clearly as a rise out of the skin.
All th
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- September 3, 2013 at 2:35 am
I am glad you are going right back to have it checked. But… I have MANY surgical scars, and some of them do have hardened tissue in places underneath from scar formation. My guess is that this is what you are feeling. Let us know what the Doc says, and for now take encouragement and try not to let your thoughts race ahead.Not easy, I know!!
Tina
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- September 3, 2013 at 2:35 am
I am glad you are going right back to have it checked. But… I have MANY surgical scars, and some of them do have hardened tissue in places underneath from scar formation. My guess is that this is what you are feeling. Let us know what the Doc says, and for now take encouragement and try not to let your thoughts race ahead.Not easy, I know!!
Tina
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- September 3, 2013 at 2:35 am
I am glad you are going right back to have it checked. But… I have MANY surgical scars, and some of them do have hardened tissue in places underneath from scar formation. My guess is that this is what you are feeling. Let us know what the Doc says, and for now take encouragement and try not to let your thoughts race ahead.Not easy, I know!!
Tina
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- September 3, 2013 at 9:02 pm
Matt-That’s tough. Seems like it’s growing at a fast rate. Not sure on in transit or local recurrence. I keep wondering if my lump is melanoma…would it be local. The lump is very deep in my dermis and hard…but I wouldn’t say it’s immovable. Also it’s not painful but it is slightly tender. Yes the waiting sucks but I guess I won’t know until they cut it out.
Josh
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- September 3, 2013 at 9:02 pm
Matt-That’s tough. Seems like it’s growing at a fast rate. Not sure on in transit or local recurrence. I keep wondering if my lump is melanoma…would it be local. The lump is very deep in my dermis and hard…but I wouldn’t say it’s immovable. Also it’s not painful but it is slightly tender. Yes the waiting sucks but I guess I won’t know until they cut it out.
Josh
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- September 3, 2013 at 9:02 pm
Matt-That’s tough. Seems like it’s growing at a fast rate. Not sure on in transit or local recurrence. I keep wondering if my lump is melanoma…would it be local. The lump is very deep in my dermis and hard…but I wouldn’t say it’s immovable. Also it’s not painful but it is slightly tender. Yes the waiting sucks but I guess I won’t know until they cut it out.
Josh
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- September 3, 2013 at 9:14 pm
Tina-Thanks for response. I just did get appt with oncologist on Fri morning…oh the waiting! Though I did see derm today and he was cautiously optimistic. It’s deep in dermis under the scar. He said its well circumscribed…not clustered. I guess tumors are usually clustered. It was slightly tender when he did exam and he said it seemed like it was on its own plane and can be pushed around. Possibly a seroma? He’s certain that it will be surgically removed and we will know for sure when it goes under microscope. It can’t happen fast enough. Am I in line for treatment if it does come back Mel? I just finished scans and was told recurrence was single digit chance. You hold onto that hope but I’ve seen too often from this site what happens.
Josh
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- September 3, 2013 at 9:14 pm
Tina-Thanks for response. I just did get appt with oncologist on Fri morning…oh the waiting! Though I did see derm today and he was cautiously optimistic. It’s deep in dermis under the scar. He said its well circumscribed…not clustered. I guess tumors are usually clustered. It was slightly tender when he did exam and he said it seemed like it was on its own plane and can be pushed around. Possibly a seroma? He’s certain that it will be surgically removed and we will know for sure when it goes under microscope. It can’t happen fast enough. Am I in line for treatment if it does come back Mel? I just finished scans and was told recurrence was single digit chance. You hold onto that hope but I’ve seen too often from this site what happens.
Josh
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- September 3, 2013 at 9:14 pm
Tina-Thanks for response. I just did get appt with oncologist on Fri morning…oh the waiting! Though I did see derm today and he was cautiously optimistic. It’s deep in dermis under the scar. He said its well circumscribed…not clustered. I guess tumors are usually clustered. It was slightly tender when he did exam and he said it seemed like it was on its own plane and can be pushed around. Possibly a seroma? He’s certain that it will be surgically removed and we will know for sure when it goes under microscope. It can’t happen fast enough. Am I in line for treatment if it does come back Mel? I just finished scans and was told recurrence was single digit chance. You hold onto that hope but I’ve seen too often from this site what happens.
Josh
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