Surgery or wait and see?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Surgery or wait and see?

  • Post
    • September 9, 2014 at 2:03 pm
    BarbaraJean
    Participant

      I have a lump that has developed in the crook of my left elbow. Since I've had no melanoma reoccurence since the original tumor 12 years ago that was found on my back and drained under both my arms, I'm a little concerned. I went to a doctor a few weeks ago and she diagonoised me with tennis elbow but I wanted a second opionion. I saw the surgeon yesterday since my doctor was not comfortable with a second opionion without a biopsy on the mass. The surgeon wants to remove the mass and send it to pathology and here in lies my concern…should I have the surgeon remove  it or wait to see if it goes away and should I have surgery on my arm since I suffer greatly with pain for the original surgey 12 years ago? I don't know which way to turn. It hurts to bend the elbow because of the lump and so I don't know what to do..

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        • September 9, 2014 at 6:41 pm
        Janner
        Participant

          I've had terrible tennis elbow before and feel your pain.  There usually are pretty specific tests for tennis elbow and my experience I didn't experience any type of mass – just extremely tender on the epicondyle (bone bump).  The lump, whatever it is, is really unlikely to be melanoma.  If melanoma were to spread, the elbow wouldn't be the most likely location.  Armpits, yes, but going "upstream" to the elbow kind of goes against the normal lymph fluid "flow".  So waiting and seeing if the lesion goes away or removal should be your call.  Maybe you could ask someone to do a needle biopsy instead of removing the whole lesion?  It may be something as simple as a lipoma (benign fat tumor) and a needle biopsy would show that.

          • September 9, 2014 at 6:41 pm
          Janner
          Participant

            I've had terrible tennis elbow before and feel your pain.  There usually are pretty specific tests for tennis elbow and my experience I didn't experience any type of mass – just extremely tender on the epicondyle (bone bump).  The lump, whatever it is, is really unlikely to be melanoma.  If melanoma were to spread, the elbow wouldn't be the most likely location.  Armpits, yes, but going "upstream" to the elbow kind of goes against the normal lymph fluid "flow".  So waiting and seeing if the lesion goes away or removal should be your call.  Maybe you could ask someone to do a needle biopsy instead of removing the whole lesion?  It may be something as simple as a lipoma (benign fat tumor) and a needle biopsy would show that.

            • September 9, 2014 at 6:41 pm
            Janner
            Participant

              I've had terrible tennis elbow before and feel your pain.  There usually are pretty specific tests for tennis elbow and my experience I didn't experience any type of mass – just extremely tender on the epicondyle (bone bump).  The lump, whatever it is, is really unlikely to be melanoma.  If melanoma were to spread, the elbow wouldn't be the most likely location.  Armpits, yes, but going "upstream" to the elbow kind of goes against the normal lymph fluid "flow".  So waiting and seeing if the lesion goes away or removal should be your call.  Maybe you could ask someone to do a needle biopsy instead of removing the whole lesion?  It may be something as simple as a lipoma (benign fat tumor) and a needle biopsy would show that.

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