Very scared. Brothers case!!!
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Very scared. Brothers case!!!

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Very scared. Brothers case!!!

  • Post
    • December 10, 2016 at 5:25 am
    John Bruno 2613
    Participant

      My brother was just called today and told he has a melanoma. I know it's very early to be writing stuff on this forum. But the doctor mentioned something about 4.5 over the phone!!! I'm reading online that number can mean 4.5 mm Breslow or something and it can be serious… I know I may sound like an idiot but I'm really not. However, he has just had a shave biopsy thus far can they tell anything at this point. Like the depth, stage, etc?!?!?! The pathology report comes back tomorrow?? I'm really praying my brother does not have some sort of aggressive or stage 3 or 4 lesion. He is only 22 years old!!!!! The doctor seemed calm over the phone and said that they just had to go in and re-excise and take it out and monitor every 2 months.  But can he have a long road ahead of him??? Please respond if you see this or know anything! 

    Viewing 14 reply threads
    • Replies
        • December 10, 2016 at 5:39 am
        John Bruno 2613
        Participant

          Could the 4.5 just be how much they plan on removing with a punch removal saw something about that online as well! 

          • December 10, 2016 at 5:39 am
          John Bruno 2613
          Participant

            Could the 4.5 just be how much they plan on removing with a punch removal saw something about that online as well! 

            • December 10, 2016 at 5:39 am
            John Bruno 2613
            Participant

              Could the 4.5 just be how much they plan on removing with a punch removal saw something about that online as well! 

              • December 10, 2016 at 12:43 pm
              youngann
              Participant

                The best advice I can give is to make sure your brother is seeing a Melanoma specialist, not just a regular dermatologist. It can really make a difference.

                Ann

                • December 10, 2016 at 12:43 pm
                youngann
                Participant

                  The best advice I can give is to make sure your brother is seeing a Melanoma specialist, not just a regular dermatologist. It can really make a difference.

                  Ann

                  • December 10, 2016 at 12:43 pm
                  youngann
                  Participant

                    The best advice I can give is to make sure your brother is seeing a Melanoma specialist, not just a regular dermatologist. It can really make a difference.

                    Ann

                    • December 10, 2016 at 2:08 pm
                    Janner
                    Participant

                      Wait until you get the pathology report before jumping to conclusions.  Many people have assumed the worst before they knew the facts.  Clarks Level and Stage are often confused at first as well as many other things.  When you have the report, then you can work from fact and not from "oh, did he say this or this"?  And until we see that same information, we can not give you any useful advice at this point.

                      • December 10, 2016 at 2:08 pm
                      Janner
                      Participant

                        Wait until you get the pathology report before jumping to conclusions.  Many people have assumed the worst before they knew the facts.  Clarks Level and Stage are often confused at first as well as many other things.  When you have the report, then you can work from fact and not from "oh, did he say this or this"?  And until we see that same information, we can not give you any useful advice at this point.

                          • December 11, 2016 at 12:19 am
                          Aloha14
                          Participant

                            You or your brother might want to contact the doctor by phone to get clarification before you receive the written report if it takes awhile to receive it. I can relate to the panic of hearing, "you have Melanoma" which is the call I got about 3 weeks ago. Let us know when you have more information. 

                            • December 11, 2016 at 7:14 am
                            John Bruno 2613
                            Participant

                              We should have it by Monday I will keep you all updated! 

                              • December 11, 2016 at 7:14 am
                              John Bruno 2613
                              Participant

                                We should have it by Monday I will keep you all updated! 

                                • December 11, 2016 at 7:14 am
                                John Bruno 2613
                                Participant

                                  We should have it by Monday I will keep you all updated! 

                                  • December 11, 2016 at 12:19 am
                                  Aloha14
                                  Participant

                                    You or your brother might want to contact the doctor by phone to get clarification before you receive the written report if it takes awhile to receive it. I can relate to the panic of hearing, "you have Melanoma" which is the call I got about 3 weeks ago. Let us know when you have more information. 

                                    • December 11, 2016 at 12:19 am
                                    Aloha14
                                    Participant

                                      You or your brother might want to contact the doctor by phone to get clarification before you receive the written report if it takes awhile to receive it. I can relate to the panic of hearing, "you have Melanoma" which is the call I got about 3 weeks ago. Let us know when you have more information. 

                                    • December 10, 2016 at 2:08 pm
                                    Janner
                                    Participant

                                      Wait until you get the pathology report before jumping to conclusions.  Many people have assumed the worst before they knew the facts.  Clarks Level and Stage are often confused at first as well as many other things.  When you have the report, then you can work from fact and not from "oh, did he say this or this"?  And until we see that same information, we can not give you any useful advice at this point.

                                      • December 11, 2016 at 5:55 pm
                                      John Bruno 2613
                                      Participant

                                        Found out all he had so far was a shave biopsy. Can they even determine breslow number with a shave biopsy? 

                                          • December 11, 2016 at 8:00 pm
                                          Janner
                                          Participant

                                            A shave biopsy is a valid biopsy type. The only problem with shave biopsies is that the doc doesn't always shave deep enough to remove the entire lesion. This can mess up staging info but doesn't really affect overall prognosis.  Again, just wait for the report because speculation helps nothing at this point.

                                            • December 11, 2016 at 8:00 pm
                                            Janner
                                            Participant

                                              A shave biopsy is a valid biopsy type. The only problem with shave biopsies is that the doc doesn't always shave deep enough to remove the entire lesion. This can mess up staging info but doesn't really affect overall prognosis.  Again, just wait for the report because speculation helps nothing at this point.

                                              • December 11, 2016 at 8:00 pm
                                              Janner
                                              Participant

                                                A shave biopsy is a valid biopsy type. The only problem with shave biopsies is that the doc doesn't always shave deep enough to remove the entire lesion. This can mess up staging info but doesn't really affect overall prognosis.  Again, just wait for the report because speculation helps nothing at this point.

                                              • December 11, 2016 at 5:55 pm
                                              John Bruno 2613
                                              Participant

                                                Found out all he had so far was a shave biopsy. Can they even determine breslow number with a shave biopsy? 

                                                • December 11, 2016 at 5:55 pm
                                                John Bruno 2613
                                                Participant

                                                  Found out all he had so far was a shave biopsy. Can they even determine breslow number with a shave biopsy? 

                                                  • December 11, 2016 at 7:46 pm
                                                  Aloha14
                                                  Participant

                                                    I also had a shave biopsy and was told over the phone that the melanoma was at least 1.2 mm deep. At least I had a preliminary number. I got clarification from the doctor that the entire biopsy (portion removed) showed cancer, and they couldn't tell the exact diameter or depth until it was removed in surgery. Mine was removed on Friday and I'm awaiting the OR report.

                                                    Not knowing how deep drove me crazy worrying that it might go all the way my leg. The doctor said pretty unlikely due to the size of the portion that stuck up on top of the skin. The portion I could see was about the size of a pencil eraser. Did your brother tell you about what size it was before the shave biopsy? I know it's hard, but try not to worry.  

                                                      • December 11, 2016 at 8:22 pm
                                                      John Bruno 2613
                                                      Participant

                                                        The size was not very large, like a smallish dot. He got another mole removed because he felt it looked suspicious and decided to get that one removed as well. It had no weird signs or anything but it was new and small and had just popped up over the last year. Like we literally looked at a picture of his back and that mole wasn't there a year ago. 

                                                        • December 11, 2016 at 8:22 pm
                                                        John Bruno 2613
                                                        Participant

                                                          The size was not very large, like a smallish dot. He got another mole removed because he felt it looked suspicious and decided to get that one removed as well. It had no weird signs or anything but it was new and small and had just popped up over the last year. Like we literally looked at a picture of his back and that mole wasn't there a year ago. 

                                                          • December 11, 2016 at 8:22 pm
                                                          John Bruno 2613
                                                          Participant

                                                            The size was not very large, like a smallish dot. He got another mole removed because he felt it looked suspicious and decided to get that one removed as well. It had no weird signs or anything but it was new and small and had just popped up over the last year. Like we literally looked at a picture of his back and that mole wasn't there a year ago. 

                                                          • December 11, 2016 at 7:46 pm
                                                          Aloha14
                                                          Participant

                                                            I also had a shave biopsy and was told over the phone that the melanoma was at least 1.2 mm deep. At least I had a preliminary number. I got clarification from the doctor that the entire biopsy (portion removed) showed cancer, and they couldn't tell the exact diameter or depth until it was removed in surgery. Mine was removed on Friday and I'm awaiting the OR report.

                                                            Not knowing how deep drove me crazy worrying that it might go all the way my leg. The doctor said pretty unlikely due to the size of the portion that stuck up on top of the skin. The portion I could see was about the size of a pencil eraser. Did your brother tell you about what size it was before the shave biopsy? I know it's hard, but try not to worry.  

                                                            • December 11, 2016 at 7:46 pm
                                                            Aloha14
                                                            Participant

                                                              I also had a shave biopsy and was told over the phone that the melanoma was at least 1.2 mm deep. At least I had a preliminary number. I got clarification from the doctor that the entire biopsy (portion removed) showed cancer, and they couldn't tell the exact diameter or depth until it was removed in surgery. Mine was removed on Friday and I'm awaiting the OR report.

                                                              Not knowing how deep drove me crazy worrying that it might go all the way my leg. The doctor said pretty unlikely due to the size of the portion that stuck up on top of the skin. The portion I could see was about the size of a pencil eraser. Did your brother tell you about what size it was before the shave biopsy? I know it's hard, but try not to worry.  

                                                          Viewing 14 reply threads
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