2nd opinion tomorow
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2nd opinion tomorow

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › 2nd opinion tomorow

  • Post
    • January 10, 2017 at 3:29 am
    Bigguy58
    Participant
      Stage not determined yet. Clark level 3. Mole found on arm. No biopsy of sentinel lymph node yet. Unsure if needle or resection is best. Very worried, 58 years old. Was ready to retire early. Now unsure if future.
    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • January 10, 2017 at 3:45 am
        snow white
        Participant

          Hang in there Bigguy58. I am a newbie and don't know much, but the more experienced ones will chime in soon.  Best advise I can give is to try to stay calm, don't jump the gun, we have all done that and it doesn't get us anywhere. Read on this forum, its really THE BEST place to get info on Melanoma, most of the data on the Web is very outdated.  Best to you!

          Jen

            • January 10, 2017 at 11:28 am
            Bigguy58
            Participant
              Thank you Jen. Good advise. As lot of thoughts. We both have a journey ahead and it’s comforting to have a forum like this with so many good people contribuing like you.
              • January 10, 2017 at 11:28 am
              Bigguy58
              Participant
                Thank you Jen. Good advise. As lot of thoughts. We both have a journey ahead and it’s comforting to have a forum like this with so many good people contribuing like you.
                • January 10, 2017 at 11:28 am
                Bigguy58
                Participant
                  Thank you Jen. Good advise. As lot of thoughts. We both have a journey ahead and it’s comforting to have a forum like this with so many good people contribuing like you.
                • January 10, 2017 at 3:45 am
                snow white
                Participant

                  Hang in there Bigguy58. I am a newbie and don't know much, but the more experienced ones will chime in soon.  Best advise I can give is to try to stay calm, don't jump the gun, we have all done that and it doesn't get us anywhere. Read on this forum, its really THE BEST place to get info on Melanoma, most of the data on the Web is very outdated.  Best to you!

                  Jen

                  • January 10, 2017 at 3:45 am
                  snow white
                  Participant

                    Hang in there Bigguy58. I am a newbie and don't know much, but the more experienced ones will chime in soon.  Best advise I can give is to try to stay calm, don't jump the gun, we have all done that and it doesn't get us anywhere. Read on this forum, its really THE BEST place to get info on Melanoma, most of the data on the Web is very outdated.  Best to you!

                    Jen

                    • January 10, 2017 at 4:25 am
                    Janner
                    Participant

                      Don't change any future plans yet – you don't know enough at this point to even have a discussion.  Clark's Level III is an outdated method of describing a melanoma lesion.  You need to know Breslow Depth, mitotic rate, ulceration.  GET A COPY OF YOUR PATHOLOGY REPORT tomorrow.  Only then we can be of any real help.  We have to know the real facts and not operate on speculation.

                      Needle biopsy is not part of this conversation.  There are no protocols that include 'needle" anything at your stage in the journey.  And if there is, you should see a different doctor.  You will be offered a WLE (wide local excision).  You may be offered a SNB (sentinel node biopsy) based up the depth of your lesion.  Do NOT make any life plans at this time — I was diagnosed with a stage 1b melanoma at age 29 and 25 years later, I'm still stage 1b. 

                      Get a copy of your pathology report.  We're happy to help but we need to see that path report to respond in a useful method.  By the way, Clark's Level III is better than Clark's Level IV or V.  Have hope and good luck tomorrow.  2nd opinions are always a good choice.

                        • January 10, 2017 at 11:34 am
                        Bigguy58
                        Participant
                          Thanks for the reply Janner. Your advice is well taken and I will do as you suggest. I will no more about options after today. Thank you
                          • January 10, 2017 at 11:34 am
                          Bigguy58
                          Participant
                            Thanks for the reply Janner. Your advice is well taken and I will do as you suggest. I will no more about options after today. Thank you
                            • January 10, 2017 at 11:34 am
                            Bigguy58
                            Participant
                              Thanks for the reply Janner. Your advice is well taken and I will do as you suggest. I will no more about options after today. Thank you
                            • January 10, 2017 at 4:25 am
                            Janner
                            Participant

                              Don't change any future plans yet – you don't know enough at this point to even have a discussion.  Clark's Level III is an outdated method of describing a melanoma lesion.  You need to know Breslow Depth, mitotic rate, ulceration.  GET A COPY OF YOUR PATHOLOGY REPORT tomorrow.  Only then we can be of any real help.  We have to know the real facts and not operate on speculation.

                              Needle biopsy is not part of this conversation.  There are no protocols that include 'needle" anything at your stage in the journey.  And if there is, you should see a different doctor.  You will be offered a WLE (wide local excision).  You may be offered a SNB (sentinel node biopsy) based up the depth of your lesion.  Do NOT make any life plans at this time — I was diagnosed with a stage 1b melanoma at age 29 and 25 years later, I'm still stage 1b. 

                              Get a copy of your pathology report.  We're happy to help but we need to see that path report to respond in a useful method.  By the way, Clark's Level III is better than Clark's Level IV or V.  Have hope and good luck tomorrow.  2nd opinions are always a good choice.

                              • January 10, 2017 at 4:25 am
                              Janner
                              Participant

                                Don't change any future plans yet – you don't know enough at this point to even have a discussion.  Clark's Level III is an outdated method of describing a melanoma lesion.  You need to know Breslow Depth, mitotic rate, ulceration.  GET A COPY OF YOUR PATHOLOGY REPORT tomorrow.  Only then we can be of any real help.  We have to know the real facts and not operate on speculation.

                                Needle biopsy is not part of this conversation.  There are no protocols that include 'needle" anything at your stage in the journey.  And if there is, you should see a different doctor.  You will be offered a WLE (wide local excision).  You may be offered a SNB (sentinel node biopsy) based up the depth of your lesion.  Do NOT make any life plans at this time — I was diagnosed with a stage 1b melanoma at age 29 and 25 years later, I'm still stage 1b. 

                                Get a copy of your pathology report.  We're happy to help but we need to see that path report to respond in a useful method.  By the way, Clark's Level III is better than Clark's Level IV or V.  Have hope and good luck tomorrow.  2nd opinions are always a good choice.

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