› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Chances of melanoma in situ spreading?
- This topic has 12 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 8 months ago by
JerryfromFauq.
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- October 3, 2014 at 4:18 pm
Ok, this is going to be a long story, and probably confusing. I have been reading on these forums for a couple of weeks and everyone seems so kind and knowledgeable. I don't think my questions can really be answered, I think I just need to let some stuff out and see if anyone has had a similar situation.
A couple of months ago I noticed that I had a swollen lymph node under my left ear. I wasn't too worried about it because I had been really tired and getting dizzy spells so I figured I just had some type of virus. After a couple of weeks it was still there and I was still feeling feeling sleepy I made a drs appt. It had been awhile since I had a general check up so I made an appointment with a new doctor. I go to the gynecologist yearly, but can't remember the last time I went to a gp.Anyhow, while I was there I showed her a mole on my right forearm that was really odd looking. Over the summer it had developed a black spot. I also showed her a large bump on my left shoulder. She said it was a cyst but did not want to do anything until a dermatologist looked at it. She confirmed that it was a swollen lymph node under my ear but wasn't to worried about it. I also told her about a fibroadenoma in my left breast that my gynecologist had found about a year and a half a ago. At the time that my Gyno had found the lump I was also having clear nipple discharge. So my Gyno sent me for diagnostic ultrasound and mammogram and had bloodwork to check my prolactin levels. My prolactin levels came back normal. They said the lump was a fibroadenoma and that the discharge was physiological. I have had to go to the breast health center twice for them to check for changes and if no more changes at next appt I won't have to go back. I still have the nipple discharge.After telling my gp about the boob situation she had no idea why my hormone levels weren't checked. So she ordered some bloodwork and referred me to a derm about the mole and cyst. I made an appt for the following week. All of my bloodwork came back normal.At the dermatologist appt she removed the mole and wanted me to get the cyst removed asap. So they set up an appt for two weeks later for excision. A week later she called back with biopsy results from the mole and it was melanoma in situ. So she set up an appointment for me to get wle on forearm at the same time they removed the cyst. She also had me come in for a full body scan.So this past Monday I had a full body scan and she removed a suspicious mole from the right side of my face. Then later in the afternoon I had wle and cyst removed. After the cyst was removed I asked to see it. It was huge, about the size of an eyeball and white. They prescribed antibiotics and sent me on my way. The cyst was weird, but I never was worried about it.i noticed it about 8 years ago. It was tiny at first, about the size of a bebe on left shoulder. It ended up growing to about half the size of a golf ball and had a head so my old dr had drained it. It went down and just felt like scar tissue. Fast forward to this summer, it came back but was under the skin and solid.So now I am waiting on lab results from biopsy on right side of face, wle on right forearm and cyst on left shoulder. I thought maybe the antibiotics would have made the lymph node better if it was from a virus, but it still there and rock solid.I wasn't too worried until last night. I woke up with a feeling of dread that the mole, the cyst, the lump in breast and the swollen lymph node are all related. I know worrying won't change the outcome of anything, but I am really curious if it is possible for all of these things to be related. The mole was just melanoma in situ, but is it possible for it to spread? I am hoping to hear from my dr today, but I know it will be a good chance that I won't hear a thing till Monday. I hope I am just a lumpy person!
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- October 3, 2014 at 4:34 pm
I just reread my post and realized my original question on topic doesn't make sense after reading the story. I forgot to put more info on the actual mole. I first noticed the mole(more like a large ugly freckle) about 6 years ago but I ignored because it was flat, I thought cancerous moles had to be raised, but know I know that I was wrong:( it started out as a small freckle but ended up larger than a pencil eraser. The black spot appeared over the summer and was raised which is why I pointed it out to dr.
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- October 3, 2014 at 4:34 pm
I just reread my post and realized my original question on topic doesn't make sense after reading the story. I forgot to put more info on the actual mole. I first noticed the mole(more like a large ugly freckle) about 6 years ago but I ignored because it was flat, I thought cancerous moles had to be raised, but know I know that I was wrong:( it started out as a small freckle but ended up larger than a pencil eraser. The black spot appeared over the summer and was raised which is why I pointed it out to dr.
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- October 3, 2014 at 4:34 pm
I just reread my post and realized my original question on topic doesn't make sense after reading the story. I forgot to put more info on the actual mole. I first noticed the mole(more like a large ugly freckle) about 6 years ago but I ignored because it was flat, I thought cancerous moles had to be raised, but know I know that I was wrong:( it started out as a small freckle but ended up larger than a pencil eraser. The black spot appeared over the summer and was raised which is why I pointed it out to dr.
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- October 3, 2014 at 5:29 pm
Is it possibly for melanoma in situ to spread? Yes. But it's about as close to a 100% cure as you can get. Nothing is 100%, but the likelihood is extremely small.
Your lymph node in your neck sounds like a reactive node. It is a node that swells for some reason, then never returns to normal size. Reactive nodes are benign and common.
The cyst and the melanoma in situ are not related. If you were to have a lymph node enlarge for the melanoma, you should be checking your armpit, not neck. You do know that neck nodes swell more often than any other nodes. As for the breast lump/discharge, it's the curse of being a woman. I've had breast lumps (I have fibrocystic breasts). I've had breast biopsies and ultrasounds and not once did I ever think that melanoma was the issue. (Stage I – 3 primaries). It's far more likely to be benign or BC than melanoma spreading.
Sometimes, you just have to look at the most obvious causes — and in this case — melanoma isn't really the likely culprit. Sorry you're dealing with all these issues, but really — I don't think melanoma can be blamed for anything more than your in situ WLE.
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- October 3, 2014 at 5:29 pm
Is it possibly for melanoma in situ to spread? Yes. But it's about as close to a 100% cure as you can get. Nothing is 100%, but the likelihood is extremely small.
Your lymph node in your neck sounds like a reactive node. It is a node that swells for some reason, then never returns to normal size. Reactive nodes are benign and common.
The cyst and the melanoma in situ are not related. If you were to have a lymph node enlarge for the melanoma, you should be checking your armpit, not neck. You do know that neck nodes swell more often than any other nodes. As for the breast lump/discharge, it's the curse of being a woman. I've had breast lumps (I have fibrocystic breasts). I've had breast biopsies and ultrasounds and not once did I ever think that melanoma was the issue. (Stage I – 3 primaries). It's far more likely to be benign or BC than melanoma spreading.
Sometimes, you just have to look at the most obvious causes — and in this case — melanoma isn't really the likely culprit. Sorry you're dealing with all these issues, but really — I don't think melanoma can be blamed for anything more than your in situ WLE.
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- October 3, 2014 at 5:29 pm
Is it possibly for melanoma in situ to spread? Yes. But it's about as close to a 100% cure as you can get. Nothing is 100%, but the likelihood is extremely small.
Your lymph node in your neck sounds like a reactive node. It is a node that swells for some reason, then never returns to normal size. Reactive nodes are benign and common.
The cyst and the melanoma in situ are not related. If you were to have a lymph node enlarge for the melanoma, you should be checking your armpit, not neck. You do know that neck nodes swell more often than any other nodes. As for the breast lump/discharge, it's the curse of being a woman. I've had breast lumps (I have fibrocystic breasts). I've had breast biopsies and ultrasounds and not once did I ever think that melanoma was the issue. (Stage I – 3 primaries). It's far more likely to be benign or BC than melanoma spreading.
Sometimes, you just have to look at the most obvious causes — and in this case — melanoma isn't really the likely culprit. Sorry you're dealing with all these issues, but really — I don't think melanoma can be blamed for anything more than your in situ WLE.
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- October 3, 2014 at 6:22 pm
Thank you so much for your response. I know my post was a little manic and confusing! I am not sure why it popped in my head that could it all be related, probably just nerves getting the best of me. You helped me look at the situation differently, now I am not so worried☺️
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- October 3, 2014 at 6:22 pm
Thank you so much for your response. I know my post was a little manic and confusing! I am not sure why it popped in my head that could it all be related, probably just nerves getting the best of me. You helped me look at the situation differently, now I am not so worried☺️
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- October 3, 2014 at 6:22 pm
Thank you so much for your response. I know my post was a little manic and confusing! I am not sure why it popped in my head that could it all be related, probably just nerves getting the best of me. You helped me look at the situation differently, now I am not so worried☺️
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- October 3, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Why did the thught of a relationship jump to the forfront of your mind? Becauswe the word Melanoma was involved. You aare not alone in having this happen. (Just might mean tha you are "normal".
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- October 3, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Why did the thught of a relationship jump to the forfront of your mind? Becauswe the word Melanoma was involved. You aare not alone in having this happen. (Just might mean tha you are "normal".
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- October 3, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Why did the thught of a relationship jump to the forfront of your mind? Becauswe the word Melanoma was involved. You aare not alone in having this happen. (Just might mean tha you are "normal".
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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