help understanding

He is currently "stage II".  Staging won't be complete until after lymph nodes are checked.  4mm thick is significant.  It is not a death sentence, but it is not in situ with a rosy prognosis.  Did the pathology state the type of melanoma?  Is "Acral" listed anywhere?  Acral melanoma is often found on the hands and feet and is a rarer form of melanoma.

He should be having a SNB (sentinel node biopsy) followed by a WLE (wide local excision).  You say "3 punch biopsy" but I'm not sure what you mean.  He should be having a WLE with 2cm margins.  This is significant tissue removal and could impact his ability to walk at least for a while.  Getting good margins is important.   Not a lot can really be researched until you have the SNB results.  It's hard to guess about things but getting the final staging is important. THEN the research becomes useful because you know exactly where he stands.

Feel free to ask any questions you have here about your research, but know things are still in a bit of "flux" until the staging is complete.. 

He is currently "stage II".  Staging won't be complete until after lymph nodes are checked.  4mm thick is significant.  It is not a death sentence, but it is not in situ with a rosy prognosis.  Did the pathology state the type of melanoma?  Is "Acral" listed anywhere?  Acral melanoma is often found on the hands and feet and is a rarer form of melanoma.

He should be having a SNB (sentinel node biopsy) followed by a WLE (wide local excision).  You say "3 punch biopsy" but I'm not sure what you mean.  He should be having a WLE with 2cm margins.  This is significant tissue removal and could impact his ability to walk at least for a while.  Getting good margins is important.   Not a lot can really be researched until you have the SNB results.  It's hard to guess about things but getting the final staging is important. THEN the research becomes useful because you know exactly where he stands.

Feel free to ask any questions you have here about your research, but know things are still in a bit of "flux" until the staging is complete.. 

He is currently "stage II".  Staging won't be complete until after lymph nodes are checked.  4mm thick is significant.  It is not a death sentence, but it is not in situ with a rosy prognosis.  Did the pathology state the type of melanoma?  Is "Acral" listed anywhere?  Acral melanoma is often found on the hands and feet and is a rarer form of melanoma.

He should be having a SNB (sentinel node biopsy) followed by a WLE (wide local excision).  You say "3 punch biopsy" but I'm not sure what you mean.  He should be having a WLE with 2cm margins.  This is significant tissue removal and could impact his ability to walk at least for a while.  Getting good margins is important.   Not a lot can really be researched until you have the SNB results.  It's hard to guess about things but getting the final staging is important. THEN the research becomes useful because you know exactly where he stands.

Feel free to ask any questions you have here about your research, but know things are still in a bit of "flux" until the staging is complete.. 

NO! NO! NO!   This is not a death sentence.   Not any more than the fact that from the day we are born we are on our path to our demise.   I hope that such a diagnosis was not really spoken by any of your father's doctors.

In the usuall course of events for detection of melanoma after the initial biopsy detects that it is melanoma, a further Wide Local Excision (WLE) is done to clear the biopsy site of any remaining melanoma cells.  Often this WLE is done right after a Sentinal Node Biopsy (SNB) where they put in dye to detect which lymph node basin this biopsy location would drain to, to see if there is any melanoma detected in the sentinal node of the lymph nodes (this would most likely be the basin in the groin area).    I hope you just misunderstood them saying a "3 punch biopsy", that perhaps they were describing the size of the WLE on the foot.

Waiting is a  part of this process that causes anxiety, because you have time to think and wonder and research and find frightening information that might be too difficult to understand.   Your dad will ahve to wait for further pathology reports on the WLE and the SNB.   After THAT, it will be determined what his next course of action will be, IF any is even necessary.

I hope someone else replies to your post (weekends can be slow) and analyzes the pathology report.  

I see that you are sixteen years old.   What a smart daughter you are to research for your Dad.   I am hoping that your Dad is also on top of this situation he is in.    Some people here will question if your dad is seeing a melanoma specialist.   I hope, that at the least, your Dad is going to a surgeon who is familiar with melanoma removal processes, that he is going to a bigger medical facility.

One step at a time.   Time:  he's the bugger in this deal now, the waiting for the outcome, the worry and wondering.  Once again I want to say to you:  this is NOT a death sentence.   It is NOT.    Try to breathe deep and try very hard not to research too much.   When I found out I had melanoma, my doctor's nurse wanted to come to my house and unplug my computer because I had myself worked up so terribly.    Maybe this is too soon to be looking up too much.  

 I am happy you found this place.   There are very good people here, SURVIVING, LIVING with melanoma, who share their vast knowledge and experiences.   See those key words:  surviving and living!   I am, at Stage III for seven years!

CarolA    

NO! NO! NO!   This is not a death sentence.   Not any more than the fact that from the day we are born we are on our path to our demise.   I hope that such a diagnosis was not really spoken by any of your father's doctors.

In the usuall course of events for detection of melanoma after the initial biopsy detects that it is melanoma, a further Wide Local Excision (WLE) is done to clear the biopsy site of any remaining melanoma cells.  Often this WLE is done right after a Sentinal Node Biopsy (SNB) where they put in dye to detect which lymph node basin this biopsy location would drain to, to see if there is any melanoma detected in the sentinal node of the lymph nodes (this would most likely be the basin in the groin area).    I hope you just misunderstood them saying a "3 punch biopsy", that perhaps they were describing the size of the WLE on the foot.

Waiting is a  part of this process that causes anxiety, because you have time to think and wonder and research and find frightening information that might be too difficult to understand.   Your dad will ahve to wait for further pathology reports on the WLE and the SNB.   After THAT, it will be determined what his next course of action will be, IF any is even necessary.

I hope someone else replies to your post (weekends can be slow) and analyzes the pathology report.  

I see that you are sixteen years old.   What a smart daughter you are to research for your Dad.   I am hoping that your Dad is also on top of this situation he is in.    Some people here will question if your dad is seeing a melanoma specialist.   I hope, that at the least, your Dad is going to a surgeon who is familiar with melanoma removal processes, that he is going to a bigger medical facility.

One step at a time.   Time:  he's the bugger in this deal now, the waiting for the outcome, the worry and wondering.  Once again I want to say to you:  this is NOT a death sentence.   It is NOT.    Try to breathe deep and try very hard not to research too much.   When I found out I had melanoma, my doctor's nurse wanted to come to my house and unplug my computer because I had myself worked up so terribly.    Maybe this is too soon to be looking up too much.  

 I am happy you found this place.   There are very good people here, SURVIVING, LIVING with melanoma, who share their vast knowledge and experiences.   See those key words:  surviving and living!   I am, at Stage III for seven years!

CarolA    

NO! NO! NO!   This is not a death sentence.   Not any more than the fact that from the day we are born we are on our path to our demise.   I hope that such a diagnosis was not really spoken by any of your father's doctors.

In the usuall course of events for detection of melanoma after the initial biopsy detects that it is melanoma, a further Wide Local Excision (WLE) is done to clear the biopsy site of any remaining melanoma cells.  Often this WLE is done right after a Sentinal Node Biopsy (SNB) where they put in dye to detect which lymph node basin this biopsy location would drain to, to see if there is any melanoma detected in the sentinal node of the lymph nodes (this would most likely be the basin in the groin area).    I hope you just misunderstood them saying a "3 punch biopsy", that perhaps they were describing the size of the WLE on the foot.

Waiting is a  part of this process that causes anxiety, because you have time to think and wonder and research and find frightening information that might be too difficult to understand.   Your dad will ahve to wait for further pathology reports on the WLE and the SNB.   After THAT, it will be determined what his next course of action will be, IF any is even necessary.

I hope someone else replies to your post (weekends can be slow) and analyzes the pathology report.  

I see that you are sixteen years old.   What a smart daughter you are to research for your Dad.   I am hoping that your Dad is also on top of this situation he is in.    Some people here will question if your dad is seeing a melanoma specialist.   I hope, that at the least, your Dad is going to a surgeon who is familiar with melanoma removal processes, that he is going to a bigger medical facility.

One step at a time.   Time:  he's the bugger in this deal now, the waiting for the outcome, the worry and wondering.  Once again I want to say to you:  this is NOT a death sentence.   It is NOT.    Try to breathe deep and try very hard not to research too much.   When I found out I had melanoma, my doctor's nurse wanted to come to my house and unplug my computer because I had myself worked up so terribly.    Maybe this is too soon to be looking up too much.  

 I am happy you found this place.   There are very good people here, SURVIVING, LIVING with melanoma, who share their vast knowledge and experiences.   See those key words:  surviving and living!   I am, at Stage III for seven years!

CarolA    

Hi,

I'm sorry to read that you're all going through this.

The surgeon did the right thing by sending the actual mole out to be biopsied. What scares me is that the primary doctor did not. There are others on this board who can better tell you what the pathology report means. If it was showing horizontal and vertical growth, it's a good thing he had it removed. The surgeon is taking a more aggressive approach and that's not a bad thing when it comes to any kind of cancer.

The lymph node dissection will tell you if there's any lymph node involvement.

What I would do is seek out a melanoma center/clinic near you and have your dad head there for an opinion, especially if he needs further follow ups. Melanoma specialists are going to be the most up to date on all treatments available.

After my diagnosis I had a really horrible first visit with a dermatologist at a major melanoma center. I left his office feeling like I'd been given a death sentence. When I saw the surgeon afterwards, I was a complete basket case and not able to absorb any of the positive things she told me to focus on. Later I learned that the dermatologist just had a horrible bedside manner. And, you will meet people like that dermatologist. As difficult as that is, you can't let them get to you. Other cancer patients have told me similar stories: there's always seems to be "one" doctor whose personality just rubs you the wrong way.

One of the most important things I learned about melanoma on this board is that you've been given a diagnosis, not a death sentence. If that little piece of information had only reached my ears sooner, I would have been able to cope much better after that dermatologist visit.

Hi,

I'm sorry to read that you're all going through this.

The surgeon did the right thing by sending the actual mole out to be biopsied. What scares me is that the primary doctor did not. There are others on this board who can better tell you what the pathology report means. If it was showing horizontal and vertical growth, it's a good thing he had it removed. The surgeon is taking a more aggressive approach and that's not a bad thing when it comes to any kind of cancer.

The lymph node dissection will tell you if there's any lymph node involvement.

What I would do is seek out a melanoma center/clinic near you and have your dad head there for an opinion, especially if he needs further follow ups. Melanoma specialists are going to be the most up to date on all treatments available.

After my diagnosis I had a really horrible first visit with a dermatologist at a major melanoma center. I left his office feeling like I'd been given a death sentence. When I saw the surgeon afterwards, I was a complete basket case and not able to absorb any of the positive things she told me to focus on. Later I learned that the dermatologist just had a horrible bedside manner. And, you will meet people like that dermatologist. As difficult as that is, you can't let them get to you. Other cancer patients have told me similar stories: there's always seems to be "one" doctor whose personality just rubs you the wrong way.

One of the most important things I learned about melanoma on this board is that you've been given a diagnosis, not a death sentence. If that little piece of information had only reached my ears sooner, I would have been able to cope much better after that dermatologist visit.

Hi,

I'm sorry to read that you're all going through this.

The surgeon did the right thing by sending the actual mole out to be biopsied. What scares me is that the primary doctor did not. There are others on this board who can better tell you what the pathology report means. If it was showing horizontal and vertical growth, it's a good thing he had it removed. The surgeon is taking a more aggressive approach and that's not a bad thing when it comes to any kind of cancer.

The lymph node dissection will tell you if there's any lymph node involvement.

What I would do is seek out a melanoma center/clinic near you and have your dad head there for an opinion, especially if he needs further follow ups. Melanoma specialists are going to be the most up to date on all treatments available.

After my diagnosis I had a really horrible first visit with a dermatologist at a major melanoma center. I left his office feeling like I'd been given a death sentence. When I saw the surgeon afterwards, I was a complete basket case and not able to absorb any of the positive things she told me to focus on. Later I learned that the dermatologist just had a horrible bedside manner. And, you will meet people like that dermatologist. As difficult as that is, you can't let them get to you. Other cancer patients have told me similar stories: there's always seems to be "one" doctor whose personality just rubs you the wrong way.

One of the most important things I learned about melanoma on this board is that you've been given a diagnosis, not a death sentence. If that little piece of information had only reached my ears sooner, I would have been able to cope much better after that dermatologist visit.

Hi!

Why melanoma thickness is in cm in this report ,not in mm?????

I had the same pathology report – Breslow 0.2cm.

Of course ,I decided it is 2 mm.

Something was wrong ,I asked for second pathology in another hospital,came out as 0.2 mm and it was typing mistake in first pathology.

They NEVER give thickness in cm.

Hi!

Why melanoma thickness is in cm in this report ,not in mm?????

I had the same pathology report – Breslow 0.2cm.

Of course ,I decided it is 2 mm.

Something was wrong ,I asked for second pathology in another hospital,came out as 0.2 mm and it was typing mistake in first pathology.

They NEVER give thickness in cm.

Hi!

Why melanoma thickness is in cm in this report ,not in mm?????

I had the same pathology report – Breslow 0.2cm.

Of course ,I decided it is 2 mm.

Something was wrong ,I asked for second pathology in another hospital,came out as 0.2 mm and it was typing mistake in first pathology.

They NEVER give thickness in cm.