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Melanoma in situ – Question about follow up
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Melanoma in situ – Question about follow up

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Melanoma in situ – Question about follow up

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    • August 13, 2019 at 12:13 am
    MR505
    Participant
      Hello Everyone,

      I received the results of my biopsy today. I had a small mole removed on my wrist (about 5mm in diameter) and it came back with melanoma in situ. I understand that, short of the all clear, this is pretty good result. They want me to come back in for them to remove additional skin around the site however.

      My question is that in the biopsy, they did a shave removal and got pretty deep and quite wide around the mole. From anyone else’s experience, do you know why they want to go further? I’m a bit worried about the scarring (although not so much to not go through with it) given it’s in such a visible area.

      Thanks for the input anyone can share!

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    • Replies
        • August 13, 2019 at 12:36 am
        ed williams
        Participant
          If you go to the 2:45 min mark of following link, the expert explains why the margins are required. Second video just added more detail if you are interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrW4UdkCu8I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5rigMkaYys
          • August 13, 2019 at 1:13 pm
          Hukill
          Participant
            I am NED for 2 years last week after 57 treatments of the ipi/nivo combo and just nivo alone. In july I had a melanoma in situ on my arm. The biopsy had 1.5 mm clearance but the standard for in situ is .5 cm so I went back and had more removed. The scaring would be my last worry as you do not want to play with melanoma. If the scaring is bad just make up a good story to go with it. My first 2 melanomas were on my head, in situ on my forehead and stage 2b on my crown. The one on my crown I have a tennis ball size hole in my head, grandkids think I got shot in the forehead and exited in the back.
              • August 13, 2019 at 6:07 pm
              MR505
              Participant
                Thanks for the reply! I just want to be sure I’m clear on this, since I’m still learning, but I’m assuming your 57 treatments were not for melanoma in situ, right? From what the doctor told me, in situ means it was all contained in the mole itself. Just want to make sure my understanding is correct.

                Thanks for your help!

              • August 13, 2019 at 9:03 pm
              MelanomaMike
              Participant
                Hello Mr505, im MelanomaMike nice to meet you! Like Hukill just said, Scars should NOT even be on your Worry List, except if your a ” Hand Model??” Even still, that can be addressed at a later time by a plastic surgeon…
                Not sure if a “Punch” style biopsy would have been feasible due to the amount of Hand/wrist meat, that question is best for your doc or another MRF’r here…i think your in great shape Mr505, ill trade you my 7 Melanoma Battle Scars for your One wrist scar? Just teasing, youll be fine, keep us posted…
                  • August 16, 2019 at 5:56 am
                  MR505
                  Participant
                    As stuff has sunk in a bit more, I realize how not worried I am about scarring haha.

                    Thanks for the reassurance and best of luck!

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