New here — just had my 5th Excision for melanomas
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New here — just had my 5th Excision for melanomas

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › New here — just had my 5th Excision for melanomas

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    • June 21, 2018 at 9:16 pm
    Nozland
    Participant

      Hi.  I am new to this board.  I feel a little nervous lately.  I just had two stage II melanomas excised off my right leg.  My poor right leg feels picked on. 

      Last year I had a melanoma excised off my lower leg, shortly after I had that cut out, the docs at the Mayo dx myxofibrosaroma (cancer in the soft tissue of my lower right leg).  I went through chemo until Feb of this year, then, finally decided to have my lower leg amputated.  I was just getting ready to be fitted for my prosthetic when the dermatologist founed 2 more moles on that leg.  One located on my inner knee, so, I have to wait a couple more weeks before I can start to learn to walk.  I had a brain scan as a follow up and they found a 5 mm white spot — undetermined (either a stroke? or brain metatesas).  

      So, when I had the surgeries this week, the doctor told me that I have a 98-99% chance to be cured because the melanomas were not to deep.  That great, but, I wonder if my 3 cancers are connected and what about the brain spot?  (My 3rd was an atypical fibrous histiocytoma).  The docs at the Mayo are going to staff my case.

      Is having had had 5 melanomas a lot or not?  Should I be worried?

       

      I am looking for support…

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        • June 21, 2018 at 9:26 pm
        Janner
        Participant

          First question, how deep were the 5 melanomas?  You say stage II but could they have been "level II"?  Often confused but mean two entirely different things.  Level II is likely better prognosis than stage II.  Do you have the pathology reports?  Depending upon the actual depth of your primaries, we couldn't comment on the brain spot.  Melanoma can definitely travel to the drain but again, likelihood is more dependent on how deep all of your lesions were.

          Is it common to have 5 melanoma primaries?  No.  About 10% of the melanoma warriors have multiple primaries and 5 is considered quite a few.  I will say that those with multiple primaries have a higher likelihood of having some genetic defect.  I have a genetic defect CDKN2A that puts me at a very high risk of getting more.  If you were to have an actual defect, there are times when those defects can put you at high risk for other types of cancer.  I can't say that either cancer you mention is something I've heard of in conjunction with my particular defect.

          One thing studied in Austrailia said that those with multiple primaries actually had better survival rates.  So take the positives!

            • June 22, 2018 at 1:55 am
            AMcReader
            Participant

              Hi Janner, The Australian study you mention really interests me. I’ve had 4 primaries (my first was a Clark’s Level 4 in 1994 when I was 8, the remaining three were all Breslow depth 0-1 and occurred between 2010-2014) but have now progressed to Stage 4. Did the study look at survival even after progression? Would you be able to share the name of the study? I’d love to read it.

              Thanks for always sharing such good and interesting information. Since progressing in March I feel like I’ve taken a medical crash course and you are one of the posters I’m always following for good, current information! Your posts are so helpful.

              • June 22, 2018 at 5:06 am
              Nozland
              Participant

                Hi..the last two on my right leg were both:

                Clarks II, .03 in Bresliw thickness (pt1a)

                • June 22, 2018 at 12:54 pm
                Janner
                Participant

                  So those are basically the same as in situ and extremely unlikely to spread to the brain.  They are stage 1a, not stage 2 lesions.  Clarks Level II is the level of skin invaded, but it isn't the same as the stage.   These are extremely low risk lesions.

                  But what about the first 3?  You have to consider all your primaries when you talk about distant metastasis and even if they were not the most recent, if they were deeper they have the chance to cause you harm at a later date.

                  • June 22, 2018 at 10:36 pm
                  Nozland
                  Participant

                    My first one was in 1991.  It was on my back.  I will have to seek my medical records from that Doctor.  I lost a huge chunk of my back.  I don't mean to be naive.  I have just had a lot going on in my body -I'm trying to connect the dots,  thanks for your willingness to share.

                     

                    • June 25, 2018 at 1:37 am
                    Janner
                    Participant

                      You're like me, my first one was in 1992.  About the two most recent primaries – maybe the chemo itself inhibited your immune system enough to allow two new ones to grow.  Melanoma is very tied to the immune system.  People who have organ transplants who take immunosuppressant drugs are at higher risk for melanoma.  So maybe the chemo affected you in a similar way.  No way to know for certain, but it was a thought.

                      • June 22, 2018 at 12:58 pm
                      Janner
                      Participant

                        Unfortunately, I don't have a link to this study.  My doc years ago mentioned it in conjunction to our search for additional primaries.  I found a link to it at one time but don't seem to see it now.  I don't actually remember if it discussed after progression because I was looking at it from a stage 1 standpoint.  Sorry I couldn't be more help.

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