› Forums › General Melanoma Community › pregnancy and melanoma
- This topic has 15 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 3 months ago by
yunielth.
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- May 29, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Hello!!!
My sister was diagnosed with melanoma stage 1a (Breslow 0.6 clark III mitosis <1) at the end of 2014. So far everything seems to be ok. She might be planning to have a baby, but I read once that it is inadvisable, someone can give me some information about this. I still do not want to tell her anything about a possible risk, because for her the melanoma is part of her past, and I do not want to scare her. Someone can advise me what should I do and the risk of getting pregnant? Thank you very much.
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- May 29, 2016 at 8:02 pm
The topic of melanoma and pregnancy has been debated for a long time, whether getting pregnant soon after a melanoma diagnosis would cause a recurrence or whether getting pregnant while having melanoma would cause things to progess more quickly. I believe studies have been done to show that there is not much difference, but I have been told to wait about 2-3 years after diagnosis before trying. I think that may have been for later stage, 3 or 4. She should consult her dermatologist, get their opinion on the idea. My thought is that she had a low stage and it's been almost 2 years, she should be ok to get pregnant. She will just need to keep an eye on any existing moles, things to tend to change a lot when someone is pregnant, so she'd want to inform her dermatologist and probably get regular skin checks throughout pregnancy just to be safe and on top of things.
We never fully move past melanoma once it's diagnosed, early or late stage, we're always much more aware of new or changing skin lesions, which helps us to catch anything early if needed. I am sure she's the same way. Hope all the best for her and her future family 🙂
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- May 29, 2016 at 8:02 pm
The topic of melanoma and pregnancy has been debated for a long time, whether getting pregnant soon after a melanoma diagnosis would cause a recurrence or whether getting pregnant while having melanoma would cause things to progess more quickly. I believe studies have been done to show that there is not much difference, but I have been told to wait about 2-3 years after diagnosis before trying. I think that may have been for later stage, 3 or 4. She should consult her dermatologist, get their opinion on the idea. My thought is that she had a low stage and it's been almost 2 years, she should be ok to get pregnant. She will just need to keep an eye on any existing moles, things to tend to change a lot when someone is pregnant, so she'd want to inform her dermatologist and probably get regular skin checks throughout pregnancy just to be safe and on top of things.
We never fully move past melanoma once it's diagnosed, early or late stage, we're always much more aware of new or changing skin lesions, which helps us to catch anything early if needed. I am sure she's the same way. Hope all the best for her and her future family 🙂
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- May 29, 2016 at 8:02 pm
The topic of melanoma and pregnancy has been debated for a long time, whether getting pregnant soon after a melanoma diagnosis would cause a recurrence or whether getting pregnant while having melanoma would cause things to progess more quickly. I believe studies have been done to show that there is not much difference, but I have been told to wait about 2-3 years after diagnosis before trying. I think that may have been for later stage, 3 or 4. She should consult her dermatologist, get their opinion on the idea. My thought is that she had a low stage and it's been almost 2 years, she should be ok to get pregnant. She will just need to keep an eye on any existing moles, things to tend to change a lot when someone is pregnant, so she'd want to inform her dermatologist and probably get regular skin checks throughout pregnancy just to be safe and on top of things.
We never fully move past melanoma once it's diagnosed, early or late stage, we're always much more aware of new or changing skin lesions, which helps us to catch anything early if needed. I am sure she's the same way. Hope all the best for her and her future family 🙂
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- May 31, 2016 at 4:01 am
I was diagnosed stage Ib – Unulcerated mole on my left calf, Breslow thickness 1.95 – in August 2013 at age 29. My daughter was 8 months old. Margins, SLB, & PET were clear. I asked my derm, general oncologist, and OB if it was safe to get pregnant again, as it took us 3 years to have our first. Every doctor said yes.
In July 2014 I was 20 weeks along when I felt a lump in my left groin. Long story short, it was malignant melanoma. I opted not to do imaging beyond non-contrast MRIs and did not do treatment. I did have a lymph node dissection. Eight days after my son was born (December 2014), I found out my melanoma had spread to my liver, spine, and throughout my body.
This is my story. Everyone is different. I have done research since my son's birth and have read it is best to have 5 melanoma-free years before conceiving. I am now cancer-free, and although we previously planned on having four kiddos, I will not get pregnant again. (Maybe adoption/foster care after I am NED for five years.)
If you or your sister have questions, please feel free to contact me via email: [email protected].
Best of luck,
Ashley
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- May 31, 2016 at 8:17 am
Hello,
I also had a Stage 1a melanoma removed from my left shoulder this past fall when my daughter was then just turning two years old. I am currently monitored by a local dermatologist specializing in skin cancer and MDA who did my WLE. We had wanted to have one more child and didn't want to wait too long because of our age (I am almost 41 and my husband is 46). We also wanted our children to be fairly close together. My local dermatologist has told me to go ahead and have as many children as I wanted if that ultimately is going to affect our happiness as a family. On the other hand my surgical oncologist from MDA has taken a more conservative approach and told me we can discuss the topic again at my 1 year recheck. After reading all the stories about pregnancy and melanoma and knowing that mine likley evolved during or soon after pregnancy (I have photos of it when my daughter was a young baby) and the recent report about pregnancy and melanoma and how melanoma can be more aggressive during pregancy or soon after, we have decided to not have any other children. So we are one and done. The tragedy of not being able to see my daughter or a new baby grow up do to progression of melanoma was just a risk we are not willing to take. Obviously, your sister situation could be completely different, and I am just speaking from my perspective. I wish your family the best of luck in your decision as it is not an easy one to make.
Jen
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- May 31, 2016 at 8:17 am
Hello,
I also had a Stage 1a melanoma removed from my left shoulder this past fall when my daughter was then just turning two years old. I am currently monitored by a local dermatologist specializing in skin cancer and MDA who did my WLE. We had wanted to have one more child and didn't want to wait too long because of our age (I am almost 41 and my husband is 46). We also wanted our children to be fairly close together. My local dermatologist has told me to go ahead and have as many children as I wanted if that ultimately is going to affect our happiness as a family. On the other hand my surgical oncologist from MDA has taken a more conservative approach and told me we can discuss the topic again at my 1 year recheck. After reading all the stories about pregnancy and melanoma and knowing that mine likley evolved during or soon after pregnancy (I have photos of it when my daughter was a young baby) and the recent report about pregnancy and melanoma and how melanoma can be more aggressive during pregancy or soon after, we have decided to not have any other children. So we are one and done. The tragedy of not being able to see my daughter or a new baby grow up do to progression of melanoma was just a risk we are not willing to take. Obviously, your sister situation could be completely different, and I am just speaking from my perspective. I wish your family the best of luck in your decision as it is not an easy one to make.
Jen
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- May 31, 2016 at 8:17 am
Hello,
I also had a Stage 1a melanoma removed from my left shoulder this past fall when my daughter was then just turning two years old. I am currently monitored by a local dermatologist specializing in skin cancer and MDA who did my WLE. We had wanted to have one more child and didn't want to wait too long because of our age (I am almost 41 and my husband is 46). We also wanted our children to be fairly close together. My local dermatologist has told me to go ahead and have as many children as I wanted if that ultimately is going to affect our happiness as a family. On the other hand my surgical oncologist from MDA has taken a more conservative approach and told me we can discuss the topic again at my 1 year recheck. After reading all the stories about pregnancy and melanoma and knowing that mine likley evolved during or soon after pregnancy (I have photos of it when my daughter was a young baby) and the recent report about pregnancy and melanoma and how melanoma can be more aggressive during pregancy or soon after, we have decided to not have any other children. So we are one and done. The tragedy of not being able to see my daughter or a new baby grow up do to progression of melanoma was just a risk we are not willing to take. Obviously, your sister situation could be completely different, and I am just speaking from my perspective. I wish your family the best of luck in your decision as it is not an easy one to make.
Jen
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- May 31, 2016 at 4:01 am
I was diagnosed stage Ib – Unulcerated mole on my left calf, Breslow thickness 1.95 – in August 2013 at age 29. My daughter was 8 months old. Margins, SLB, & PET were clear. I asked my derm, general oncologist, and OB if it was safe to get pregnant again, as it took us 3 years to have our first. Every doctor said yes.
In July 2014 I was 20 weeks along when I felt a lump in my left groin. Long story short, it was malignant melanoma. I opted not to do imaging beyond non-contrast MRIs and did not do treatment. I did have a lymph node dissection. Eight days after my son was born (December 2014), I found out my melanoma had spread to my liver, spine, and throughout my body.
This is my story. Everyone is different. I have done research since my son's birth and have read it is best to have 5 melanoma-free years before conceiving. I am now cancer-free, and although we previously planned on having four kiddos, I will not get pregnant again. (Maybe adoption/foster care after I am NED for five years.)
If you or your sister have questions, please feel free to contact me via email: [email protected].
Best of luck,
Ashley
-
- May 31, 2016 at 4:01 am
I was diagnosed stage Ib – Unulcerated mole on my left calf, Breslow thickness 1.95 – in August 2013 at age 29. My daughter was 8 months old. Margins, SLB, & PET were clear. I asked my derm, general oncologist, and OB if it was safe to get pregnant again, as it took us 3 years to have our first. Every doctor said yes.
In July 2014 I was 20 weeks along when I felt a lump in my left groin. Long story short, it was malignant melanoma. I opted not to do imaging beyond non-contrast MRIs and did not do treatment. I did have a lymph node dissection. Eight days after my son was born (December 2014), I found out my melanoma had spread to my liver, spine, and throughout my body.
This is my story. Everyone is different. I have done research since my son's birth and have read it is best to have 5 melanoma-free years before conceiving. I am now cancer-free, and although we previously planned on having four kiddos, I will not get pregnant again. (Maybe adoption/foster care after I am NED for five years.)
If you or your sister have questions, please feel free to contact me via email: [email protected].
Best of luck,
Ashley
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