Scared and terrified wife — Husband dx’d with melanoma superficial spreading Breslows Dept 1.20

No worries, Jen!  We've all been where you are and waiting is the hardest!  I also think waiting is the hardest for caregivers.  We all go a little crazy and as much as I'd like to say it gets easier… I haven't found this to be true.  I find that I just have to hang in there.

To give you a quick-ish update on where the world of Melanoma Treatment is at take a look at Bubble's  primer for melanoma treatment. It will get you up to speed quickly.

https://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/2017/08/melanoma-intel-primer-for-current.html

This should help you be a little more prepared for your Onc appointment.  Maybe.  

A LOT has changed recently in the melanoma treatment world, so be careful with reading internet stats and what nots.  Many of them are old, and most of them don't (yet) include the new game changing, life saving treatments that are now available.  Bubbles (here on this board) is one of our best resident researchers, so check out her blog for all things melanoma research (and sewing and travel, too) You can trust her blog to be recent and can find it here: https://chaoticallypreciselifeloveandmelanoma.blogspot.com/.

Probably the best advice here is to make sure your husband is seeing a melanoma specialist– someone who treats A LOT of melanoma.  The treatment world is changing rapidly and it's hard for a general oncologist to keep up.  

Hang in there and if you have any questions post again.  There are many knowledgeable and caring people here on this board.

Shalom!

Julie

Okay.  First and foremost, take a deeeep breath.  (My husband is the patient as well, so I know what you are feeling.)  The pathology report isn't great, but it isn't all that bad, either.  The mitotic rate at 0 is good.  However, since the depth is greater than 1.0mm, treatment gets just a bit more involved.  Your husband will need a SLNB (sentinel lymph node biopsy) and a WLE (wide local excision).  The doctors want to test the nearest lymph node in the drainage path to see if any melanoma cells have worked their way into the lymph system.  If so, your husband will be considered Stage 3.  If not, he will still be at Stage 2.  The wide local excision is where they will go back in and take a fairly large area surrounding the original lesion in order to make sure that all cells are gone.  

If he stays at Stage 2, no other treatment or tests are needed.  No imaging, no blood work.  He will probaly be told to see the dermatologist every three months for a year, then every six months for a year, then back to yearly skin checks.  If he is determined to be at Stage 3, things get a little more complicated.  That's when you really need to be seeing a melanoma specialist (not just a general oncologist).

But let's not jump the gun!  There are LOTS of folks on this board who have had a lesion deeper than 1.0mm and the SLNB was negative.  Other than just being diligent about skin checks (which we should all be doing), life goes on as normal.  Actually, I'm surprised that you were referred to an oncologist … many times the SLNB and WLE are performed by a plastic surgeon or a general surgeon.  

Hang in there — chances are that this is just a small blip in your life and it will all be behind you soon!

Also a 1b here from Memphis area…Hi there neighbor!  I was also going to suggest  the Vanderbilt Center.   I considered that direction until I found my specialist here in Memphis.  Unfortunately, I had a WLE performed by my derm THEN consulted the specialist…the more I read online, the greater the anxiety at first.   My depth was only .44 so I was advised no SLNB.  Which is par for the course except I had focal ulceration.  The specialist I consulted would have advised a SLNB had he done the WLE due to the ulceration….just his opinion there are many who would still lean on the depth as the deciding factor. So he has my lymph nodes behind my knee and groin area ckd via ultra sound every 3 months and will for 3 yrs.

The anxiety and fear of the unknown is very very hard.  It took me out for about 3 months.  Then I decided that I cannot control this.  It is what it is.  Just have to give it to God, fight whatever battle may come my way and have some faith.   He may very well remain a 1b forever.   I had a very close friend ask me when I was going thru my darkest days when first diagnosed…"Has anyone told you that you have terminal cancer?"   My answer was no.  She said, "then you focus on the blessings you do have and not the fear of what you don't."   Get it???  She should know.  Her husband is stage IV esophageal cancer and he lives his life every day. 

Many prayers to you and your husband.  If you need a Memphis connection, send me a message.