Jessmoon

You have come to the right spot. There are many caretakers like you on this website. I come on this website a few times a week…I don't post often but do feel connected to many people here.  My husband was diagnosed on 9/6/11 (the surgeon who removed the lesion on his leg said "I don't think it's anything, but I'll call tomorrow with the pathology results."  He told us the same thing you heard-we have to send it out for more tests.  We went away to a lake for Labor Day and received the dreadful call the following day).  Fortunately, my husband is the optimistic one of the two of us.  I have learned from him and from many others on this website that you must stay optimisitc.  You MUST enjoy every single day, every single moment.  We have a 2 year old little girl that keeps us motivated.  Stay positive for your husband and your two boys and know that there are many people available here to talk to. 

You have come to the right spot. There are many caretakers like you on this website. I come on this website a few times a week…I don't post often but do feel connected to many people here.  My husband was diagnosed on 9/6/11 (the surgeon who removed the lesion on his leg said "I don't think it's anything, but I'll call tomorrow with the pathology results."  He told us the same thing you heard-we have to send it out for more tests.  We went away to a lake for Labor Day and received the dreadful call the following day).  Fortunately, my husband is the optimistic one of the two of us.  I have learned from him and from many others on this website that you must stay optimisitc.  You MUST enjoy every single day, every single moment.  We have a 2 year old little girl that keeps us motivated.  Stay positive for your husband and your two boys and know that there are many people available here to talk to. 

You have come to the right spot. There are many caretakers like you on this website. I come on this website a few times a week…I don't post often but do feel connected to many people here.  My husband was diagnosed on 9/6/11 (the surgeon who removed the lesion on his leg said "I don't think it's anything, but I'll call tomorrow with the pathology results."  He told us the same thing you heard-we have to send it out for more tests.  We went away to a lake for Labor Day and received the dreadful call the following day).  Fortunately, my husband is the optimistic one of the two of us.  I have learned from him and from many others on this website that you must stay optimisitc.  You MUST enjoy every single day, every single moment.  We have a 2 year old little girl that keeps us motivated.  Stay positive for your husband and your two boys and know that there are many people available here to talk to. 

Josh,

I believe you contacted me this past fall after my husband was diagnosed with melanoma. He had a similar presentation.   He had a small lump on his leg that continued to grow so it was removed.  Three pathologists have diagnosed it as metastatic melanoma because there was no melanoma in the epidermal layer.  Our oncologist recommended Interferon Vs. Yervoy.  We chose to get a second opinion and went to Mayo Clinic.  The pathologist there confirmed the diagnosis (and has seen primary dermal melanoma in the past-he didn't think this was a primary dermal).  Mayo recommended starting Leukine.  My husband has been on Leukine since October and doing well.  Scans last month were normal. I did ask our oncologist what stage my husband is because he has not had any positive lymph nodes and since we don't know where the primary lesion is, he hasn't had new lesions pop up away from his primary which would indicate metastatic.  Unfortunately, he wasn't able to answer my question-Mayo Clinic didn't stage him either.  From the research i have done, with this type of presentation, he would be considered stage III.  Mayo indicated a 50% chance of recurrence so that is why we chose treatment.  He has had no side effects from the Leukine and is able to live a normal life. 

 

Jess

Josh,

I believe you contacted me this past fall after my husband was diagnosed with melanoma. He had a similar presentation.   He had a small lump on his leg that continued to grow so it was removed.  Three pathologists have diagnosed it as metastatic melanoma because there was no melanoma in the epidermal layer.  Our oncologist recommended Interferon Vs. Yervoy.  We chose to get a second opinion and went to Mayo Clinic.  The pathologist there confirmed the diagnosis (and has seen primary dermal melanoma in the past-he didn't think this was a primary dermal).  Mayo recommended starting Leukine.  My husband has been on Leukine since October and doing well.  Scans last month were normal. I did ask our oncologist what stage my husband is because he has not had any positive lymph nodes and since we don't know where the primary lesion is, he hasn't had new lesions pop up away from his primary which would indicate metastatic.  Unfortunately, he wasn't able to answer my question-Mayo Clinic didn't stage him either.  From the research i have done, with this type of presentation, he would be considered stage III.  Mayo indicated a 50% chance of recurrence so that is why we chose treatment.  He has had no side effects from the Leukine and is able to live a normal life. 

 

Jess

Josh,

I believe you contacted me this past fall after my husband was diagnosed with melanoma. He had a similar presentation.   He had a small lump on his leg that continued to grow so it was removed.  Three pathologists have diagnosed it as metastatic melanoma because there was no melanoma in the epidermal layer.  Our oncologist recommended Interferon Vs. Yervoy.  We chose to get a second opinion and went to Mayo Clinic.  The pathologist there confirmed the diagnosis (and has seen primary dermal melanoma in the past-he didn't think this was a primary dermal).  Mayo recommended starting Leukine.  My husband has been on Leukine since October and doing well.  Scans last month were normal. I did ask our oncologist what stage my husband is because he has not had any positive lymph nodes and since we don't know where the primary lesion is, he hasn't had new lesions pop up away from his primary which would indicate metastatic.  Unfortunately, he wasn't able to answer my question-Mayo Clinic didn't stage him either.  From the research i have done, with this type of presentation, he would be considered stage III.  Mayo indicated a 50% chance of recurrence so that is why we chose treatment.  He has had no side effects from the Leukine and is able to live a normal life. 

 

Jess

My husband, stage IIIc, just finished his first around of leukine. We had the option to choose interferon vs ipi trial but then got a second opinion from Mayo. it was interesting to hear the physician say that for 10 years he has not been using interferon because the studies have not shown it to extend lifespan and the side effects can be pretty difficult. We chose leukined because it would allow my husband to have a good quality of life with minimal side effects and because studies have shown that should a new lesion occur many a times it is localized to one location that can be surgically excised. Good luck…you just have to be confident in the decision you make and have no regrets.

My husband, stage IIIc, just finished his first around of leukine. We had the option to choose interferon vs ipi trial but then got a second opinion from Mayo. it was interesting to hear the physician say that for 10 years he has not been using interferon because the studies have not shown it to extend lifespan and the side effects can be pretty difficult. We chose leukined because it would allow my husband to have a good quality of life with minimal side effects and because studies have shown that should a new lesion occur many a times it is localized to one location that can be surgically excised. Good luck…you just have to be confident in the decision you make and have no regrets.

My husband, stage IIIc, just finished his first around of leukine. We had the option to choose interferon vs ipi trial but then got a second opinion from Mayo. it was interesting to hear the physician say that for 10 years he has not been using interferon because the studies have not shown it to extend lifespan and the side effects can be pretty difficult. We chose leukined because it would allow my husband to have a good quality of life with minimal side effects and because studies have shown that should a new lesion occur many a times it is localized to one location that can be surgically excised. Good luck…you just have to be confident in the decision you make and have no regrets.

It should be safe to have an MRI.  My husband has a wider excision of his intiial lesion completed on 9/14/11 and had an MRI of his brain on 9/22.  Sutures should not contain metal.

It should be safe to have an MRI.  My husband has a wider excision of his intiial lesion completed on 9/14/11 and had an MRI of his brain on 9/22.  Sutures should not contain metal.

It should be safe to have an MRI.  My husband has a wider excision of his intiial lesion completed on 9/14/11 and had an MRI of his brain on 9/22.  Sutures should not contain metal.

Josh,

 

Unfortunately I work in the medical field (I'm a nurse practitioner), so I know some things are never cut and dry. I remember our oncologist saying that we may go to 2 or 3 different oncologists and each one may have a different treatment plan.  It's even more difficult when it comes to Melanoma, because nobody really knows what the best treatment is.  Until 2011, there hadn't been any new medications approved to treat MM. 

 

Our oncologist mentioned that MM can spread through the lymph nodes or through the blood (veins/arteries).  He mentioned it is possible that my husband's MM started somewhere else, and traveled through his blood to his left shin.  Although cancer usually spreads from our feet to our head so possibly his primary was in his left foot…?  I was hopeful when we went to Mayo that the pathologist would indicate that he had primary dermal melanoma, because obviously the outcomes with that diagnosis are much better. I think it is very likely this is what you have based on your pathology report and the fact that your original oncologist diagnosed it as that. 

i believe the chance of recurrence does decrease with time.  My husband is going to have CT of chest and abdomen completed every 3 months for 2 years per Mayo's recommendation.  Unfortuantely, I have read many stories on this site where patients go years 5, 7, 10 years without recurrence and MM comes back.  I'm not sure I'll ever feel like we are in the clear.  I do not have his pathology report in front of me, but his lesion was approximately 6-8 mm large. 

Are you following the recommendations of the second specialist you saw?  How often will you have scans completed?

 

Jess

Josh,

 

Unfortunately I work in the medical field (I'm a nurse practitioner), so I know some things are never cut and dry. I remember our oncologist saying that we may go to 2 or 3 different oncologists and each one may have a different treatment plan.  It's even more difficult when it comes to Melanoma, because nobody really knows what the best treatment is.  Until 2011, there hadn't been any new medications approved to treat MM. 

 

Our oncologist mentioned that MM can spread through the lymph nodes or through the blood (veins/arteries).  He mentioned it is possible that my husband's MM started somewhere else, and traveled through his blood to his left shin.  Although cancer usually spreads from our feet to our head so possibly his primary was in his left foot…?  I was hopeful when we went to Mayo that the pathologist would indicate that he had primary dermal melanoma, because obviously the outcomes with that diagnosis are much better. I think it is very likely this is what you have based on your pathology report and the fact that your original oncologist diagnosed it as that. 

i believe the chance of recurrence does decrease with time.  My husband is going to have CT of chest and abdomen completed every 3 months for 2 years per Mayo's recommendation.  Unfortuantely, I have read many stories on this site where patients go years 5, 7, 10 years without recurrence and MM comes back.  I'm not sure I'll ever feel like we are in the clear.  I do not have his pathology report in front of me, but his lesion was approximately 6-8 mm large. 

Are you following the recommendations of the second specialist you saw?  How often will you have scans completed?

 

Jess

Josh,

 

Unfortunately I work in the medical field (I'm a nurse practitioner), so I know some things are never cut and dry. I remember our oncologist saying that we may go to 2 or 3 different oncologists and each one may have a different treatment plan.  It's even more difficult when it comes to Melanoma, because nobody really knows what the best treatment is.  Until 2011, there hadn't been any new medications approved to treat MM. 

 

Our oncologist mentioned that MM can spread through the lymph nodes or through the blood (veins/arteries).  He mentioned it is possible that my husband's MM started somewhere else, and traveled through his blood to his left shin.  Although cancer usually spreads from our feet to our head so possibly his primary was in his left foot…?  I was hopeful when we went to Mayo that the pathologist would indicate that he had primary dermal melanoma, because obviously the outcomes with that diagnosis are much better. I think it is very likely this is what you have based on your pathology report and the fact that your original oncologist diagnosed it as that. 

i believe the chance of recurrence does decrease with time.  My husband is going to have CT of chest and abdomen completed every 3 months for 2 years per Mayo's recommendation.  Unfortuantely, I have read many stories on this site where patients go years 5, 7, 10 years without recurrence and MM comes back.  I'm not sure I'll ever feel like we are in the clear.  I do not have his pathology report in front of me, but his lesion was approximately 6-8 mm large. 

Are you following the recommendations of the second specialist you saw?  How often will you have scans completed?

 

Jess