Would You Help Me

I am interested in finding out what everyone's melanoma looked like when it was first discovered.  I have read about the basics of how it might look (irregular borders, two different colors, changing) but am wondering what your particular melanomas looked like.  I have a young son and melanoma is in our family (I had melanoma myself).  I want to educate him (and myself) about the many different ways it can look so I am asking for your feedback.  I greatly appreciate your help. The more details you can give me, the better.

 

 

On 12/29/2006 Gingingin wrote:

I am interested in finding out what everyone's melanoma looked like when it was first discovered.  I have read about the basics of how it might look (irregular borders, two different colors, changing) but am wondering what your particular melanomas looked like.  I have a young son and melanoma is in our family (I had melanoma myself).  I want to educate him (and myself) about the many different ways it can look so I am asking for your feedback.  I greatly appreciate your help. The more details you can give me, the better.

 

 

My 83 yr mother had a melanoma removed from the back of her neck. It did not meet any criteria of irregular borders, shape, etc. Dr. remarked that a trained eye is necessary and so important for preventative health. Although it was quite deep she needed no additional treatment.

I had a stage 2 melanoma removed from my back in July of 03.  The reason I had it removed was because the mole was itchy for about a month.  The doctor said it was irregular in shape, but I was very surprised when the biopsy came back positive.  A second deeper biopsy of that same spot showed that all the cancer cells had been removed, so didn't need any further treatment.  Early detection is critical as this type spreads really fast!!  Now in the process of building up my immune system and  I'm more serious about prevention.

Here is what I was told by my dermatologist.  Any thing that looks differant from all the other spots or moles on your body is to be suspect.  Mine looked like just a dry patch of skin and it was quite itchy.  I am a nurse and had always been taught to look for dark colored or irregular colored with irregular margins.  Mine looked nothing like that.  I like the advise that my dermatologist gave me and I am educating my patients differantly now.

 

On 12/29/2006 Gingingin wrote:

I am interested in finding out what everyone's melanoma looked like when it was first discovered.  I have read about the basics of how it might look (irregular borders, two different colors, changing) but am wondering what your particular melanomas looked like.  I have a young son and melanoma is in our family (I had melanoma myself).  I want to educate him (and myself) about the many different ways it can look so I am asking for your feedback.  I greatly appreciate your help. The more details you can give me, the better.

 

 

I am 65 years old with a history of fair skin, freckles and sun exposure in Connecticut as a child. Have had 5 melanomas, first in 1999 on my left forearm, stage 1, but level 2 or 3 (so a bit deep but all removed). It had classic traits, rather like a scab, irregular borders and itchy, on the exact site of a long-term double sized freckle. Then in 2003 had an itch on mid-central back, seemed like a solid white head or hardened boil under the skin. Waited for next appointment. (Bad idea). Proved to be melanoma. (Likely new primary, better than a metasis from the arm). Sentinel node biopsy procedure showed drainage to both axilla lymph basins. Right was negative, left was positive for melanoma, so followed up by radical lyphedectomy on left side, all other nodes negative. (Made me stage III). Was in Cancervax Trial for two years until cancelled. Received both BCG and Cancervax.

Now in 2006 CT/PET scan picked up what proved to be 2 cm extra-nodular melanoma within right axilla lymph basin, so another radical lyphedectomy, all other nodes again negative. (still stage III, but "recurrent cancer"). Then an itch on my neck just led to suspected basil cell but was "in situ" melanoma, so wide area excision of that, awaiting final biopsy.

Now  considering options, including watch and wait, possible clinical trial (hard to find worthy one) or Interferon (dubious re toxicity and benefit). Any comments greatly welcomed.

My message for you: Except for the internal melanoma found by scans, ALL others were found by me or family, primarily due to change and itching! Looks alone are NOT an adequate exclusion. If in doubt, have it seen promptly.

 Good wishes! 

 

On 12/29/2006 Gingingin wrote:

I am interested in finding out what everyone's melanoma looked like when it was first discovered.  I have read about the basics of how it might look (irregular borders, two different colors, changing) but am wondering what your particular melanomas looked like.  I have a young son and melanoma is in our family (I had melanoma myself).  I want to educate him (and myself) about the many different ways it can look so I am asking for your feedback.  I greatly appreciate your help. The more details you can give me, the better.

 

 

 

I have been concerned about my grandsons (my husband died of melanoma last year).  They have been looked at by a dermatologist, but there are many forms that it can take.  My husband had a bunch of freckles on his shoulder  for years, then one day we noticed that several were very dark almost a brown/black .  Not raised or any thing else different--just very dark. (about the size of a nickel).  It was melanoma.      I discovered that the best web site for descriptions of all melanomas is Victorian Melanoma Service.    It is a consulative center for management of melanoma in the State of Victoria, Austraila. Check it out.

 

On 12/29/2006 Gingingin wrote:

I am interested in finding out what everyone's melanoma looked like when it was first discovered.  I have read about the basics of how it might look (irregular borders, two different colors, changing) but am wondering what your particular melanomas looked like.  I have a young son and melanoma is in our family (I had melanoma myself).  I want to educate him (and myself) about the many different ways it can look so I am asking for your feedback.  I greatly appreciate your help. The more details you can give me, the better.

 

Sometimes the spot will be the color of an pencil eraser.

 

This is a great question as I am also very interested in every response.  I have at least 65 moles/freckles all over my body (most are small and perfectly round), but a handful are larger and one in particular is of concern.

 The RPN looked at this dark brown flat spot on my stomach (exactly the size of a pencil eraser) and said its worth taking a closer look at it, but it doesnt cause her major concern.  I keep thinking to myself that for a disease where early detection is key, the nonchalant approach really scares me.  She first wants to remove the BCC from my back on 1/16 and then bring me back in for a biopsy of the spot on my abdomen.  It is dark brown with a ligter ring and has slightly irregular borders.  It looks pretty symmetrical and has never itched .  What concerns me most is that it  has been the same size for at least 3-4 years, does the fact that it is no longer growing radially mean that it is growing vertically? I am absolutely terrified that once she finally gets to the biopsy, that it is going to come back as Stage 3 or 4 -=(

I had this type of cancer when I was 12 years old, that was 30 years ago.  I had noticed a large mole on my shoulder and it was black. I had to go to swimming lessons and looked down and I noticed it for the first time.  Because it was so big just all of a sudden.  they took the mole off and discovered it was cancer and I had sugery and now ok. I have to use a lot of sunscreen now.

 

On 1/2/2007 G8r4evr wrote:

This is a great question as I am also very interested in every response.  I have at least 65 moles/freckles all over my body (most are small and perfectly round), but a handful are larger and one in particular is of concern.

 The RPN looked at this dark brown flat spot on my stomach (exactly the size of a pencil eraser) and said its worth taking a closer look at it, but it doesnt cause her major concern.  I keep thinking to myself that for a disease where early detection is key, the nonchalant approach really scares me.  She first wants to remove the BCC from my back on 1/16 and then bring me back in for a biopsy of the spot on my abdomen.  It is dark brown with a ligter ring and has slightly irregular borders.  It looks pretty symmetrical and has never itched .  What concerns me most is that it  has been the same size for at least 3-4 years, does the fact that it is no longer growing radially mean that it is growing vertically? I am absolutely terrified that once she finally gets to the biopsy, that it is going to come back as Stage 3 or 4 -=(

You need to pressure your doctors to have it removed.  You need to do the things that make YOU feel comfortable with your care.  Are you aware of the MPIP message board?  Many people on that board can help you with your questions; I have found it to be invaluable.