OK, heres my story in a nutshell. I have had a patch of what I thought was excema on my right shoulder for at least a couple of years. I even pointed it out to m y doctor a year or so ago and he said it was dry skin. Anyway, this past December, it started growing a bump. It was about pea-sized when my wife told me to get it checked. I went to the family doctor and he did a shave biopsy of the bump. A week later I get the phone call to come in and discuss the results. Sure enough, Squamous cell carcinoma. He referred me to a surgeon to have the tumour removed. I ended up waiting about 4 months to get in to a surgeon, finally having the procedure done on APril 11,2007. My surgeon said to book an appointment with my family doctor in a week. I did. The family doctor looked at my incision, changed the dressing and was about to send me on my way when i asked ( had to ask) about the Pathology report on the tumour. Here's what he said :
1) the margins were clear ( at this point I am thinking YAY )
2) Extensive Lympahtic Invasion ( not so happy now)
I asked him what that last part meant and all he could say was I need to talk to my surgeon. I have an appointment on May 15 with the surgeon to discuss this but I am worried ( to say the least)
My question the the experts on this board and those of you that have lived through this......does Extensive Lymphatic Invasion mean what I think it does ? Has the cancer metastized to the lymph nodes ? I can't sit for 3 weeks until I talk to my surgeon not knowing.
Help....please.