CancerCompass message board discussion started by msmolly on 12/17/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,18934,0.htm Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I was recently diagnosed with a rare skin cancer that effects hair follicles.  It was discovered when my lymph node under my ear was enlarged.  They thought it was just heavy calcification and it turned out to be a 3 cm metastatic tumor.  It was on the right side and they did a neck disection and removed the lymph node chain only.  They cannot find the primary tumor, however recommended radiation to the neck. I did have the CT's, PET scan and ultrasounds to look for the primary.)  I decided at this time not to take the radiation due to the major side effects and the fact that they do not even know where the primary tumor is.  Has anyone else experienced this.  I had the surgery 3 months ago and my next follow up is in two months and it will be a CT to see if they can find the primary this time.  I do have an appt with a dematologist oncologist in January, but that is for a routine skin check which they told me was standard when skin cancer is found.  All the articles I have found say that skin cancer does not metastisize except for melanoma and I do not have melanoma.  And I cannot find anything like this in any research papers or other documents that I have researched.  I'm being treated at a well renouned cancer center and feel that a 2nd opinion would be a waste of time and money. msmolly Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT