MELANOMA---Need good stories!!!

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited May 2019

    So I had the stitches out today-- pathology is great-- I have absolutely no cell mitosis which is apparently a good thing for melanoma---low level, very little risk of recurrence. The derm surgeon was great...answered all my questions--was very reassuring and told me that she had almost never seen anyone with my dx recur-- I always love to hear that!!!

    We did talk about investigating the connection between my bc, thyroid and melanoma..they have all been real low level- she mentioned that there is a connection between bc and melanoma.... I know I need to look into this--- just don't have the psychic energy to do this now....

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  • Veeder14
    Veeder14 Member Posts: 880
    edited May 2019

    momand2kids,

    Sounds like good news all around. My follow up has been periodic Pet/CT scans and lymph node ultrasounds to check for anymore Melanoma. Since your lymph nodes were clear maybe no other follow up is necessary except skin checks. My connection between Melanoma and BC is being BRAC2 positive.

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited May 2019

    Thanks Veeder-I did ask about that-- exactly right- with no lypmph node involvement, the follow up is the treatment. melanoma does not have an oncotype test!!! She was really very reassuring and said only 1-2 times in her career had she seen someone with my dx recur-- and even then they did well.


    however-we did talk about talking to my onc to see if there may be connections between my low level bc-thyroid-melanoma incidents.... I see my onc in July so will do that. I never had genetic testing- literally no one in my family ever had bc.... and at the time, both of my medical teams said I could have it but they were fairly sure I would be negative. I decided to pass--- it was the right decision for me- but I may have to reconsider it--- but at the same time I am connvinced that my thyroid issues were caused by mammograms and dental xrays and clearly melanoma by and large is caused by sun exposure-- my left arm- daily sun on a mole from driving in the car (many melanomas are on the left side of face and arm due to driving in the US).

    But I will discuss it with my onc and see what she thinks--I don't want to spend all my time figuring this out-- but I definitely would like to NOT have any type of cancer again-- Glad you are having such good follow up-- I guess I will go to every 3 months now!!!

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited June 2019

    so I am back. Another mole removed last week at my regular Derm appt. he called and said it was NOT melanoma but moderately dysplasic so they want to get a better margin. I know I should feel lucky but I am feeling cancer beleaguered. I am dreading f my colonoscopy In July even though I know going every three years is a great preventive tactic. Just need some cheering up.

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  • edj3
    edj3 Member Posts: 2,076
    edited June 2019

    momand2kids I get it. Melanoma was my first cancer dx, and it's truly the one I fear way more than this BC. I have a ton of moles, so even though I don't really burn, have dark hair/eyes, never did the whole tanning bed thing and mostly never bothered even getting a tan outside, I still got melanoma.

    I'm curious what area of Boston you live in? I lived in the South End from 2007 through 2012.

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited June 2019

    edj

    Grew up right in city. Live just outside of it now. South end is lovely.

    Like you I am dark but with fair Irish skin. I keep freaking out about moles even though I have a full skin check every 6 months. Never a big sun worshipper.

    Derm is not worried. Says we are doing s good job watching and catching things. In some ways this is easier to find because it is so visible. But it is scary. All my docs were reassuring about this. I just have to be vigilant with sunscreen and my own skin checks although he has taken so much off over the years I don’t know that there is much left.

    It is all in the follow up. Were they able to remove your melanoma successfully ? How was you BC treatment for tou

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  • edj3
    edj3 Member Posts: 2,076
    edited June 2019

    momand2kids, I do miss living there although I don't miss the cost of living!

    Yes, I go every six months and I get a little clenched before every visit. Mine came back with clear margins and the scar is fading well, he did a good job and luckily I'm a fast healer. I'm with you though, I feel like so much has gotten removed I have those scoop scars everywhere! My biggest fear, which you'll probably fully understand, is getting one on my eye lid or face. That would be so very hard.

    BC treatment is going well, I'm halfway through rads and wrestling with my MO about whether I will take tamoxifen (he wants me to, I am not a fan).

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited June 2019

    I do worry about the face, etc but I don't really have much on my face- so I just have to let it go for now... going in today to have stitches removed, then next week for them to do another excision on this non-malignant mole--- so much follow up- add to that that I just did something to my knee on our family vacation-so have to go have that looked at today-- will be spending the end of my vacation days in drs offices!

    Glad rads going well-- it will be over before you know it. good luck with tamoxifen decision-- these are hard things....

    C

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  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 3,085
    edited June 2019

    I had a melanoma at about 35, in situ, no further problem, before getting a second one DURING chemo. Also insitu with good margins, no problem. My dermatologist also said it's basically a100% cure for in situ stage. But (I thought) sort of weird for it to arise during chemo. I have had a lot of sun damage (California sun, outdoor sports, driving). I have had about a dozen basals, and one squamous, and two melanomas. I am checked every 6 months too.

    I do have a genetic mutation to TP-53 of 'unknown significance' (not the Li Fraumeni one) but it could turn out to mean something pertinent. Apparently skin and breast cancers have a tendency to co-occur. There's another thread here on that topic.

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  • edj3
    edj3 Member Posts: 2,076
    edited June 2019

    santabarbarian yup I researched that a bit, the link between melanoma and breast cancer. Here's one study I found.

    In my case, the melanoma was dx'd August 2017, and the BC in April this year. If I recall correctly, women with melanoma have a 30% higher chance of developing breast cancer. Yay?

    I have no genetic markers for any cancer and yet I have two.

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited June 2019

    Has anyone noticed this? Out of the six women on this thread who have had melanoma, as far as breast cancer, 4 of them had ILC or LCIS (3 ILC, and 1 DCIS, IDC, and LCIS). And only 2 of them had just IDC. One does not have her bc subtype listed. Even though only around 10% of bc is ILC. Obviously we don’t have a large enough group here to draw reliable conclusions, but I’m just wondering if perhaps subtype matters for melanoma risk.

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  • Rah2464
    Rah2464 Member Posts: 1,647
    edited June 2019

    When my MO discussed increased risk for other cancers (specifically melanoma and colon) she didn't stratify the risk based on the type of breast cancer I had. But perhaps you are on to something. I just know she made sure I had a complete skin work up from a dermatologist, as well as a colonoscopy. Strange how if your body makes one cancer it is open to making another.

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  • edj3
    edj3 Member Posts: 2,076
    edited June 2019

    Well to keep this accurate, I developed melanoma 18 months before breast cancer. So for me, it's the other way around.

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