melanoma?

vmd,

I got a nasty rash on my lumpectomy breast about 5 months after completing rads, and 2 month after I was diagnosed with lung mets.

These lesions hurt, burned and itched alot. It started out as a single raised bump, then spread all over that breast and started toward the other. I got a skin biopsy at my breast surgeon's office and it turned out to be skin mets. After trying different chemos, Abraxane has relieved the symptoms of the skin mets and it is no longer spreading. The lesions are all flat now, too.

I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

Ferne 

VMD-

I have done a lot of reading on the melanoma-BC connection.  My dad is a 25-year melanoma survivor.  I am in a clinical trial right now being tested for the Pten gene mutation.  It is the gene that they suspect links Melanoma, breast cancer and a host of other cancers and syndromes, many of which are found on my dad's side of the family.  There is also some discussion in the research community that some of the melanoma that has been attributed to radiation treatment from breast cancer may be related to the Pten gene, making folks without that mutation less likely to get melanoma after breast cancer.

All that being said....anything is possible, including the possibility that your ex will be totally fine!! 

First of all, most lumps and bumps are NOT melanoma....I should know, I have had over 30 moles removed in the past 25 years that I was worried about and not a one was melanoma.  Some of them had ALL the risk factors (asymmetrical borders, change in appearance, crusting or bleeding, irregular color etc) and were still benign. 

Secondly, even if this IS melanoma it sounds like she has found it at an early stage since she is being watched by docs. Melanoma is no more a death sentence than breast cancer is!  Just ask my dad, he was given 6 months to live in 1980...and he is still here, cancer free.

If you are interested, here is a link to more info on the Pten gene....

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene=pten

Good Luck

Deb C

This info is scary for me...My mother side of family has all the cancer and now they are all connected. (I was told your mother side passes the gene)

Melanoma (uncle)-breast cancer (only me so far)- two uncles prostrate cancer also another one that is connected to bc.  I have a cousin on this side who is a suvior a very rare kidney cancer that spread.

Yuck! way to much cancer.

Living in hope,

Flalady

VMD -

I do remember you from earlier posts ... It's great that you've stepped-up and are very concerned your ex-wife.

As for melanomas, I've had two melanomic nevus's removed ... serious enough to require stitches and their removal by the dermatoligist.  These were moles (rather than a skin lesion) and on both, the derm did not think it was anything, but was being cautious.  Both occurred in the last 18 mos (and it's been 3+ yrs since my original bc dx).   

I too wonder about a relationship between them and bc ... plus I have the BRCA1 mutation ... I've read some studies where a relationship is being looked at, but I don't recall anything more specific.

Best to you and yours,

CalGal 

vmd -

I will hope that your ex-wife's suspicious area turns out to be other than melanoma and that she can continue on with her return to 'normal' life. If her bc diagnosis was triple neg. and occured when she was premenopausal, it definitely would be wise to consider genetic testing.

I am BRCA-1 positive, from my paternal side. There were two generations of only sons born and my grandfather lived to be 90. He passed the gene however - my father died of melanoma at 46. At the time, of course, we saw no connection. But BRCA is a mutation of a tumor-suppressor gene, not only a BC gene. My father unknowingly passed the gene to two of three daughters, his one son hasn't been tested (healthy at 48). So far, no other melanomas.

Deb C - I would be interested in hearing how you became involved in the Pten trial. The link was very infomative but did not mention the clinical trial. Thanks.

Lisa

vmd -

If her doctor refers her to a genetics counselor, the two variables I mentioned and that you confirmed are generally enough by themselves to get insurance coverage for BRCA testing. If she has any cancer history in her family, that is just gravy (not to sound crass, sorry). I am surprised the testing was not advised at diagnosis because it can have treatment ramifications re mastectomy/ies over lumpectomy/rads if positive.

I also went the COBRA route when I had to stop working full-time and lost my benefits. The benefit of COBRA is that it shows you (she)had no uninsured period - at the end of her COBRA period she will get a 'certificate of creditable coverage'. Then HIPAA guarantees access to individual policies. This is a Federal guarantee. Some states (like CA) have varying further protections. I ended up with an individual HMO policy. Yes, it is expensive, but it has no exclusions.

Thanks Deb, for the further information. I will call my genetics counselor (on the off-chance she is in the office on New Year's Eve) to see if she is familiar with it at all. One of us'll get some info.

Lisa

 VMD I'm sorry about the worry your wife and child are dealing with right now and hope it turns out to be benign. And VMD and  Alaska Deb thanks for the informtation on the melanoma and rads connection. I didn't have a clue about it so I will be careful and be sure to continue to avoid the sun (using sunscreens) and long sleeves etc. And the Pten genetic test is something I will ask my Rad Doctor about. I really wish this info was more main stream, I find out about more bc and what to watch for on this site. I'm so glad it's available to us. Pearl