BC - Melanoma Connection

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lana17775
lana17775 Member Posts: 37
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
BC - Melanoma Connection
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  • lana17775
    lana17775 Member Posts: 37
    edited March 2008

    Hi -

    Haven't checked into this site in over a year, but it was invaluable to me while I was being treated for triple negative breast cancer.  I finished treatment 2 years ago and have been fine since!

    However, yesterday I had a marble-size lump removed from my foot - its been sent for analysis.  I thought initially it might be basil or squamous skin cancer, but have since found through internet searches that there is a link between breast cancer and melanoma!  Yikes!

    Has anyone ever heard of this?  Seems like something I would have learned along the way and been told to be on the lookout for -- but NO!  

    Its a waiting game now, for the test results -- we all know how stressful that can be!

    Any information you may have, would be welcome....especially information that contradicts what I've found!  I did a search on this site, but didn't find anything helpful or otherwise.

    Thank you!

    Lana 

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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited March 2008

    Lana,

    There was a news release a few weeks ago that said there was a connection.  Also daughter's of women with bc have a higher chance of thyroid cancer.  I know two ladies this came true for them.

    Flalady

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  • kcq
    kcq Member Posts: 166
    edited March 2008

    Flalady-

    Do you remember anything about the news release?  Where I can go to read what it says?  Thanks

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  • NarberthMom
    NarberthMom Member Posts: 615
    edited March 2008



    There's a slight increase in risk for melanoma if you are a BRCA2 carrier.

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  • Maekelly
    Maekelly Member Posts: 15
    edited March 2008

    Hi, after being treated for bc the 1st time, I was at a onc. visit and he noticed a  spot on the back of my ear.  Sure enough it was melanoma.  They feel like they got good clear margins, but they said that they had heard that they have some connection.  Would love to know more about this.  Maekelly

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  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited March 2008

    http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYD/is_13_39/ai_n6114053

    http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=7518

    http://www.annieappleseedproject.org/melrisinwomw.html

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  • CalGal
    CalGal Member Posts: 469
    edited March 2008

    As Narberth posted, there seems to be a connection with BRCA2 and melanomas.   You might want to post at FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered for those who are BRCA1 or 2 or otherwise at a higher risk for bc and oc at www.facingourrisk.org)

    However, I have the BRCA1 mutation and have had 2 melanomas ...   There's been a couple others I've found (can't remember if it was on this website or another one), who had both bc and melanoma.

    I'm interested in whatever connections you find.   

    CalGal 

    CalGal 

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  • twink
    twink Member Posts: 1,574
    edited March 2008

    First I've heard of it.

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  • LisaSDCA
    LisaSDCA Member Posts: 2,230
    edited March 2008

    There is also a link between BRCA-1 and melanoma. BRCA-1 is a mutation of a tumor suppressor gene, so conceivably any tumor could be blamed on it. My BRCA-1 came down my paternal side, even though there had been no breast cancer for generations - there simply had been no girls born. My grandfather died of old age/kidney failure at 90, but still passed the gene. My father died of melanoma at 46.

    Lisa

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  • kiwikan
    kiwikan Member Posts: 75
    edited March 2008

    Yikes!  I'm currently impatiently waiting for the path report on a mole biopsie 3 weeks ago.  I vascilate between thinking that it isn't anything to worry about and that's why the doc hasn't called and thinking that it is something to worry about and that's why the doc hasn't called - she doesn't want to be the bearer of more cancer news.  I'm calling the office tomorrow.  Patience has run out.  Ruth

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  • lana17775
    lana17775 Member Posts: 37
    edited March 2008

    Thank you all for your great information.  Maekelly and kiwikan - here's hoping for clean margins and a benign path report -- sending good thoughts your way.

    Mine turned out to be something called a pyogenic granuloma - a bid name for a big nothin'.  Its benign and innocuous.  Thank you God!

    However, this has prompted me to get a dermatolgist and get checked.  Can't be too cautious.

    Good health wishes to all,

    Lana 

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  • Shirlann
    Shirlann Member Posts: 3,302
    edited March 2008

    Hi everyone, there is one thing that we all need to keep in mind.  If you have had one cancer, of any kind, you are certainly more likely to have another.  Some family groups have NONE.  Like my mom's family, tons of relatives, no cancer, not one, lots of heart disease and diabetes, but no cancer.

    Who knows?  But some women have had melanoma's on their breasts after rads.  I don't know, we just have to stay alert to everything.

    Some studies have shown that diabetes (or lack of insulin or enough insulin) means that a LOT of insulin, candy eaters, me, are at a greater risk.  I sure don't know about that, but I notice that cancer often gets one family real good.  Like my dad's.  He died of lung cancer, his mom of colon, his dad of stomach, one sister of uterine, one sister of bladder and one sister of liver.  Of the 6 cousins of this group of people, one died young of a heart attack, 3 of us have had cancer, 2 have died (one brain tumor one liver).  I am a BC survivor, so far.  With this ghastly family history, it just seems to be more than coincidence, although I have not one thing to base this on.

    Gentle hugs, Shirlann

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