So i was diagnosed with "Melanoma IN SITU at least" this past Tues

[Hawaii Hiker]

So the written report is a bit confusing with that above language but my dermatologist, who called first, then I had follow up question in online contact form, replied

"what they saw was the melanoma along the hair follicle which can be at the deep margin of the biopsy. We will know more after then excision but in general the results of the biopsy are reassuring"

On a side note, in Dec, I had ton of bloodwork done (CBC, metabolic profile, TSH, hs-CRP, lipid panels, AND a right quadrant ultrasound as some liver enzymes were off (CBC, TSH, CRP all normal). The ultrasound was normal for liver, pancreas, gall bladder, right kidney..

I had the 6 month check up with dermatologist in early (I had basal cell couple yrs ago) Jan and this melanoma result came back this week.. I am rather calm (surprisingly) despite this diagnosis, feel good overall, but until all melanoma is removed won't feel relieved. The surgery to remove the melanoma is in 3 weeks, so I guess the fact that I wasn't told to come in next day must mean something

Sorry to be long winded, any fellow DUers here who have dealt with Melanoma ?

Thank you

[MOMFUDSKI]

1. My husband had it on his back. They cut out

a fair amount and sent it to the lab. Called to say not melanoma and then called couple days later to say it was. Said come back for more removal. Husband said no. I was aghast. But now it has been about 15 years ago and all OK. Told him to let his siblings know because it tends to run in families. Wishing you all the best!

[XanaDUer2]

2. Yes, leg in 2010 in situ

I was terrified and went for a chest xray for mets. Had a great surgeon. Best wishes. Its awful

[Voltaire2]

3. Had one removed from my nose 10 years ago.

It was not fun, and left a scar, but in situ is the best positive diagnosis for melanoma.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. In situ upper leg.

Had to consult a surgeon to excise surrounding tissues. Stage I.

[petronius]

5. I had one in situ back in 2007

Same sort of thing with a weeks long wait for surgery, but it all went really well. Just 4-5 inch scar on my belly where they took an enough-to-be-safe chunk. I think you’re right to be reasonably calm…

[ificandream]

6. Yes.

Mine was a mole on my nose. Surgeon did an excision in layers in her office which was something I'd never want to go through again. In subsequent skin checks (which you should absolutely have every six months) they've found other things they've done biopsys on but nothing positive, though my dermatologist did do an excision a few months ago with a suspicion looking thing on my back that wasn''t really that bad.

But melanoma is dangerous and needs to be dealt with quickly. Good luck.

Add: Mine was found during a routine office visit. My doctor called in a dermotologist right then and there and I had an appointment at his office a few days later. But the actual surgery didn't happen for a week or so as I recall.

[NNadir]

7. I talked last week to an old friend who had melanoma about 25 years ago.

He caught it early, obviously.

The 25 years is all you need to know.

Good luck, may your outcome be as good as his was.

[XanaDUer2]

8. Kick nt

[debm55]

9. I hope all goes well for you,

[womanofthehills]

10. I had two small stage 1 melanomas a few yrs ago

- one had been biopsied the yr before & it was clear then. Both were stage 1 in biopsies (both thin) but no melanoma found after either surgery - zero. They were a yr apart. Surgeries were both cancer free. One surgery was 3 inches deep and the other was tiny so just excised in office. Maybe all of it was taken off in biopsies.

Anyway - I love to research & thought I would work on the melanomas myself till surgery. I peeled one down to about half its size with glycolic acid and put cats claw on every day. It got way thinner but probably was all removed in the biopsy but I could have helped some. I only did this as I knew I was having surgery.

Interesting fact - more people in northern states have melanomas so it can’t be just the sun. Some studies say toxic chemicals can also be involved. The sun always shines in NM where I live and NM has low rates of melanoma.