I am a 25 year old female. I was diagnosed with a primary brain tumor in June 2008 and underwent surgery to remove it. It was the size of an apple and diagnosed a grade 2 tumor. It grew back in September 2008 and that's when i began rigorous radiation and oral chemotherapy (Temozolomide). My recent MRI has showed the regrowth of the tumor to be "gone." The plan is to take the Temozolomide for 2 years along with Accutane (which helps the oral chemotherapy work better).
Fortunately for me I have a fantastic Dermatologist who explained the Melanoma was very shallow (.2mm) and was able to remove the Melanoma with a wide excision.
Now, fast forward 17 months and 11 other mole removals. My Primary Care took some blood work and noticed one of my liver enzymes (SGPT) was mildly elevated (60). Since I had Melanoma she sent me to get a cat scan of the Liver, gallbladder, pancreas and all the other goodies in the RU quadrant.
m a 28 year old male, not super fair skinned, Mediterranean descent, with no family history of melanoma, and no major sunburn as a child. After becoming curious how many moles I had, I counted 117 total across my body, with the vast, vast majority being tiny spots, like pricks of ink from a pen. Most of them are on my arms. I'm actually not sure if they're all moles or if some are freckles, but I decided to count them all as moles just to see what the number looked like at the end.
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What’s concerning, no scaring the hell out of me is that to my knowledge, you can’t just TELL the difference between an atypical mole and melanoma just by looking at it. And the fact he called it atypical means it shares visual characteristics with melanoma, which to me means IT LOOKS LIKE MELANOMA. I don’t know if his use of the term “right now” was a definite or if he just wanted to ease my mind but with a disclaimer.
For your own peace of mind, see your primary care provider (PCP) and see about getting a referal to a dermatologist. Even a PCP can determine if there is any reason to be concerned about Melanoma, but a dermatologist is still a good doctor to go to. If cancer is still suspected, either the PCP or the dermatologist will refer you to an oncologist. Nevertheless, it might not be Melanoma. So, don't hit the panic button just yet.
They are having the topotecan+bsi-201 trial at Yale in Connecticut and at Sloan Kettering in NYC. I don't know where you live and if these locations are convenient to you. There are a couple of other locations that are giving this particular trial now as well, but you'd have to check www.clinicaltrials.gov.
The best one is Melanoma, which is pure and natural. Melanoma is what the staff at a rehab center had me on after day 4 from pain killers and benzos. Also explain this to your doc, he might write you a very small prescription of Ambien. I mean a small amount like 5 or 10 at the most. But try the melanoma first. Great job!!!!!!!!!!
Hello,
I can understand your concern regarding melanoma. It is the most common cancer in women aged 25-29 years and is second only to breast cancer in women aged 30-34 years. Hereditary factors are important causes and similarly sun exposure increases the risk. But there are many other risk factors also like atypical/dysplastic nevi (particularly >5-10) and common nevi> 100.
Melanomas are usually >6 mm in size,with irregular borders ,asymmetrical and dark in color.
Melanoma-astrocytoma syndrome. People with this rare condition have an increased risk of melanoma and astrocytoma (a type of brain tumor). The specific gene for this condition is thought to be located on chromosome 9. Families with both melanoma and brain tumors have been shown to have alterations in CDKN2A that affect the p14ARF protein."
You can get the genetic testing for this if you are worried.
thank you for commenting, I have 2 other kids who have appointments with the dermotologist coming up, both again have many freckles and moles. My son's melanoma was on his face between his eye and temple and the freckle grew and turned black very quickly, it was just over early detection. He had to heave a large skin graft and sentinal node biopsys done. 3 nodes were negative but 2 had "nevic, mole cells" in them.
The products in question are Temodar (temozolomide) for brain cancer and hepatitis C and cancer drugs PegIntron (pegylated interferon alfa-2b) and Intron A (interferon alfa-2b), according to Merck's just-published quarterly report. All three of the drugs were acquired when Merck bought Schering-Plough in 2009.
One other question, does this mean I have a high chance of developing melanoma? I had a mildly dysplastic mole last year and then this. I have virtually no moles and only a few freckles, no family history and I take aspirin daily (supposed to reduce melanoma 30%) to prevent recurrence of colon cancer.
Now I am terrified that it was a melanoma and I have scrapped it off and the cancer will start growing without me knowing. Can you scrap off a melanoma? If it was a melanoma will the pigmentation grow to the surface again? Does melanoma heal? I know if I go to the gp they will not refer me to a dermatologist and can not afford to pay privately.
I got diagnosed in Febuary of this year with a cataract, my optomitrist refered me to a specialist, and when I went to see him in November, there was a tumor within my eye, and subsequent retnal tearing. He booked me in for immediate surgery as he said it was eye melanoma. My surgery is in about 2 weeks. My question is; would my untreated cataract for at least 1 year cause, or attribute to me getting eye melanoma?
Hello, I had a suspicious mole on my neck removed in June and it came back as mild-moderate dysplastic nevus with differential diagnosis of early melanoma in-situ. The area was re-excised with 3mm margins. Since then I have had the slides re-evaluated by UPenn Dermatopathology and their diagnosis was Severe dysplastic nevus with differential diagnosis of evolving melanoma in-situ.
My other Question is, what else I can do what are my chances of survival and reoccurrence, it’s been a year and 1 month and im scared every day and worry worry all day it’s very stressful for me, I just don’t know what do expect, im seeing them every 3 months and I did go for 2 other dermatologist and oncologist back then and now im still worried,,,,
Hi, I had 2 cases of melanoma and 2 precancer. None of my spots hurt, they did get edgy,black and rised. learn by me, my first melanoma I let go for 8 months, Know I get checked out every 6 months, Know 20 years later, the first one( I DIDN'T have looked at right away) is know stage III The melanoma went into my blond stream. If anyone ever has a ? on a mole. go right away, many of time I've gotten the call it's nothing AND THAT THE BEST FEELING!!!!
Yesterday my wife was diagnosed with Melanoma via a pathology test and then with a consultation with a skin cancer specialist Dr Robyn Saw. Apparently it is 4mm deep, is this whats referred to as a grade 4 Melanoma?
The doctor is suggesting removal of it from the shin on her leg with a 5cm skin graft and also selective lymph node dissection.
Obviously we are both very worried about it and now have to wait just over a week before surgery on the 27th.
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