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Original poster

Anyone survived melanoma?

12 replies

pepper30 · 05/08/2016 22:59

My DH was told he has melanoma on Monday. It was not a small lump as it was on his back and we do not know how long it has been there for. It seems to have grown quickly from a pre-existing odd looking mole. He has had it removed and now waiting for results from biopsy to help stage it. The wait it awful. My dad and BIL both died of cancer and on staging told they had on,y months to live. This is seriously influencing my perspective on this. I realise very well how serious melanoma is but I can only think of the very worst. I wondered if anyone has any other stories they can share that might give me some hope/more of a balanced outlook whilst we go through this wait? I really don't think he can be a stage one but hopeful maybe for stage 2.

OP posts:
cantpooinpeace · 05/08/2016 23:03

I was diagnosed with a MM aged 18, luckily we caught it early and all I needed was a wide excision & 10 years of thorough follow up. That was 16 years ago and I have been clear since. I am very fair skinned & have lots of moles of varying sizes & shapes. I do see a dermatologist now every year and she examines every mole on my body with a dermascope so this at least provides me with some reassurance.
I really hope that it's been found early & has no spread - everything crossed.

Original poster
pepper30 · 05/08/2016 23:09

Thanks for replying. That was very young to go through something like that. i am hoping so much that it is just about early enough. They think it could have been growing for a year, it is raised but not bled or oozed.

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wfrances · 06/08/2016 09:38

my dad had one removed from his hand , they had to remove a large deep area and patch it up from his inner upper arm , but he needed no other treatment.
im also waiting for results after having a dodgy mole removed ...
has he already had a biopsy if he was told on monday it was a melanoma ?
i was told the only way to tell was to send it to the lab.

Original poster
pepper30 · 06/08/2016 09:47

Yes he's already been told despite not having the results back. He had it out on Wednesday.two different consultants said it was melanoma though so they seem very sure of that unfortunately. Do you mind me asking whether your dads was raised?

I really hope you get good news

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AWhistlingWoman · 06/08/2016 09:50

My mother survived melanoma, my dad spotted it and she had a fairly extensive excision. It has never recurred and this was in the early 1980s, so many years ago now.

As a result I am quite aware of my own moles and, like PPs, have had several removed. Hoping for good news for you and your DH pepper

jimijack · 06/08/2016 09:56

Yes, my aunt, found and diagnosed early 90`s. Fine since removal.

wfrances · 06/08/2016 09:57

my dads looked like a ulcer that just wouldn't heal, he had it for years before going to gp and even she didnt think it was anything to worry about and just referred him due to the protocol.
it just looked like a sore that sometimes oozed then scabbed over then oozed again ect. and never healed fully and went away.
so it wasnt your typical mole gone bad.

Chilver · 06/08/2016 10:03

I had one on my back last summer and had surgery to remove it. All clear now (this was one year after advanced stage 3 ovarian cancer for which I'm also now clear). I have thorough 3 monthly check ups for both now for the foreseeable future. Wishing you the best of wishes.

Original poster
pepper30 · 06/08/2016 19:30

Thanks everyone for your replies. Wow Chilver you have really been tested by two counts of cancer - fantastic you're in the clear. Was anyone's raised and still ok?

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StillMedusa · 07/08/2016 00:26

My dh was diagnosed with ocular melanoma on Wednesday so I share your worries..
His being in his eye is a weird one.. because they can stay self contained for ages and then spread rapidly, but it seems they don't remove it until it does !

I had a standard one removed 8 years ago... and have been fine since :)

cantpooinpeace · 07/08/2016 11:44

Yes mine was raised, I'd had it a long time but it changed, became more prominent with a blister type lump in the middle & crusty and dark round the edges. It was on my forearm and I kept catching it by accident & it would bleed.

Original poster
pepper30 · 07/08/2016 15:51

Thanks cantpooinpeace. That is definitely helpful to know that not all raised MM means they are caught too late. I've been researching as much as possible to try to be one step ahead and it has helped in so far as fighting for appointments to be brought in line with recommendations etc. My husband wasn't even going to be seen initially until the 15th due to annual leave which is just ridiculous.

I know the biopsy will be the only thing to tell us where we are with this.

Stillmedusa - thanks for your response and also best of luck to your DH too

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