Confusion - getting concerned

Hi Louise

In my experience, the whipping out of lumps is pretty much all that does happen.  I had a total groin dissection in 2008 and no further treatment was given.  I was offered the chance of joining a clinical trial, which I accepted, but it was a randomised study and I ended up on the observation arm of the trial.  Still, I'm no worse off than I would have been.

18 months after the groin dissection another enlarged node popped up.  This too was whipped out, and turned out to be just an abnormal node.  Had it been another recurrence of melanoma, my surgeon might have recommended a course of radiotherapy, but this is unusual, most usually we stage 3 melanoma patients get nothing!

The only thing I did end up getting was lymphoedema, for which I wear a compression garment.

Hope everything goes well with the op.

Marsha xx

Hi Louise,

My experience is exactly the same as Marshas except I didn't get on the drugs trial because I didn't meet their strict conditions.

The surgical option is the only one offered at first & they will remove all the nodes they think are at risk & biopsy them to see how many have melanoma. Hopefully it will be very few - then your partner will be offered a drugs trial (not that you have to accept it!) and 3 monthly checkups will then be the order of the day.

Has your partner been given a Melanoma nurse as a first point of contact - if so you can contact them & they should be able to either answer your concerns or get advice from the consultant for you before the surgery.

Good luck with the surgery & if you need any more info/support re the op & recovery then Marsha & I will be only too glad to help.

Love & best wishes, Angie xx

Hi Louise,

Sorry I cant help as its not my type of Cancer. But

you wont go far wrong if you listen to Marsha.She is one of the Guru,s of the site and definetly knows

what shes talking about.All the best with the treatment.

Take care and be safe Big Hugs Love Sarsfield.xxx