Saw the surgeon yesterday to discuss histology results and next steps. He had booked the op for next week before I got there!
The tumour was 6.3mm thick, and ulcerated so it's T4b *shrug*. NOT Stage4 which would be baaad. Good news is that the margins were clear which means he did get all of it + no lumps to suggest lymph nodes are involved.. Biopsy showed 0.8mm but the surgeon thought it was thicker and has been proved right. Impact of being that thick is that he needs to remove another 3cm of flesh which would 'compromise' my clit :( :( He says he will avoid doing that by taking less around it, and also a bit less beside the vag opening. He isn't sure if the op will affect the nerves but thinks it might not. Even if f it does, nerves on the other side will be OK.
Tuesday op is to do that wide local excision and reconstruct using 'lotus petal (such a lovely name!) flap surgery' to rotate a section of skin from my inner thigh to replace what he must take and the existing scar. It's a GA but the surgeon said he'll throw me out of hospital as soon as I've got over the GA and the wound shows proper healing has started.
Last CTscan (chest/abdomen/pelvis) was clear but didn't check the base of my pelvis so I am to have another one to check if the closest lymph nodes are cancerous. If so, they'll have to be removed. If necessary, he would be able to do Singapore flap surgery to rotate skin from my groin for reconstruction - hence lotus petal this time. I've forgotten what he said about scarring but at least it'll be out of sight.
Also being referred to an oncology melanoma specialist (Prof Middleton, who also works for Cancer Research) at Oxford. Both the above to determine future treatment; seems my case is important (bad?) enough to be part of their MDT meetings too.
How do I feel? It's all Hobsons choice. From my tinternet searches, the WORST case is 50% 5 year survival rate, I'm only scared sometimes, mostly I'm cool with it. I forgot to ask for a copy of the histology report but will do that
FormerMember
Hi jean, Good luck for next week and will be thinking of you, let us know how you are as soon as you feel up to it. Big hug x
