SLNB results

Hi Andy.  Sorry to hear about your biopsy results and I think I would feel the same in your situation. I’ve looked at the NICE guidelines and they do say that no adjuvant therapy is offered for stage 3a https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng14/chapter/1-Recommendations#managing-stage-iii-melanoma-2. 
Have you spoken to your consultant about the thinking behind this decision? Presumably the risk of spread from 3a melanoma is quite low for this to be the recommended course of action.  Throughout my treatment I’ve found that speaking with the consultant and being able to ask questions has really helped put my mind at rest.  Take care and I hope someone else on the forum with more experience can help put your mind at rest x

Andy,

I can see why you have mixed emotions, it’s not quite the comfort you needed, but great the experts think you don’t need any further treatment. When you see them ask lots of questions and if you are not happy it might be wise calling a specialist helpline to talk through what you been told so far, just to sense check it..

Do you know what your Mitotic rate was?  Talking to a consultant last week he said no ulceration and 0 mitotic rates were good signs. If you have 0 or a low mitotic rate that maybe another reason your medical team are comfortable  with no further treatment.

aw 

Hey Andy,

How has it been going since this last post?

Did you get any treatment in the end?

I am currently in this situation, where they found 0.2mm of reactive cells in one out of 5 lymph nodes taken out, with no signs of spreading.

All CT scans came clear.

The doctor told me as its so small, based on new treatments and studies, this is treated like negative result.

Only ultrasound monitoring every 4 months and yearly CT scan.

How has it been going for you? 

Hope everything went fine!

Cheers

A