Stage 1B

Hi Nit.Thu57 

Most people who receive a melanoma diagnosis will have a follow up procedure called a wide local excision (WLE). This is when a further area all around the original biopsy excision site is removed to make sure there's no chance that any cancer cells have been left behind. It depends on the depth of the melanoma as to whether a 1cm or 2cm margin is removed. 

Your boyfriend may also be offered a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), again depending on the depth of his melanoma. You can click here to read the NICE guidelines which advise when a SLNB should be offered. The SLNB is a test to see if the cancer cells have travelled to the nearest lymph nodes.

I've had both of these procedures so happy to answer any questions your boyfriend might have.

The WLE and SLNB were both performed and we are awaiting results.  I was feeling better about things when the biopsy indicated it was 1B ( which I know isn't always right, but it still helped relieve my anxiety).  But I was so shocked to see the length of his scar.  I've had two surgeries for cancer....breast lumpectomy in 2024 and a robotic hysterectomy for uterine cancer in 2023.  And I can say, my scars didn't look anywhere near as scary as his did.  I tried not to overreact so I wouldn't freak him out, but haven't been able to think of much of anything since then.