Recurrence

Hi Stars09.

i’m afraid I don’t know the answer to your question, but I would be really interested to hear from somebody who does.

Our stories are quite similar, except that mine is more recent.. Like you, I was wrongly diagnosed by a dermatologist as having a BCC, when in fact it turned out to be a Stage 1b melanoma.  There was a long delay between diagnosis and the WLE, which increased my anxiety levels.  Although I wasn’t actually told that it should have been taken out sooner, I understand that it was growing at a fair old pace and naturally you start to think, what if….  Like you, I was very fortunate that the results of the WLE and SLNB were clear.  At the same time, I also had a flat brown, multi shaded area of pigmentation removed from my leg, which turned out to be a dysplastic naevus.  I have been told by my specialist nurse that this is treated as a melanoma in- situ.  

After my operation, I started to look back at old photos to see whether there were any signs of that melanoma that I hadn’t spotted, and I would say that years ago, there was an area of pigmentation on the same site.  Nowadays, I would ask for it to be looked at on one of my 3 monthly skin checks, but then I thought it was just another age spot, It wasn’t until I became aware that there was a lump there that I went along to the GP.  I’m now wondering whether my melanoma started off as a dysplastic naevus like the one on my leg, but of course there is no way of knowing now.

Hope your biopsy comes back clear, although if it is a melanoma in- situ, then presumably you have caught it in really good time, which is positive.

Wishing you all the best.

Hello Silveraspen

THank you for your reply and I’m so pleased for you that all sounds good now. A huge relief I know. It’s interesting how similar our stories sound. Did they say to you at the time that your two areas were totally unconnected? Thank you. X 

Nobody actually said they were connected, but I didn’t ask either.  I actually went to the doctor with three suspect lesions, and only those two turned out to be nasty.  They were all so far apart, it’s difficult to know whether there was a connection  or not.  I don’t really know how these melanomas develop once your skin has been damaged, but it would be interesting to find out.  At least, having had a diagnosis, we will  hopefully be vigilant enough to spot anything new in good time. xx

I I have had four melanomas the first one in my lower leg I went to the dr she said not bothered about that . I said I am if I hadn’t pushed I may not be writing this . When I went one was noticed on my neck. She asked if I came about that. I said no I didn’t notice that one both needed removal later on a few years on. I found a lamp inmy groin  when it was removed. It was a kilo. It was a melanoma metastasis from the one in my lower leg. There was one in my pelvis too.i had  immunotherapy . I am stable, I have been stable for five years . I’ve recently found a lump in my other leg .fingers crossed when I have a scan on Wednesday that it will be nothing but you can’t take a chance. The nurse said they’re tricky little buggers . Always check and if you are worried make appointment for a check 

My two areas were completely separate but the leg one I had further trouble the one in my neck has completely gone as I said in my first reply I am stable at the moment 5 yrs but waiting on the scan Wednesday