Hi everyone,
I am posting on behalf of my 80 year old father. Biopsy on his right foot (on the “arch” of the foot, close to, but not on the sole) found melanoma in situ. He had WLE 3 weeks ago, but pathology indicated the margins were not clear. Over the phone the consultant discussed various options:
-Further excision, which the consultant indicated may impact my Dad’s mobility, given his age and the awkward location of the lesion on his foot (although he is very active for his age and in excellent health otherwise)
-Surveillance for any recurrence, with optional use of topical solution (imiquimod I believe?)
He will have a follow up consultation when the wound is fully healed.
A key issue here is my Dad’s anxiety when finding out abnormal cells remained - I have tried reassuring him this is currently non invasive but the anxiety and difficulty sleeping persists (we are managing this through his GP)
Also, if relevant, around the same time as the foot biopsy he also had his forehead (BCC) and back (benign) biopsied.
I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on next steps bearing in mind my Dad’s age, particularly on the following:
-Would further excision guarantee removal of all abnormal cells?
-Of course every procedure/patient is different, but is there a possibility further excision could lead to significant impairment?
-How likely would a recurrence be?
-If a second visible lesion does appear, is there any chance this could have progressed to Stage 1 or even beyond?
Many thanks for any advice or opinions, much appreciated.
