Hi Sonny09, how likely ? Well I’ve started trying to reply to you several times and deleted every answer so far, as I think it’s important that I know why you’re asking the question, to know how to answer and even if I can answer or where to point you in the direct for further info.
Whats going through your thoughts at the moment Sonny09? It’s not long now til your SLNB, is it less than a week now?
Take care KT
FormerMember
Hi Sonny09
It sounds like you are reassured that your lymph nodes are not swollen but still scared that your melanoma has spread.
I looked at your profile and it says that your melanoma has been staged at 1b with a depth of 1.35mm and superficial spreading. There is no ulceration.
You have caught your melanoma really early and very few people with your type of melanoma have spread to their lymph nodes. I cannot find the actual percentage, but it is very low. You are having the SLNB to rule out the possibility that you are one of those very unlucky few.
By the way, poking your lymph nodes can make them swell up, which is not helpful!
Decades ago, that's all doctors had; they felt the lymph nodes. It wasn't a good way of knowing if a cancer had spread because (a) there have to be lots of cancer cells to feel a difference and (b) lots of other things make lymph nodes swell up, for instance an infection or too much poking. Now there are SNLBs.
Good luck with yours. I know the waiting is awful. People like me, whose melanoma journey started almost five years ago, have done a lot of waiting for procedures and a lot of waiting for results. The way I look at it, it's all about quality of life and spending my day worrying about stuff that might not be happening or might not happen does not improve my quality of life.
On the other hand, a group like this is a good place to come and have a moan if the anxiety bites.
Hi Sonny09, I thought you were having a wobble, I was having a simultaneous one to, due to treatment day and daughter recently going back and long wait for scan results to tell me I’m still clear (results due 11/9) so really glad Moira chipped in.
