Recurrence??

Hi Karmel.  I haven’t had the same experience as you, but at my check ups, I am always told I can contact the doctor via his secretary if I have any concerns in between check ups.  At my most recent check up last month, the consultant told me I should be looking for lumps under the scar or near the site of the original melanoma.  I would be on the phone on Monday in your shoes.  Take care x

Thanks for the response Tinkerbell. I’ll give them a call on Monday and see what they say. It’s always worrying to find changes. I have been trying to convince myself it’s just scar tissue when I can definitely feel it’s a round lump. Just wasn’t sure if a recurrence of 1a was that common x

Just posting again to see if anyone else has been through this. I spoke with the dermatology team and they have moved my next appointment up to later this week which is good as I don’t have long to wait. 

I think part of my nerves come from issues with the healing of my WLE in terms of infection, the infection essentially removed my stitches and my wound took approx 4 months to close and so I have anxiety even just at the thought of the scar being reopened let alone what they might find x

I've just found out that my melanoma has now recurred for a 2nd time. Originally it was stage 1 on my left cheek (2019), but large in diameter. Wide excision, skin graft and then it recurred 2 years later (2021). Now it has come back on the grafted skin, and I am waiting on the scheduled MOHS surgery, and seeing an Oncologist later today. What I don't understand is that typically in situ melanomas removed by wide excision rarely come back... but not me, it has come back twice! As a side note, my father died from a melanoma on the sclera on his eye... so I'm being very pro-active in trying to get treatments/answers.

Good luck to us all!

Molly

Molly thanks so much for your response and I’m sorry to hear yours has come back again. I hope your appointment with the oncologist went as well as it could today and you got some answers? 

I am also extra vigilant due to a BCC about 10 years ago now but I’m sorry that your family have already had experience with this from your dad. I have my appointment Friday and will see what they decide to do at that stage. I have obvious concerns about it returning but also don’t want to just be worrying if they say it’s just scar tissue. Who knows at this point. 

Sending love x

Hi.  I am sorry the melanoma came back.   Going through this right now.  Had my first mohs on my cheek in 2017.  It was Melanoma insitu.   Then Oct of 2023 it was back and much bigger.  February 1 had mohs and had several procedures done  Entire cheek was affected.  .   Now just went through the grafting process with a Bolster attached to my cheek to keep it in place.    The melanoma became stage 1.   They said they got all of it.     It is a lot to take in.   They told me they are coming up with new ways of dealing with grafting all the time.   It is time consuming but it is a must to get it out.   They have a new cream they want me to use on my face after the graft is settled    The cream is used mainly for melanoma after the procedure and all is done.  Take care

Hi Loulau,

I'm still waiting for my schedule for the MOHS - but after seeing the oncologist, I understand that my melanoma will probably come back again & again (it apparently isn't all that rare  to happen). So I liken it to "whack a mole" a silly never-ending carnival game where you literally use a padded hammer to whack any stuffed mole that pops out of a hole. Funny analogy, but it is what it is.  I'm at peace with it all as it is in situ, and I'll keep getting whatever needs to be cut/shaved, excised, etc.. as long as I need it. Heck, they are battle scars. I'm winning this battle. One scar at a time. It is all good (I tell my self). I'm keenly interested in this cream that you speak of. Please reply with the name of it when you can. Stay strong & carry on!

Sounds like you have a very good attitude which is very helpful!    The name of the cream is Imiquimod cream.  

i live in the United States so not sure where you are - I will also be taking vitamin B3 - the Dermatologist told me to check with my Dr before taking to make sure this is ok 

I love the whack a mole analogy - so good

Take care

2 weeks ago I had my MOHS surgery and I'm healing well. The span of my melanoma was much larger than expected. It took 6 layers to get "clear" and the hole (prior to flaps and stiches) was a 4 CM round space on my cheek. I go back in 3 weeks to have the incisions/scars lasered and I was told that I'll be using a chemotherapy cream following that. Whew...