Malignant Melanoma

My daughter (34) was diagnosed with malignant melanoma on her breast, about 21/2 in. from the nipple towards the armpit. It was about 1/2 the size of a pencil eraser and probably had been present for about 2 months before she had it checked.We did not receive a stage from the pathologist, but he said it looked to be small and contained.  She immediately was sent for chest xray and blood work, all normal. She has had the spot and surrounding tissue removed, and the sentinal lymph node under the arm as well. The boarders were 100% clean. She feels if the node has cancer cells it will automatically be a stage 4, that there is nothing else that can be done, and that further treatment has only a small chance of working.Is this true? Can the node be cancerous, but not yet spread to any other areas? Will a long treatment of chemo be necessary? Will she be morelikely to get another skin cancer since she has had this one?  There is none in our family. will other cancers, particularly breast be more likely? We are all worried sick over this, and will not get results on the lymph node for another 5 days.Any info you can give us will be appreciated.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I am not expert in the staging of melanoma.  However, the presence of cancer in a lymph node, while not good news, does not automatically relegate the case to the worst prognostic category.  Whether other treatment modes will be needed will of course have to wait for the biopsy results.  No need to despair in advance.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff