Monday this week my husband saw a report on FoxNews about skin cancer and decided to check himself. Found a suspicious mole on the left side of his face that wasn't there 9 year ago when we got married from looking at pictures. It was there 2 year ago but definitely smaller. Went to the dermatologist same day and they did a shave biopsy. Today Thursday the doctor called us back and told us that it was in fact Malignant Melanoma.
Next step he said would be to go to a surgeon and have a larger excision, wider but not deeper he said, to make sure all malignant cells are removed.
Here is the report....
Diagnosis: Skin, L Preauricular Area, Malignant Melanoma, Clark's Level II, Breslow Thickness 0.2 MM, Biopsy.
Ulceration is absent.
Associated Intradermal Melanocytic Nevus.
Clinical Impresion was: L Preauricular Area - R/O anm, shave, hyperpigmented macule with irreg color and border.
Gross Description: A 0.6 CM Tan Irregular Skin Segment. TS 2.
Microscopic Description: Original and deeper sections are evaluated. There is a broad, poorly circmscribed, nested, and confluent solitary junctional melanocytic proliferation of atypical epithelioid melanocytes. Pagetoid melanocytes are present above the basal cell layer. Focally there are melanoma cells in the pappillary dermis. There is slight solar elastosis. There also appears to be a benign intradermal nevus in some sections.
We have done a lot of reading this week and even more today. And we have some more questions...
1. Do they always refer you to a surgeon when they find melanoma? If not what would be cause to? Should we be alarmed?
2. In regards to Breslow Thickness 0.2 MM - does this mean that there was a clear layer of benign cells seen below 0.2 MM? Or is this just the size of the sample?
3. Does this make him more susceptible to other cancers?
4. What will the surgeon do exactly? Will they remove just more skin or lymphnodes to? Is it done under local or general anesthesia?
5. What happens after the surgery? What is the general prognosis and 10-20 year outlook? Will it shorten lifespan?
Any and all input appreciated.
Thank you and God Bless :-)