Superficial Spreading Melanoma.....?

Stuart Ablett

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Tokyo Japan
Well I just got back from the hospital, I have a "Superficial Spreading Melanoma" (SSM). It comes off on the 13th of October, as soon as they can get me in. Once that is done, they will see if it is benign (good), or malignant (bad), and I'll have to wait ten days to hear. If it is malignant, then I have to go into the hospital again, so they can remove more tissue.

Scary stuff for sure. :(

My wife is a breast cancer survivor, so I can take strength in that. :)

I will be trying extra hard to stay on track with my diet and exercise, I think it can only help with me staying healthy and recovering from this. :thumb:

I wanted to know if anyone here has any experience with this type of skin cancer?

Cheers!
 
I'm sure everything will be fine, Stu. Mainly because you are actively taking care of it. My mom had some similar things removed and was fine. You are reminding me to go see a dermatologist just to make sure some of my childhood moles are still OK (had some removed around 18, but never got checked thereafter).

Wishing you well.
 
Scary news for sure Stu, but wait until you know the results of the tests.
My wife had one of those removed some years ago, and so far everything is fine.

Protect yourself from sun exposure.

I wish you well and a speedy recovery.
 
Good thing is that you have caught it early Stu. It is the most common type and because of that the most treatable. Early detection is the key. You are going to be fine and keep up the positive attitude and the bike riding. :thumb::thumb: Your in our prayers for a speedy recovery. :thumb:
 
Stu,
I've had nine of those surgically removed over the past six years, and have an appointment to get yet another suspected one checked out (biopsied) tomorrow.

All mine have been on my face, scalp, and one on my shoulder. Too much sun exposure in my early years - growing up in the country, then spending 22 years USMC, I spent the first 40+ years of my life in the outdoors. Now I'm paying for it...

All have been benign (so far) though. Hopefully, yours will be, too.
 
Thanks gents, hearing some of your tales does help. I have to say Emiko, my lovely wife is spooked by this, as she is now just recently completely off the cancer drugs that she has been on for her breast cancer.

I'm being as upbeat as possible, and positive, I'm sure I'll be like the vast of people and just have an interesting scar.

Cheers! :wave:
 
I agree with everyone...the key is to catch it early....and you have. Best of luck to you and get better soon!
 
Stu,
Glad you caught it early... I've no experience personally, but my mother had a number of them removed from her face as she was aging.... she's passed away now at the age of 85 and other than a couple of scars, don't think she ever had any real problem with the melanomas... other things, but not the skin cancers.
 
I had a friend that had a couple removed last year. For his, they had a lab at the hospital and they removed a layer at a time and tested it. Once they got to a layer that wasn't affected they took one more and stopped. They sent that layer for additional testing just to be sure.

It's good that you're proactive in getting them taken care of. I had a couple of spots looked at just after his surgery. The doctor said that mine, which look like normal moles (or start of moles) are just fine when they are round and brown, but when they start to take on odd shapes or turn black, be sure to get them looked at.

Keeping you in our thoughts...:wave:
 
I had a friend that had a couple removed last year. For his, they had a lab at the hospital and they removed a layer at a time and tested it. Once they got to a layer that wasn't affected they took one more and stopped. They sent that layer for additional testing just to be sure...

Darren,
That's called the MOHS technique. It's the procedure my doctor prefers, too. Time consuming, since there's about a 45 minute wait between cuttings, but it generally both assures that they get it all, and also that it's minimally invasive. In my case(s), it's usually taken three or more cuttings to get a clean margin, sot it generally takes 3~4 hours at the doctors.

Not really that big a deal - just bring a good book with you to pass the time. ;)
 
I wish you the best of luck, Stu. I have a similar thing and am scheduled for the minor surgery to remove it. Of all the cancers, skin cancer is the most curable so take heart. If you're like me, it was just to much sun earlier in life.

Mike
 
I think most of us were in the pre-sunscreen generation. If you wore anything it was suntan lotion to promote tanning. Thankfully I missed the time period of my older sister and her friends that would use baby oil with iodine in it to tan (ick). They looked pretty goofy.
 
Stu, my dad has had many removed from his arms nose, ears and now above his eye to behind his nose (about where glasses sit on your nose). He looked rough for a couple of days, but drove the other day to my sisters. Inconvenient, annoying and necessary!! I have had moles with rings around them like Sharon talked of. Pretty quick recovery. Will say some prayers for you anyway my skinny friend! :thumb:
 
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