How to Determine if a Melanoma is Cancerous: Key Features Explained
How to determine cancer cells? I have a melanocytic nevus measuring 0.4 x 0.3 cm. During the first surgical excision, undifferentiated features and a characteristic of a cancer cell were found. In the second wider excision, no cancer cells were detected. The attending physician a...
Dr. Yang Youhua Reply:
Hello Mr. Hsu: I have already addressed your questions in the previous two responses. I can truly understand your feelings and the anxiety that comes with uncertainty. Theoretically, everyone has some "malignant" cells in their body to varying degrees, but under normal ...[Read More] How to Determine if a Melanoma is Cancerous: Key Features Explained
Understanding Melanoma: Key Questions on Diagnosis and Treatment Options
The user continues to ask? Dear Dr. Yang, Thank you for taking the time to respond amidst your busy schedule. During a recent discussion about my condition with my attending physician, Dr. Ma from Taipei Veterans General Hospital, it was mentioned that the thickness identified i...
Dr. Yang Youhua Reply:
Dear Mr. Hsu, In your last letter, you did not provide very detailed information. If I understand correctly, it seems that after the lesion on your foot was excised and sent for pathology, some "suspicious" cells were found, raising concerns about malignant melanoma. A...[Read More] Understanding Melanoma: Key Questions on Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Understanding the Long-Term Effects and Prognosis of Lymph Node Removal for Melanoma
Are there many complications after lymph node removal? I am 23 years old. The doctor suspected that the mole on my left foot was melanoma, and after surgery, it was highly suspected but not confirmed. They recommended removing the lymph nodes in my left leg as a preventive measur...
Dr. Yang Youhua Reply:
The staging of melanoma is determined by the depth of tumor invasion, whether there is lymphatic spread, and if there are distant metastases. According to the 1997 AJCC staging system, the stages are as follows: Stage IA: Localized tumor with a thickness of <0.75 mm (T1 N0 M...[Read More] Understanding the Long-Term Effects and Prognosis of Lymph Node Removal for Melanoma