What size was the melanoma? How far did it go into the skin? Did they find anything in his sential nodes the first time? Did he go to Mayo the first time?
I had melanoma on my head .75mm depth 14 months ago. They checked the lymp nodes in both sides of my neck. They were okay as well as the three inch section of skin they had to move from my head. I had a lump in my armpit for over a month or so but it went away. I know they can take these bad lymp nodes out and he still can be okay. Don't be upset it just part of life. They just keep giving me CT SCANS every three months and then now every six months but I am doing okay. I wanted to go to Mayo in Jacksonville, Fl to have them check everything out. Are they good? I wish you dad the best.

Jack

I cannot remember the size--execept that it was big. they did the sentiel lymph node thing and he did not have any cancer the first time. Since then he had spots of cancer in his tissue in his stomach area and in his lung. They operated on the lung, he took some meds and the spots went away. About a year later it came back again in a node which he had surgery for this summer. He is not taking inteferon for a year. They predicted he had 3 years to live (which he outlived), then predicted he had a year(which he is presently outliving) The doctor said that usually once it goes to your lung you are a goner. He went to Mayo in rochester when he first found out. They were great. He is now going locally since all that could be done was done there. I recommend Mayo any day of the week. Good luck!

I called Mayo and will be examined December 31, 2008. What a way to end the year. I feel I should of went there the first time but the past is the past and you can not go back. I have good doctor where I am going now but I am from New York and I really wanted to go back to NY where the big hospital are. I also had spots on the lungs but were told they were just past scars from whopping cough etc. But I feel real good. McCain had this three or four times for the past seventeen years and he had some big ones. He is doing okay so I think your dad should be fine. They keep finding new way to beat it. Best luck to you dad. Jack