Malignant melanoma on bottom of foot?

I had a melanoma removed (supposedly completely) which measured .8mm in depth. It began as a small mole on the instep of my right foot. Some 5 years ago(now in thirties), it grew darker and larger while the borders became irregular.

I denied myself treatment until last week when it was immediately removed. Is a melanoma with .8mm depth extremely dangerous?

I was referred to a "mohs" surgeon who wouldn't even see me after looking at my case and biopsy results. He sent me to a premiere cancer center the next morning that ordered further tissue removal with skin grafts and sentinel lymph node biopsy. From the information I've read, a melanoma with depth less than 1mm can be safely removed without worry of spread to the lymph nodes.

So why is this oncologist surgeon so worried as to demand these procedures? Could they know something from the biopsy results that they're not telling me?

Not to scare you, but malignant melanoma is very much a cancer that is known to metastize, or spread to different organs or tissues quite easily and rapidly. Even though your lesion was less than 1mm, your oncologist, pathologist, or doctor just wanted to make sure especially because you waited five years to receive any type of treatment (this is why that Mohs surgeon refused to operate on you). Having ANY type of skin cancer has a very high chance of NOT being able to cure 100%. In fact, you will probably have to go back in a few years for a similiar procedure. I believe it is because of the tissue invovled. Practically, skin is "damaged" microscopically or macroscopically every day and it has a high regeneration. This is why you may find yourself in the same predicament in a few years. Also, you said you found this malignant malanoma on the bottom of your foot. This is pretty rare. Usually most lesions are ones that have have been exposed to sunlight more often. I believe your surgeons (like I said before) are taking a precaution to make sure it has not metasitized. In their mind, they may have "thought" it had already metasize to the bottom of your foot and "just checking" the LN around it made sure that this was NOT the case. Just make sure, you are careful about ALL lesions, moles, etc. Follow the ABCs. A for area (more than a pencil eraser size is risky), B is border (irregular border shape is not a good sign either), and C is for color (having a mole that is dark on the inside and light on the outside, or vice-a versa, can be a cause for alarm.

I hope all is well. I just read this posting and got chills. My mom had melanoma on the bottom of her foot, although it measured greater than 3mm on the Breslow scale. It can spread to your lymph nodes and doesn't take long to do that. Best wishes and treatment. Report It

It is their obligation to tell you everything, so you can make an informed decision. Just talk to them and ask for them to explain everything to you until you feel that you understand. Good Luck!

This sounds like the routine procedure of an oncologist with your findings.

Melanoma, with its unique combination of agressiveness and the ease of removal (its just on your skin) makes the decision "what to do?" super-easy to answer. You cut that crap out ASAP!!

Be glad its gone, but make sure your lymph nodes are clean before you let out your breath.