I had complete axillary lymph node removal in April following a R forearm melanoma with probable micromets to sentinel node (long story–6 dermopaths couldn’t determine whether the node had normal pigmented lesion or melanoma). Axillary nodes were clear, PET scan was clear, and further treatment other than every 3 month checkups and 6 month CT scans were advised.
I had my first CT with contrast last week. I got a call from the nurse at my former oncologist’s to ask me if I was seeing a melanoma oncologist because they received my report (by mistake). I casually asked her if it was OK, and she said there were “soft tissue changes in the area of my surgery.”
Now I’m anxious. I don’t see the melanoma oncologist till the 20th because he’s out of town. I tried googling this but apparently “soft tissue changes” is too broad and has too many meanings.
I am HOPING this means that the area in which my nodes were removed looks different, and not that I have recurrent, internal disease.
The CT guy DID tell me that my lungs and organs looked disease-free (but I know, he’s not a radiologist).
Just when I hope this horrible nightmare is behind me, anxiety strikes again.