Skin Cancer

Even when a melanoma has been removed and is considered cured, you will need follow-up exams to see if the cancer has come back. You should check your own skin and contact your doctor if you find any lumps. Report any new symptoms to your doctor such as pain, a cough, tiredness, or weight loss. On a regular basis go to your doctor so that he/she can also check for lymph node swelling and do a general physical exam. Sometimes, blood tests and imaging exams may be done to check for recurrence.

Imaging with PET is a critical test for finding reoccurring cancerous tumors. Before PET, it was extremely difficult to monitor patients to see if the melanoma had returned. Multiple CT scans would have to be done to capture images of the whole body and it still could not see the recurrent cancer as sensitively as PET. Delay in finding recurrence could result in a delay of further surgical removal.

If the melanoma returns, a PET scan may identify it because the tumor cells will pick up the radioactive glucose. PET can also be used to image tumor response to therapy and to detect recurrence in successfully treated lesions. For post surgery and other treatments, PET is extremely important for monitoring if the cancer cells have returned and if treatment should be re-started.

Call a physician at the PET centers nearest you if you have melanoma and would like to discuss whether PET could be useful in your care.