I'm not a nurse but I have been a melanoma patient for many years. I'm answering your post as the nurses won't be back until Monday.
I've never actually come across your question before so I can't, at the moment, give you an answer until I've asked some of my more knowledgeable patient friends. I can only hazard a guess that it will be treated the same as donating blood which we melanoma patients can't do as there is a risk that the melanoma could be in the blood stream (it can spread via the blood stream or the lymphatic system). The only exceptions are for basal cell patients & precancerous conditions (ie. in-situ melanoma) as the tumour hasn't grown deep enough to be able to spread into the blood stream.
Whilst I ask around I will send you a friend request. If you accept it I can private message you what I've learned & you ask me any other questions you may have regarding your diagnosis. Meanwhile, good luck with your treatment.
Glad to hear it's Stage 1, I'm assuming 1a as you would be offered a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy if Stage 1b.
At 1a you will be monitored with check ups for a short period of time but you won't get scans etc unless you present with a worrying symptom. The NHS are certainly stretched & patients are finding that their 3 month check ups are becoming 4 or 5 month, or their 6 month check ups become 8 months. However, if in between times a patient finds a worrying mole/lump/symptom they should ring their consultant's secretary to get an earlier appointment. If you haven't had a follow up appointment since November I suggest you ring the secretary or CNS if you have a contact number, so you don't slip through the net for months.
I was initially diagnosed 1b in 1996 and treated with removal & 5 years of check ups. Sadly it returned in 2009, having spread to my groin & pelvic nodes. I had a full clearance of nodes from my groin & pelvis and then check ups, with the odd scan, until 2020 when I was discharged as being NED (No Evidence of Disease) the melanoma equivalent of remission. I have an open door policy with my consultant & I've since seen him twice for worrying lesions removed so I've been very, very lucky. Since 2018 newly diagnosed Stage 3 patients now also have adjuvant drug therapy to help prevent a recurrence. I feel lucky that I've survived this far without the drug therapy but I'm always vigilant as, with my history, it can come back at any time.
I'm sorry you have been diagnosed with melanoma. We have information on our website on melanoma at thislink.
The UK Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation guidelines say that you can’t donate blood if you have or had cancer. This is because there is a theoretical risk that a cancer cell could be passed on in the blood. There is no evidence to prove that this is possible. It is very much a safety measure. You can read more about this here.
I hope this is of some help. Give us a ring if you would like to talk anything over. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.
