So My bestie was diagnosed with a melanoma a couple of months ago after my persistent nagging to get it looked at...I kind of knew it would be a malignant melanoma as it looked so nasty. Long story short hes had the melanoma removed and gone on to have a wider incision  to take further skin awy as well as a sentinal node biopsy taken. So now we have to wait for results.

He is in his late 60's and the mole was on his back, they did a SNB under one arm as the node shone up after he was given radioactive stuff to look at them.

I am now terrified that this has spread and that he will need futher surgery. He is generally fit and well, very fit and still working. but there is a history of cancer in his family. His mum died at age 52 from skin cancer.

I am so worried....I am so scared that the cancer has spread.

If it is worst case scnario if they take out lymph nodes how long will it be before he recovers? do these operations take it out of the body and make things worse in terms of depression or its ability to cope...do i sound stupid for asking such questions? i just cannot bear the thoughtsof him going through all of this when hes been so fit all of his life...

i feel so helpless!