Earl Steidler

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In April of 2019, Earl noticed a lump behind his left ear. He scheduled an appointment with his general physician to get it checked and then was referred to an ENT doctor.  Through an ultrasound and a fine needle biopsy it was confirmed that Earl has Metastatic Malignant Melanoma or melanoma that has spread to his lymph node from somewhere else.   Earl then had a PET scan, CT of the head and neck and a MRI. He also saw the dermatologist and an ophthalmologist to determine if we could find a primary spot either on the skin or in the eyes where this cancer started and to determine if the cancer had spread anywhere else in his body.  The dermatology check and eye check did not reveal any spots of concern or spots where the cancer started. The PET scan also revealed a small spot on the right side of Earls neck that is presumed to also be cancer. 


Due to the aggressive nature of Melanoma and the fact that the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, the decision was made to head to Mayo Clinic to determine the best course of action.