Re: Biopsy Results. Melanoma.
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Re: Biopsy Results. Melanoma.

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Biopsy Results. Melanoma. › Re: Biopsy Results. Melanoma.

    • December 14, 2013 at 5:32 pm
    Janner
    Participant

    For future biopsies, I might suggest asking for a "punch" instead of a shave.  When you shave through a lesion, you lose important staging information.  It will be hard for them to know the actual depth – you can't just add the original biopsy depth to the depth taken later because the samples don't line up.  Punch biopsies are full skin thickness biopsies.  Doctors like shaves because they are easy and require no stitches, but I won't have shave biopsies for the very reason I mentioned above.  (Also because I think they hurt more while healing). 

    Is your doc a melanoma specialist?  Also, I'm not sure the Canadian protocol, but I might be asking for a SNB IF your deep margin isn't clear.  Basically, that means you don't know the actual depth of the lesion and it might be worth checking your lymph nodes.  This HAS to be done at the time of the WLE or prior. It's something I would discuss with your doc if possible.  If it is only the side margins that aren't clear, then the depth stands at 0.47mm and you probably don't need the SNB.  If you can get a copy of your pathology report, that might help.

    Janner

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