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Does regression = reoccurence
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Does regression = reoccurence

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Does regression = reoccurence

  • Post
    • April 5, 2019 at 3:24 pm
    MLD1973
    Participant

      Hello all,

      Firstly, sending healing hugs to you all battling MM.

      I am a newbie, and cannot seem to find the answers and feel very alone.  

      I have this playing on my mind, my report stated I had regression, I asked the question to my skin nurse (I don’t have a dermatologist) my path report showed 0.06 and I asked if it was good or bad?  The response I got was this

      ‘uncertain, but most think probably good overall.  It was virtually the same thickness as the melanoma anyway in this case’

      Well I have it in my head that regression indicates a poorer prognosis, does anyone have knowledge of regression and does it mean likelihood of a reoccurence?.

      i am sorry to post a trivial question, I just cannot find the answer…

      love from a big worrier

       

      mandy

    Viewing 3 reply threads
    • Replies
        • April 5, 2019 at 4:15 pm
        Julie in SoCal
        Participant

          Hi Mandy,

          Welcome!  No worries, yea?  No question to big or too small on this board. 

          I'm probably not the best one to answer your question; others here are much better at reading path reports, but the way I understand it, regression is when your body / immune system has discovered the melanoma and has begun to attack it.  It does not automatically mean that you'll have a recurrence, it just means your body is doing its job!

          If your melanoma was 0.06 thick, this is very good news.  I believe this puts you in the "stage 0" in situ stage.  So after your wide local excision you're done with treatment and the 10 year survival rate is 99%!  In the melanoma world it doesn't get any better woohoo!  This is worth celebrating!

          Others on this board- If I've gotten this wrong (I MISS JANNER!!!) please correct what I've said.  

          Mandy – ask away.  Your questions and finding peace amid a melanoma diagnosis is a large reason this board exists.

          Shalom,

          Julie

            • April 5, 2019 at 4:42 pm
            MLD1973
            Participant

              Thank you.  I mistyped the regression it should be 0.6, I am stage 1a.

              thank you for the reply, my stats for this I was told is 98%, which is still fab.. but the questions still go round my head xx

            • April 5, 2019 at 4:19 pm
            RichInLife2
            Participant

              In the language of melanoma, regression means that the cancer is reduced, and progression means that it has grown or spread, compared to a previous analysis. I would take this as good news. 

              Good luck!

                • April 5, 2019 at 4:45 pm
                MLD1973
                Participant

                  Thank you for taking time to respond to me.  This is all very new to me, so kind responses really do help.  Hugs Mandy x

                  • April 6, 2019 at 12:43 pm
                  Katarina12
                  Participant
                    I was diagnosed with melanoma too stage pt1a 0.6 depth
                    • April 6, 2019 at 12:45 pm
                    Katarina12
                    Participant
                      I was diagnosed with melanoma too stage pt1a 0.6 depth and i am really worry its gonna spread on my organs;thats really scarry time for me
                    • April 6, 2019 at 7:39 pm
                    Jamie1960
                    Participant

                      Regression is a bit of a mixed bag in my experience; the good news is that is shows your body is successfully defending against the melanoma, partially destroying it. The downside is that it makes it difficult to acutally estimate the correct depth of the melanoma at its maximum.

                      Out of an abundance of caution, my surgeon took the approach that the melanom was full depth, to the extent of the estimated depth including the regressed amount, sizing the WLE accordingly.

                        • April 6, 2019 at 8:43 pm
                        MLD1973
                        Participant

                          hi Jamie,

                          thanks for the response.  I had a typo in my post, my Breslow was 0.57mm and the regression was 0.6mm same size as melanoma.  So am I right in thinking I should add Breslin and regression together to get the true depth?

                          Many thanks 

                           

                          Mandy x

                          • April 6, 2019 at 9:11 pm
                          ed williams
                          Participant

                            Mandy, you really need to move on from this and let your pathologist and the report he or she prepared stand on it's own. Trying to read into the report more than what was given to you is not a healthy approach to dealing with melanoma You were given a stage 1A evaluation which based on the new stagging document is a 99% survival chance at 5 years. Put your papers away and live your life, do your follow ups with dermatologist and check your skin or have some one do mole mapping for you. Best Wishes!!!Ed 

                            • April 7, 2019 at 11:31 am
                            Jamie1960
                            Participant

                              Out of an abundance of caution, which is appropriate with melanoma, yes; the two measurements combined would be a rough indication of the maximum depth of the melanoma. Wonderful that your body is destroying it so effectively, but your surgeon may elect to treat based upon total depth since regressed areas are more difficult to measure accurately, My personal motto is "Cut frequently…and often too !". I've had multiple "false alarm" biopsies, but also several that came back with severe atypia. Do your ABCDE self exams, keep an eye out for the "ugly ducklings", and schedule follow ups at least every 6 months until you are five (5) years clean. Vigilance is key and wonderful that you caught it at stage 1.

                            • April 10, 2019 at 4:30 pm
                            mrsaxde
                            Participant

                              I understand your concern and confusion. I'm a retired teacher. In education progression is good and regression is bad. In medicine it's just the opposite. It took me months to get my head around that.

                              Good luck to you!

                              -Bill

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