› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › First Timer- Biopsy Reports
- This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 11 months ago by cancersnewnormal.
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- May 11, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Hey all,
I have found it tough to find information online concerning this.
In Feburary I had a vulva biopsy come back with the results below:
Severely Atypical Melanocytic Profileration.
Comment: This proliferation extends to the biopsy margin. A more aggressive lesion adjacent to the biopsy cannot be excluded. Complete excision is recommended.I was sent to a gynecologic oncologist. At my appointment I was schedued for surgery for an excision. One on the biopsy site and another area that was not biopsied a little further south where I have a cluster of 3 freckles.
This just all seems like so much..Everything I read online makes this sound like you do not need an excision for aypical moles.
If you all could give me some advice that would much appreciatied!
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- May 11, 2018 at 5:08 pm
Typically a mole that comes back as MILD for atypia can be left to "watch and wait" for any return of pigment or change. However, with a "severly atypical" pathology, doctors like to have full margins. This report mentions that the specimine sent to the lab extended to the biopsy margin… meaning they don't have the full picture, and the surrounding area may (or may not) contain melanoma or additional atypical cells. Until a larger portion is removed, and the area is "secured" by surrounding clean margins, there is no certainty of an accurate diagnosis. It is very overwhelming and scary. Severe atypia doesn't mean you will find melanoma, but with this kind of pathology, there is also no certainty that you will not. It's an incomplete picture, and the docs are moving in a direction of "standard precautions taken" based upon prevention statistics. Basically "better safe than sorry".
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- May 13, 2018 at 3:39 pm
It's always good to ask questions and get as much info as you can. This is a scary time, particularly with three kiddos, aaaaand it being in a very sensitive area. Hopefully the more complete picture will show only dysplastic nevus… or at the very least, complete removal margins and a nice early catch. The not knowing is always the most difficult part, because the mind terrors always last longer than the physical scars we need to overcome.
Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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