› Forums › General Melanoma Community › How important is mitotic index?
- This topic has 15 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 2 months ago by vivian.
- Post
-
- August 8, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Hello!
I've seen on other posts stating that some people are staged based on mitotic index. Just wondering how good a predictor of spread it is?
My husband's path report showed <1/mm2, which I'm assuming is good? Also, Breslow depth was 1mm and no ulceration. Still categorized as IIIb due to the small satellite lesion found in the biopsy.
Just reaching for any hope!
Thanks again!
Brooke
Hello!
I've seen on other posts stating that some people are staged based on mitotic index. Just wondering how good a predictor of spread it is?
My husband's path report showed <1/mm2, which I'm assuming is good? Also, Breslow depth was 1mm and no ulceration. Still categorized as IIIb due to the small satellite lesion found in the biopsy.
Just reaching for any hope!
Thanks again!
Brooke
- Replies
-
-
- August 8, 2013 at 7:44 pm
Mitotic index is an indication of how quickly the cells are dividing. A mitotic index of <1/mm2 means that very few cells in the sample were actively dividing. I have often seen posters here report MI of 4, 5, or 6 /mm2; once or twice I've seen them as high as 10/mm2 (i.e., dividing very rapidly). So yes, you have good reason to be hopeful.
-
- August 8, 2013 at 7:44 pm
Mitotic index is an indication of how quickly the cells are dividing. A mitotic index of <1/mm2 means that very few cells in the sample were actively dividing. I have often seen posters here report MI of 4, 5, or 6 /mm2; once or twice I've seen them as high as 10/mm2 (i.e., dividing very rapidly). So yes, you have good reason to be hopeful.
-
- August 8, 2013 at 7:44 pm
Mitotic index is an indication of how quickly the cells are dividing. A mitotic index of <1/mm2 means that very few cells in the sample were actively dividing. I have often seen posters here report MI of 4, 5, or 6 /mm2; once or twice I've seen them as high as 10/mm2 (i.e., dividing very rapidly). So yes, you have good reason to be hopeful.
-
- August 8, 2013 at 8:05 pm
At the moment, mitotic rate is only used to distinguish stage IA from stage IB. It is not included in the other stages for prognostic value. So while your mitotic rate is good, there is really no knowing what effect that has in a more advanced stage. In your case with only a satellite lesion to upstage you, I'd say having <1 mitosis is a good thing. However, mitosis rate can be a bit subjective, so I'd just look at it as a positive factor but not put much more significance on it than that.
-
- August 8, 2013 at 8:05 pm
At the moment, mitotic rate is only used to distinguish stage IA from stage IB. It is not included in the other stages for prognostic value. So while your mitotic rate is good, there is really no knowing what effect that has in a more advanced stage. In your case with only a satellite lesion to upstage you, I'd say having <1 mitosis is a good thing. However, mitosis rate can be a bit subjective, so I'd just look at it as a positive factor but not put much more significance on it than that.
-
- August 8, 2013 at 8:05 pm
At the moment, mitotic rate is only used to distinguish stage IA from stage IB. It is not included in the other stages for prognostic value. So while your mitotic rate is good, there is really no knowing what effect that has in a more advanced stage. In your case with only a satellite lesion to upstage you, I'd say having <1 mitosis is a good thing. However, mitosis rate can be a bit subjective, so I'd just look at it as a positive factor but not put much more significance on it than that.
-
- August 8, 2013 at 9:44 pm
-
- August 9, 2013 at 12:48 am
Three years ago in November 2010, my primary lesion measured Breslow 4.35, with a mitotic rate of 9, stage IIIa. I am currently stage IV NED, having had no treatment other than surgery for the initial melanoma, axillary lymph node dissection for one positive node, one in-transit met removed in March 2013 and one small lung met removed November 2012. According to the statistics, I probably shouldn't be here feeling great and living my life, but here I am, and there are many others like me. Just goes to show that people are not statistics!
-
- August 8, 2013 at 9:44 pm
-
- August 8, 2013 at 9:44 pm
-
- August 9, 2013 at 12:48 am
Three years ago in November 2010, my primary lesion measured Breslow 4.35, with a mitotic rate of 9, stage IIIa. I am currently stage IV NED, having had no treatment other than surgery for the initial melanoma, axillary lymph node dissection for one positive node, one in-transit met removed in March 2013 and one small lung met removed November 2012. According to the statistics, I probably shouldn't be here feeling great and living my life, but here I am, and there are many others like me. Just goes to show that people are not statistics!
-
- August 9, 2013 at 12:48 am
Three years ago in November 2010, my primary lesion measured Breslow 4.35, with a mitotic rate of 9, stage IIIa. I am currently stage IV NED, having had no treatment other than surgery for the initial melanoma, axillary lymph node dissection for one positive node, one in-transit met removed in March 2013 and one small lung met removed November 2012. According to the statistics, I probably shouldn't be here feeling great and living my life, but here I am, and there are many others like me. Just goes to show that people are not statistics!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.