How important is mitotic index?

<1 is good.  I've heard some say mitotic rate is second to Breslow/depth in terms of prognostic significance on path report (mitotic rate I believe recently replaced Clark level in the staging system)

<1 is good.  I've heard some say mitotic rate is second to Breslow/depth in terms of prognostic significance on path report (mitotic rate I believe recently replaced Clark level in the staging system)

<1 is good.  I've heard some say mitotic rate is second to Breslow/depth in terms of prognostic significance on path report (mitotic rate I believe recently replaced Clark level in the staging system)

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21519009

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!    

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21519009

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21519009

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!    

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!