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Initial biopsy results vs. WLE path results
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Initial biopsy results vs. WLE path results

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Initial biopsy results vs. WLE path results

  • Post
    • July 9, 2016 at 9:21 pm
    Alce123
    Participant
      Hi all!

      I had a mole on my leg biopsied 1.5 weeks ago. The path report came back as stage 1a, 0.44cm deep, no ulceration, mitotic rate of 0.

      A few days ago I met with the surgeon who will be removing the mole. He said that he won’t know the exact stage until the entire mole is removed which is standard as far as I can tell.

      Any chance anyone out there knows how often these measurements change drastically? Should I put any stock in the initial results?

      Thanks,

      32 and a little scared out of my mind

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • July 9, 2016 at 10:56 pm
        Janner
        Participant

          You can make no assumptions from the biopsy because, as I recall, your deep margin was not clear.  It was a very shallow shave biopsy.  I don't think you should be worrying unnecessarily, but none of us can give you any help on this.  Most times, biopsies remove enough depth for initial staging even if they don't always get all the width needed.  But in your case, that didn't happen.  So you have to wait until the WLE to know if it was about that depth or deeper.  Hang in there.

          • July 9, 2016 at 10:56 pm
          Janner
          Participant

            You can make no assumptions from the biopsy because, as I recall, your deep margin was not clear.  It was a very shallow shave biopsy.  I don't think you should be worrying unnecessarily, but none of us can give you any help on this.  Most times, biopsies remove enough depth for initial staging even if they don't always get all the width needed.  But in your case, that didn't happen.  So you have to wait until the WLE to know if it was about that depth or deeper.  Hang in there.

            • July 9, 2016 at 10:56 pm
            Janner
            Participant

              You can make no assumptions from the biopsy because, as I recall, your deep margin was not clear.  It was a very shallow shave biopsy.  I don't think you should be worrying unnecessarily, but none of us can give you any help on this.  Most times, biopsies remove enough depth for initial staging even if they don't always get all the width needed.  But in your case, that didn't happen.  So you have to wait until the WLE to know if it was about that depth or deeper.  Hang in there.

                • July 10, 2016 at 1:03 am
                gigembritt
                Participant

                  I am in the exact same boat! Mine is .44 as well. 

                  • July 11, 2016 at 7:08 pm
                  Alce123
                  Participant
                    Have you had it excised yet?
                    • July 11, 2016 at 7:08 pm
                    Alce123
                    Participant
                      Have you had it excised yet?
                      • July 11, 2016 at 8:46 pm
                      gigembritt
                      Participant

                        Nope. I go to MD Anderson Tomorrow but it is just a consult. Mine was not clean margins.

                        • July 11, 2016 at 8:46 pm
                        gigembritt
                        Participant

                          Nope. I go to MD Anderson Tomorrow but it is just a consult. Mine was not clean margins.

                          • July 11, 2016 at 8:46 pm
                          gigembritt
                          Participant

                            Nope. I go to MD Anderson Tomorrow but it is just a consult. Mine was not clean margins.

                            • July 11, 2016 at 7:08 pm
                            Alce123
                            Participant
                              Have you had it excised yet?
                              • July 10, 2016 at 1:03 am
                              gigembritt
                              Participant

                                I am in the exact same boat! Mine is .44 as well. 

                                • July 10, 2016 at 1:03 am
                                gigembritt
                                Participant

                                  I am in the exact same boat! Mine is .44 as well. 

                                • July 10, 2016 at 2:24 am
                                Janner
                                Participant

                                  So I might have confused the original poster for the other poster on this thread.  If your original biopsy had clean deep margins, then the WLE would most likely be anti-climactic.  If the deep margin wasn't clear, then my original reply is correct.

                                    • July 11, 2016 at 7:07 pm
                                    Alce123
                                    Participant
                                      It had clean deep margins but my surgeon said that (since they didnt get the entire width of it) there could be a “lake” or area where the mole is deeper than what was biopsied.

                                      Trying to stay positive. Unfortunately/fortunately the mole was found in the middle of an ivf cycle. We had to freeze all of our embryos and they don’t want us to try for a year. They areally worried the increased hormones my have exacerbated the melanoma. Since the biopsy it does seem a little swollen and is a little painful but I assume that’s relatively normal?

                                      Thanks for responding!

                                      • July 11, 2016 at 7:07 pm
                                      Alce123
                                      Participant
                                        It had clean deep margins but my surgeon said that (since they didnt get the entire width of it) there could be a “lake” or area where the mole is deeper than what was biopsied.

                                        Trying to stay positive. Unfortunately/fortunately the mole was found in the middle of an ivf cycle. We had to freeze all of our embryos and they don’t want us to try for a year. They areally worried the increased hormones my have exacerbated the melanoma. Since the biopsy it does seem a little swollen and is a little painful but I assume that’s relatively normal?

                                        Thanks for responding!

                                        • July 11, 2016 at 7:07 pm
                                        Alce123
                                        Participant
                                          It had clean deep margins but my surgeon said that (since they didnt get the entire width of it) there could be a “lake” or area where the mole is deeper than what was biopsied.

                                          Trying to stay positive. Unfortunately/fortunately the mole was found in the middle of an ivf cycle. We had to freeze all of our embryos and they don’t want us to try for a year. They areally worried the increased hormones my have exacerbated the melanoma. Since the biopsy it does seem a little swollen and is a little painful but I assume that’s relatively normal?

                                          Thanks for responding!

                                          • July 11, 2016 at 8:33 pm
                                          Janner
                                          Participant

                                            There could be, but honestly I have rarely heard of that happening except when the biopsy was only a partial biopsy of a very large lesion.  

                                            Swollen, tight, annoying are fine and normal.  Red and hot could mean infection so call your doc if you gave those symptoms.

                                            • July 11, 2016 at 8:33 pm
                                            Janner
                                            Participant

                                              There could be, but honestly I have rarely heard of that happening except when the biopsy was only a partial biopsy of a very large lesion.  

                                              Swollen, tight, annoying are fine and normal.  Red and hot could mean infection so call your doc if you gave those symptoms.

                                              • July 11, 2016 at 8:33 pm
                                              Janner
                                              Participant

                                                There could be, but honestly I have rarely heard of that happening except when the biopsy was only a partial biopsy of a very large lesion.  

                                                Swollen, tight, annoying are fine and normal.  Red and hot could mean infection so call your doc if you gave those symptoms.

                                              • July 10, 2016 at 2:24 am
                                              Janner
                                              Participant

                                                So I might have confused the original poster for the other poster on this thread.  If your original biopsy had clean deep margins, then the WLE would most likely be anti-climactic.  If the deep margin wasn't clear, then my original reply is correct.

                                                • July 10, 2016 at 2:24 am
                                                Janner
                                                Participant

                                                  So I might have confused the original poster for the other poster on this thread.  If your original biopsy had clean deep margins, then the WLE would most likely be anti-climactic.  If the deep margin wasn't clear, then my original reply is correct.

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