› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Is melanoma in-situ really melanoma?
- This topic has 15 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 11 months ago by
mlbjab.
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- May 17, 2012 at 6:05 pm
I am so confused about all the varying information on google. I have found a sit called medhelp in which the dr says this(copied and pasted from medhelp Dr response to question about melanoma in-situ). Is this really being blown up by me as I am a person who deals with hypochondria.
Here is what i took from medhelp-
I am so confused about all the varying information on google. I have found a sit called medhelp in which the dr says this(copied and pasted from medhelp Dr response to question about melanoma in-situ). Is this really being blown up by me as I am a person who deals with hypochondria.
Here is what i took from medhelp-
"I understand your anxiety, but you are taking your concerns too far. Just because you had one atypical lesion doesn't mean that every spot you get will be atypical. (The same is true for a freckle that comes back in the same place.) What you need is to work with a doctor you trust to look at your spots carefully on a regular basis and to test anything that looks worrisome. That seems to be what your doctor is doing.
Most spots don't develop into anything. You don't need to remove them preventively. You just need regular watching.
Melanoma-in-situ is not melanoma. It presumably might turn into it if left alone, which it won't because it was taken off.
If there is a teaching hospital with a Pigmented Lesion Clinic anywhere nearby, you might want to visit there to get an overview and proper counseling. I do not advise your attempting to interpret your own pathology reports.
Good luck.
Dr. Rockoff
"
- Replies
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- May 17, 2012 at 6:47 pm
The answer you got seems to be spot on except for the insitu not being melanoma. I am not a doctor so I don’t know if that is true. Basically you need to relax and stop obsessing over your diagnosis of melanoma in situ. You have been treated. Now move on. Keep being vigilant about your check up and self exams. There is nothing more to do than that except live your life. -
- May 17, 2012 at 6:47 pm
The answer you got seems to be spot on except for the insitu not being melanoma. I am not a doctor so I don’t know if that is true. Basically you need to relax and stop obsessing over your diagnosis of melanoma in situ. You have been treated. Now move on. Keep being vigilant about your check up and self exams. There is nothing more to do than that except live your life. -
- May 17, 2012 at 6:47 pm
The answer you got seems to be spot on except for the insitu not being melanoma. I am not a doctor so I don’t know if that is true. Basically you need to relax and stop obsessing over your diagnosis of melanoma in situ. You have been treated. Now move on. Keep being vigilant about your check up and self exams. There is nothing more to do than that except live your life. -
- May 17, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Good question. No answer. If you are talking about Lentiga Maligna, there is a specific distinction. If in situ, it is called Lentiga Maligna. If it is invasive, it is called Lentiga Maligna Melanoma. The melanoma word only appears when invasive. So I suppose you could extrapolate that with the other forms of melanoma as well. By definition, in situ means confined to the epidermis. There are no blood or lymph vessels there so it basically lacks any vehicles for spreading. It is also thought that many older people probably have a melanoma in situ on their body when they pass away – and that is just sitting there doing nothing and not becoming invasive. So even if you had an in situ, it doesn't mean it was going to become invasive now or any time soon. Could it? Certainly. But would it have? No one knows for sure. Insurance companies also make a distinction between in situ and invasive melanoma. So do you have melanoma? I can't answer that. It's probably a matter of semantics and some people might say yes and some might say no. I really think it matters little. Think whatever makes YOU the most comfortable. Just continue to watch other moles for change and be sun smart!
Best wishes,
Janner
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- May 17, 2012 at 7:42 pm
So it's not as serious as say a stage I? That is good to know . I saw on one website 95% survial for melanoma in-situ. If it isn't really a cancer then how on earth do people die? I am finding it all so confusing, I am not sure whether to freak out or to just go on as usual. I am using spf now but that information is confusing as well. SPF 100 I always thought was best but now I read it is a marketing ploy and spf 30 is best.
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- May 17, 2012 at 7:51 pm
It is definitely not as serious as stage I. If it were me, I'd just "go on as usual". There are instances of melanoma in situ spreading, but it is very rare and you can never know someone's exact situation. Misdiagnosis is probably a major factor in those cases but not all of them. The percentages I've seen are closer to 99+% for melanoma in situ. Dealing with this stuff does get easier with time, but spending a lot of time researching really won't help you anxiety any. (Been there, done that).
As for SPF, you want a sunblock that contains at least one of these three ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or avobenzone. These are the ingredients that protect against UVA which is implicated in melanoma. I pay less attention to SPF value and more attention to the ingredients. THe other thing is reapplying often. Every two hours and 30 minutes PRIOR to going outside. Most people don't apply enough, either.
Best wishes,
Janner
Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries
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- May 17, 2012 at 7:51 pm
It is definitely not as serious as stage I. If it were me, I'd just "go on as usual". There are instances of melanoma in situ spreading, but it is very rare and you can never know someone's exact situation. Misdiagnosis is probably a major factor in those cases but not all of them. The percentages I've seen are closer to 99+% for melanoma in situ. Dealing with this stuff does get easier with time, but spending a lot of time researching really won't help you anxiety any. (Been there, done that).
As for SPF, you want a sunblock that contains at least one of these three ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or avobenzone. These are the ingredients that protect against UVA which is implicated in melanoma. I pay less attention to SPF value and more attention to the ingredients. THe other thing is reapplying often. Every two hours and 30 minutes PRIOR to going outside. Most people don't apply enough, either.
Best wishes,
Janner
Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries
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- May 17, 2012 at 7:51 pm
It is definitely not as serious as stage I. If it were me, I'd just "go on as usual". There are instances of melanoma in situ spreading, but it is very rare and you can never know someone's exact situation. Misdiagnosis is probably a major factor in those cases but not all of them. The percentages I've seen are closer to 99+% for melanoma in situ. Dealing with this stuff does get easier with time, but spending a lot of time researching really won't help you anxiety any. (Been there, done that).
As for SPF, you want a sunblock that contains at least one of these three ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or avobenzone. These are the ingredients that protect against UVA which is implicated in melanoma. I pay less attention to SPF value and more attention to the ingredients. THe other thing is reapplying often. Every two hours and 30 minutes PRIOR to going outside. Most people don't apply enough, either.
Best wishes,
Janner
Stage IB since 1992, 3 MM primaries
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- May 17, 2012 at 7:42 pm
So it's not as serious as say a stage I? That is good to know . I saw on one website 95% survial for melanoma in-situ. If it isn't really a cancer then how on earth do people die? I am finding it all so confusing, I am not sure whether to freak out or to just go on as usual. I am using spf now but that information is confusing as well. SPF 100 I always thought was best but now I read it is a marketing ploy and spf 30 is best.
-
- May 17, 2012 at 7:42 pm
So it's not as serious as say a stage I? That is good to know . I saw on one website 95% survial for melanoma in-situ. If it isn't really a cancer then how on earth do people die? I am finding it all so confusing, I am not sure whether to freak out or to just go on as usual. I am using spf now but that information is confusing as well. SPF 100 I always thought was best but now I read it is a marketing ploy and spf 30 is best.
-
- May 17, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Good question. No answer. If you are talking about Lentiga Maligna, there is a specific distinction. If in situ, it is called Lentiga Maligna. If it is invasive, it is called Lentiga Maligna Melanoma. The melanoma word only appears when invasive. So I suppose you could extrapolate that with the other forms of melanoma as well. By definition, in situ means confined to the epidermis. There are no blood or lymph vessels there so it basically lacks any vehicles for spreading. It is also thought that many older people probably have a melanoma in situ on their body when they pass away – and that is just sitting there doing nothing and not becoming invasive. So even if you had an in situ, it doesn't mean it was going to become invasive now or any time soon. Could it? Certainly. But would it have? No one knows for sure. Insurance companies also make a distinction between in situ and invasive melanoma. So do you have melanoma? I can't answer that. It's probably a matter of semantics and some people might say yes and some might say no. I really think it matters little. Think whatever makes YOU the most comfortable. Just continue to watch other moles for change and be sun smart!
Best wishes,
Janner
-
- May 17, 2012 at 6:58 pm
Good question. No answer. If you are talking about Lentiga Maligna, there is a specific distinction. If in situ, it is called Lentiga Maligna. If it is invasive, it is called Lentiga Maligna Melanoma. The melanoma word only appears when invasive. So I suppose you could extrapolate that with the other forms of melanoma as well. By definition, in situ means confined to the epidermis. There are no blood or lymph vessels there so it basically lacks any vehicles for spreading. It is also thought that many older people probably have a melanoma in situ on their body when they pass away – and that is just sitting there doing nothing and not becoming invasive. So even if you had an in situ, it doesn't mean it was going to become invasive now or any time soon. Could it? Certainly. But would it have? No one knows for sure. Insurance companies also make a distinction between in situ and invasive melanoma. So do you have melanoma? I can't answer that. It's probably a matter of semantics and some people might say yes and some might say no. I really think it matters little. Think whatever makes YOU the most comfortable. Just continue to watch other moles for change and be sun smart!
Best wishes,
Janner
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