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Just diagnosed with nodular melanom and do not quite understand pathology report

Forums Cutaneous Melanoma Community Just diagnosed with nodular melanom and do not quite understand pathology report

  • Post
    Jamie Martini
    Participant
      Diagnosed with nodular melanoma in March, the mole was first noticed 4 years ago. Had surgery and sentinel node biopsy today. I still don’t know how to decipher this original pathology report. I am scared, should i be? Surgical oncologist said don’t worry, that’s really not very clear i don’t think. Cam anyone be real with me? I am 48 and terrified.
      Thanks!

      FINAL DIAGNOSIS:
      Silver Falls Dermatology, Salem, OR; SF21-3977 (03/02/2021):
      Skin, right anterior proximal upper arm, shave biopsy:
      Malignant melanoma with the following features:
      1. Histologic subtype: Nodular
      2. Approximate Breslow thickness: At least 6.3 mm
      3. Clark’s Level: At least IV
      4. Ulceration: Present
      5. Mitotic rate: 8/mm2
      6. Lymphocapillary invasion: Not identified
      7. Satellitosis: Not identified
      8. Perineural invasion: Not identified
      9. Lymphocytic infiltrate: Present, non-brisk
      10. Regression: Not identified
      11. Margins: Melanoma in situ present at peripheral margin; invasive melanoma is present broadly at the deep aspect
      12. Melanoma in situ: Present
      13. Stage: pT4b (per AJCC 8th edition)
      14. See commen
      t

      COMMENT:
      Outside provided Melan-A immunohistochemical stain highlights melanoma in situ, as well as extent of deep margin involvement.

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        ed williams
        Participant
          Hi Jamie, once you get the sentinel node results you will have more information and they will be able to stage you with all the information from tumor and nodes. If you want to get more informed on the topic the following link is helpful in understanding staging and what they look at. Some things to remember would be that these graphs and stats are just that stats and each of us are on a  journey that is different than the next melanoma patient. Factor that are important are depth of original tumor and other factor used in staging are ulceration or not ulcerated they also look at LDH levels in blood sample with high levels being associated with poorer outcomes in general. The mitosis rate is considered by the oncologist but in the new 8th edition it is not used the same way as in the past when staging. Good luck with things!!!Ed file:///C:/Users/Ed/Downloads/AJCC%20Melanoma%208th%20Edition.pdf
          ed williams
          Participant
            Sorry about last link, I will try it again. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7652033/
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