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melanoma stage 0 (in situ) 95 % cure rate?
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melanoma stage 0 (in situ) 95 % cure rate?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › melanoma stage 0 (in situ) 95 % cure rate?

  • Post
    • April 8, 2013 at 12:10 am
    nancy mary
    Participant

      So they say that melanoma in situ (or Stage 0) is 95% curable with wide local excision……

      What about the other 5%?  What would be the mechanism of it advancing  for those cases?  When asking my doctors, they have

      offered that the excision may have not been done completely or that there was a delay from initial diagnosis to full WLE? Or that it really wasn't 

      a stage 0 at all?  Any comments?

      thanks; trying to understand this.

      So they say that melanoma in situ (or Stage 0) is 95% curable with wide local excision……

      What about the other 5%?  What would be the mechanism of it advancing  for those cases?  When asking my doctors, they have

      offered that the excision may have not been done completely or that there was a delay from initial diagnosis to full WLE? Or that it really wasn't 

      a stage 0 at all?  Any comments?

      thanks; trying to understand this.

    Viewing 8 reply threads
    • Replies
        • April 8, 2013 at 9:41 am
        JC
        Participant

          i've always read in situ as 99+-100% survival rate. . and that anything less than 100% is probably due to mistake in pathology and really wasn't in situ

           

          • April 8, 2013 at 9:41 am
          JC
          Participant

            i've always read in situ as 99+-100% survival rate. . and that anything less than 100% is probably due to mistake in pathology and really wasn't in situ

             

            • April 8, 2013 at 9:41 am
            JC
            Participant

              i've always read in situ as 99+-100% survival rate. . and that anything less than 100% is probably due to mistake in pathology and really wasn't in situ

               

              • April 18, 2013 at 9:23 pm
              lou2
              Participant

                I am questioning this number.  Who is collecting figures like this?  When a person goes to one derm and then a different derm, or has melanoma with an unknown primary, why would anyone know their history and who would they be reporting this to, even if they did know the whole history?

                And another question.  Why are tumors in the brain, lung, colon etc still called melanoma?  Why are those tumors different from others in the same location in people who did not start out with skin cancer? 

                  • April 19, 2013 at 10:10 am
                  buffcody
                  Participant

                    When biopsied, these tumors in various locations show the identifying markers of melanoma.  When cancer showed up in my lung, it was not certain whether it was a metastasis of my Stage II breast cancer (2003) or original lung cancer. The analysis showed up the third correct option, metastatic melanoma primary unknown.

                    • April 22, 2013 at 4:50 pm
                    lou2
                    Participant

                      Here is a website with stats.  A Natl Cancer Institute database.  Can do a search for a particular type of cancer, by year diagnosed, age, sex, etc.

                       

                      http://seer.cancer.gov/

                      • April 22, 2013 at 4:50 pm
                      lou2
                      Participant

                        Here is a website with stats.  A Natl Cancer Institute database.  Can do a search for a particular type of cancer, by year diagnosed, age, sex, etc.

                         

                        http://seer.cancer.gov/

                        • April 22, 2013 at 4:50 pm
                        lou2
                        Participant

                          Here is a website with stats.  A Natl Cancer Institute database.  Can do a search for a particular type of cancer, by year diagnosed, age, sex, etc.

                           

                          http://seer.cancer.gov/

                          • April 19, 2013 at 10:10 am
                          buffcody
                          Participant

                            When biopsied, these tumors in various locations show the identifying markers of melanoma.  When cancer showed up in my lung, it was not certain whether it was a metastasis of my Stage II breast cancer (2003) or original lung cancer. The analysis showed up the third correct option, metastatic melanoma primary unknown.

                            • April 19, 2013 at 10:10 am
                            buffcody
                            Participant

                              When biopsied, these tumors in various locations show the identifying markers of melanoma.  When cancer showed up in my lung, it was not certain whether it was a metastasis of my Stage II breast cancer (2003) or original lung cancer. The analysis showed up the third correct option, metastatic melanoma primary unknown.

                            • April 18, 2013 at 9:23 pm
                            lou2
                            Participant

                              I am questioning this number.  Who is collecting figures like this?  When a person goes to one derm and then a different derm, or has melanoma with an unknown primary, why would anyone know their history and who would they be reporting this to, even if they did know the whole history?

                              And another question.  Why are tumors in the brain, lung, colon etc still called melanoma?  Why are those tumors different from others in the same location in people who did not start out with skin cancer? 

                              • April 18, 2013 at 9:23 pm
                              lou2
                              Participant

                                I am questioning this number.  Who is collecting figures like this?  When a person goes to one derm and then a different derm, or has melanoma with an unknown primary, why would anyone know their history and who would they be reporting this to, even if they did know the whole history?

                                And another question.  Why are tumors in the brain, lung, colon etc still called melanoma?  Why are those tumors different from others in the same location in people who did not start out with skin cancer? 

                                • May 2, 2013 at 10:57 pm
                                ekimap
                                Participant

                                  Statistics include all melanoma patients.  You may present with stage 0 but then later get another melanoma at a greater depth which would be the cause of the metastisis. This probably accounts for much of the 5%.  Since you have a 6% chance of getting a second melanoma once you have had it.  But my Doctor said, melanoma is an unpredictable beast.  If you look at people's stories on here, many were stage 1's that metastisis, so I wouldn't say it is always that they did it wrong, just that melanoma is unpredictable!  That is why if you have had it you should be careful and watching your skin and health for the rest of your life!

                                  Hope that helps!

                                  cheeky

                                  • May 2, 2013 at 10:57 pm
                                  ekimap
                                  Participant

                                    Statistics include all melanoma patients.  You may present with stage 0 but then later get another melanoma at a greater depth which would be the cause of the metastisis. This probably accounts for much of the 5%.  Since you have a 6% chance of getting a second melanoma once you have had it.  But my Doctor said, melanoma is an unpredictable beast.  If you look at people's stories on here, many were stage 1's that metastisis, so I wouldn't say it is always that they did it wrong, just that melanoma is unpredictable!  That is why if you have had it you should be careful and watching your skin and health for the rest of your life!

                                    Hope that helps!

                                    cheeky

                                    • May 2, 2013 at 10:57 pm
                                    ekimap
                                    Participant

                                      Statistics include all melanoma patients.  You may present with stage 0 but then later get another melanoma at a greater depth which would be the cause of the metastisis. This probably accounts for much of the 5%.  Since you have a 6% chance of getting a second melanoma once you have had it.  But my Doctor said, melanoma is an unpredictable beast.  If you look at people's stories on here, many were stage 1's that metastisis, so I wouldn't say it is always that they did it wrong, just that melanoma is unpredictable!  That is why if you have had it you should be careful and watching your skin and health for the rest of your life!

                                      Hope that helps!

                                      cheeky

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