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Mitotic rate

Forums General Melanoma Community Mitotic rate

  • Post
    democat
    Participant

      Does mitotic rate impact how fast melanoma will return? I was diagnosed as 3A in January 2013, but told that I was more like a 3B because of my very high rate of mitosis. Does that make it more likely that my melanoma will recur (if it does) sooner rather than later?

       

      Roxanne

      Stage IIIa/IIIb

      since 1/2013

       

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        sharon0803
        Participant

          Curious – what was your mitotic rate?  I was told the same thing.  I thought I was 3A, but they said 3B because of mitotic rate.

           

          I do hear there are new guidlines that suggest the stage differs because of mitotic rate, but I can not find any numbers anywhere.

           

          Sharon

          sharon0803
          Participant

            Curious – what was your mitotic rate?  I was told the same thing.  I thought I was 3A, but they said 3B because of mitotic rate.

             

            I do hear there are new guidlines that suggest the stage differs because of mitotic rate, but I can not find any numbers anywhere.

             

            Sharon

              Janner
              Participant

                AJCC staging uses mitosis ONLY for differentiating between stage IA and stage IB.  Mitosis is currently used nowhere else in staging.  So if your doctors are saying you are closer to the higher stage because of mitosis, it is their interpretation.  I do believe there are some studies out there that might point out higher mitosis is a higher risk factor in other stages, but that is not part of the official 2010 AJCC Staging for melanoma.

                Janner
                Participant

                  AJCC staging uses mitosis ONLY for differentiating between stage IA and stage IB.  Mitosis is currently used nowhere else in staging.  So if your doctors are saying you are closer to the higher stage because of mitosis, it is their interpretation.  I do believe there are some studies out there that might point out higher mitosis is a higher risk factor in other stages, but that is not part of the official 2010 AJCC Staging for melanoma.

                  Janner
                  Participant

                    AJCC staging uses mitosis ONLY for differentiating between stage IA and stage IB.  Mitosis is currently used nowhere else in staging.  So if your doctors are saying you are closer to the higher stage because of mitosis, it is their interpretation.  I do believe there are some studies out there that might point out higher mitosis is a higher risk factor in other stages, but that is not part of the official 2010 AJCC Staging for melanoma.

                    democat
                    Participant

                      Thanks for the response.  I would think it would influence how quickly it could be expected to recur – e.g., more agressive/quickly dividing means it would spread sooner.  But, I've also heard that rate of mitosis is just a predictor of how likely it is to find positive lymph nodes, but that once you know how many lymph nodes it has spread to and whether it's micro or macro, then the mitosis no longer matters.

                       

                      democat
                      Participant

                        Thanks for the response.  I would think it would influence how quickly it could be expected to recur – e.g., more agressive/quickly dividing means it would spread sooner.  But, I've also heard that rate of mitosis is just a predictor of how likely it is to find positive lymph nodes, but that once you know how many lymph nodes it has spread to and whether it's micro or macro, then the mitosis no longer matters.

                         

                        democat
                        Participant

                          Thanks for the response.  I would think it would influence how quickly it could be expected to recur – e.g., more agressive/quickly dividing means it would spread sooner.  But, I've also heard that rate of mitosis is just a predictor of how likely it is to find positive lymph nodes, but that once you know how many lymph nodes it has spread to and whether it's micro or macro, then the mitosis no longer matters.

                           

                          democat
                          Participant

                            I had a mitotic rate of 4 per mm, and Breslow of over 4, and Clark's level over 4.  Initially diagnosed December 2012.  I had micro metastis in only one node.  But, because this was so deep, thick and agressive, I was thinking that if it recurs, I would expect it to recur sooner rather than later.

                             

                            But, I know one is never out of the woods.

                             

                            Sharon, how often are you having scans?

                             

                            Roxanne

                            democat
                            Participant

                              I had a mitotic rate of 4 per mm, and Breslow of over 4, and Clark's level over 4.  Initially diagnosed December 2012.  I had micro metastis in only one node.  But, because this was so deep, thick and agressive, I was thinking that if it recurs, I would expect it to recur sooner rather than later.

                               

                              But, I know one is never out of the woods.

                               

                              Sharon, how often are you having scans?

                               

                              Roxanne

                              Kdw2012
                              Participant

                                My mitotic rate was 15.  It seems to me that if this is the rate at which cells are dividing this shows the behavior of the melanoma.

                                i was diagnosed in July of 2012  Stage IIB

                                May 2014 large palpable node in left axilla

                                Oct 2014 3 Brain Mets

                                Melanoma is unpredictable, and till they can refine and define the parameters of measuring this disease more accurately, it is hard to say which factors play into the bigger picture.

                                I am sorry for this path you are on, I pray for all of us for to have a cure.

                                Kdw2012
                                Participant

                                  My mitotic rate was 15.  It seems to me that if this is the rate at which cells are dividing this shows the behavior of the melanoma.

                                  i was diagnosed in July of 2012  Stage IIB

                                  May 2014 large palpable node in left axilla

                                  Oct 2014 3 Brain Mets

                                  Melanoma is unpredictable, and till they can refine and define the parameters of measuring this disease more accurately, it is hard to say which factors play into the bigger picture.

                                  I am sorry for this path you are on, I pray for all of us for to have a cure.

                                  democat
                                  Participant

                                    Thank you for the response.  I am sorry to hear about your recent brain mets.  Did you have symptoms, other than the palpable node? I only ask, because I'm not getting brain MRIs unless or until I develop symptoms.

                                    What is your treatment plan at this point?

                                     

                                    I wish you all the best and really appreciate your taking the time to respond.

                                     

                                    Roxanne

                                    democat
                                    Participant

                                      Thank you for the response.  I am sorry to hear about your recent brain mets.  Did you have symptoms, other than the palpable node? I only ask, because I'm not getting brain MRIs unless or until I develop symptoms.

                                      What is your treatment plan at this point?

                                       

                                      I wish you all the best and really appreciate your taking the time to respond.

                                       

                                      Roxanne

                                      democat
                                      Participant

                                        Thank you for the response.  I am sorry to hear about your recent brain mets.  Did you have symptoms, other than the palpable node? I only ask, because I'm not getting brain MRIs unless or until I develop symptoms.

                                        What is your treatment plan at this point?

                                         

                                        I wish you all the best and really appreciate your taking the time to respond.

                                         

                                        Roxanne

                                        Kdw2012
                                        Participant

                                          I did start having headaches but I kept dismissing to other things until just before I got the results of the MRI where for 2 nights and mornings I was ready to go to thhe hospital for them… but once you are up from laying down they start to subside. They then put me on steroids which helped.

                                          Kdw2012
                                          Participant

                                            I did start having headaches but I kept dismissing to other things until just before I got the results of the MRI where for 2 nights and mornings I was ready to go to thhe hospital for them… but once you are up from laying down they start to subside. They then put me on steroids which helped.

                                            Kdw2012
                                            Participant

                                              I did start having headaches but I kept dismissing to other things until just before I got the results of the MRI where for 2 nights and mornings I was ready to go to thhe hospital for them… but once you are up from laying down they start to subside. They then put me on steroids which helped.

                                              Kdw2012
                                              Participant

                                                My mitotic rate was 15.  It seems to me that if this is the rate at which cells are dividing this shows the behavior of the melanoma.

                                                i was diagnosed in July of 2012  Stage IIB

                                                May 2014 large palpable node in left axilla

                                                Oct 2014 3 Brain Mets

                                                Melanoma is unpredictable, and till they can refine and define the parameters of measuring this disease more accurately, it is hard to say which factors play into the bigger picture.

                                                I am sorry for this path you are on, I pray for all of us for to have a cure.

                                                sharon0803
                                                Participant

                                                  I scanned every three months for one year, I then started twice a year.    Three years out, and still NED.  I was 3 per mm, breslow over 5 and Clark level at least 4.  

                                                  democat
                                                  Participant

                                                    Thank you for the response, and contratulations. Are you still being scanned every 6 months.  My oncologist wants to move to annual scans after 2 years.  I would really prefer twice per year.

                                                     

                                                    Roxanne

                                                    democat
                                                    Participant

                                                      Thank you for the response, and contratulations. Are you still being scanned every 6 months.  My oncologist wants to move to annual scans after 2 years.  I would really prefer twice per year.

                                                       

                                                      Roxanne

                                                      democat
                                                      Participant

                                                        Thank you for the response, and contratulations. Are you still being scanned every 6 months.  My oncologist wants to move to annual scans after 2 years.  I would really prefer twice per year.

                                                         

                                                        Roxanne

                                                        sharon0803
                                                        Participant

                                                          I scanned every three months for one year, I then started twice a year.    Three years out, and still NED.  I was 3 per mm, breslow over 5 and Clark level at least 4.  

                                                          sharon0803
                                                          Participant

                                                            I scanned every three months for one year, I then started twice a year.    Three years out, and still NED.  I was 3 per mm, breslow over 5 and Clark level at least 4.  

                                                            democat
                                                            Participant

                                                              I had a mitotic rate of 4 per mm, and Breslow of over 4, and Clark's level over 4.  Initially diagnosed December 2012.  I had micro metastis in only one node.  But, because this was so deep, thick and agressive, I was thinking that if it recurs, I would expect it to recur sooner rather than later.

                                                               

                                                              But, I know one is never out of the woods.

                                                               

                                                              Sharon, how often are you having scans?

                                                               

                                                              Roxanne

                                                            sharon0803
                                                            Participant

                                                              Curious – what was your mitotic rate?  I was told the same thing.  I thought I was 3A, but they said 3B because of mitotic rate.

                                                               

                                                              I do hear there are new guidlines that suggest the stage differs because of mitotic rate, but I can not find any numbers anywhere.

                                                               

                                                              Sharon

                                                              ed williams
                                                              Participant

                                                                Hi Roxanne, I have been reading your post for the last couple of days and I thought I might put my 2 cents in. One things that I would say to you at this point is that brain mets when caught early (small) are easier to treat with more options? I was super luck 15 months ago to have a brain scan in order to qualify for a Bristol Myer Squibb stage 4 trial of Ipi and Nivo. They found 3 small mets that were treated by cyberknife. Most people don't show symptoms with brain mets, until the Melanoma is already large and harder to treat. One other thing that I would suggest to you is a series made on Onclive called ( peer exchange) where a panel of melanoma experts talk about various issue in melanoma from when to scan, how often to the newest drugs and treatments available. There are 12 short episodes, to access you just need to go to http://www.onclive.com then on left titles pick Melanoma then when you get to melanoma click on picture of Dr.Jeffrey Weber, guy with bow tie on. There is a title under his photo that reads Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab in advanced Melanoma. If you then scroll down you will find the 12 eposides with the titles. I don't remember the exact one but the panel does spend time talking about when to scan and who they should scan. The panel are from different leading hospitals from across the U.S.A. It was made in fall of 2014 and is very current with the information and trials that are going on.  I think you have to join Onclive and set up email and password, to get access. They don't send me junk mail or anything like that.  I wish you the best in the future!!! Ed

                                                                ed williams
                                                                Participant

                                                                  Hi Roxanne, I have been reading your post for the last couple of days and I thought I might put my 2 cents in. One things that I would say to you at this point is that brain mets when caught early (small) are easier to treat with more options? I was super luck 15 months ago to have a brain scan in order to qualify for a Bristol Myer Squibb stage 4 trial of Ipi and Nivo. They found 3 small mets that were treated by cyberknife. Most people don't show symptoms with brain mets, until the Melanoma is already large and harder to treat. One other thing that I would suggest to you is a series made on Onclive called ( peer exchange) where a panel of melanoma experts talk about various issue in melanoma from when to scan, how often to the newest drugs and treatments available. There are 12 short episodes, to access you just need to go to http://www.onclive.com then on left titles pick Melanoma then when you get to melanoma click on picture of Dr.Jeffrey Weber, guy with bow tie on. There is a title under his photo that reads Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab in advanced Melanoma. If you then scroll down you will find the 12 eposides with the titles. I don't remember the exact one but the panel does spend time talking about when to scan and who they should scan. The panel are from different leading hospitals from across the U.S.A. It was made in fall of 2014 and is very current with the information and trials that are going on.  I think you have to join Onclive and set up email and password, to get access. They don't send me junk mail or anything like that.  I wish you the best in the future!!! Ed

                                                                  ed williams
                                                                  Participant

                                                                    Hi Roxanne, I have been reading your post for the last couple of days and I thought I might put my 2 cents in. One things that I would say to you at this point is that brain mets when caught early (small) are easier to treat with more options? I was super luck 15 months ago to have a brain scan in order to qualify for a Bristol Myer Squibb stage 4 trial of Ipi and Nivo. They found 3 small mets that were treated by cyberknife. Most people don't show symptoms with brain mets, until the Melanoma is already large and harder to treat. One other thing that I would suggest to you is a series made on Onclive called ( peer exchange) where a panel of melanoma experts talk about various issue in melanoma from when to scan, how often to the newest drugs and treatments available. There are 12 short episodes, to access you just need to go to http://www.onclive.com then on left titles pick Melanoma then when you get to melanoma click on picture of Dr.Jeffrey Weber, guy with bow tie on. There is a title under his photo that reads Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab in advanced Melanoma. If you then scroll down you will find the 12 eposides with the titles. I don't remember the exact one but the panel does spend time talking about when to scan and who they should scan. The panel are from different leading hospitals from across the U.S.A. It was made in fall of 2014 and is very current with the information and trials that are going on.  I think you have to join Onclive and set up email and password, to get access. They don't send me junk mail or anything like that.  I wish you the best in the future!!! Ed

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