Hello everyone, I was recently diagnosed last week and was looking for some help with my pathology results. I have done some research online, but would love your opinions. I am 30 years old and we lost my Dad to cancer (not skin) 4 months ago. It has been very hard on us, and having to tell my family this is going to be awful. I guess I am hoping for some positive news because I have a lot of anxiety right now.
Final Diagnosis (right back/shoulder): Malignant melanoma, superficial spreading type, invasive to Clark's level II, Breslow's depth 0.4mm, nonulcerated. Radial growth phase present. Vertical growth phase is absent. Mitotic rate is 0/mm(2). The tumor is present at a peripheral biopsy margin.
I do have a couple specific questions as well, as I have my consult for wide excision tomorrow. How is is Clark's level II if there is no vertical growth? Also, it seems as though someone in my position may not get a lymph node biopsy, but I of course am terrified that it has possibly spread to them.
Lastly, I read a little bit about regression and how that is usually not a positive thing. I had an original pathology report from a smaller hospital with the diagnosis as: "Atypical compound melanocytic proliferation with regressive changes, involving 1 peripheral margin". They then sent it to the Mayo Clinic to have another pathologist look at it to "rule out melanoma". So my final diagnosis above was the one from Mayo. That pathologist did not mention anyhting about regressive changes. Does that mean they did not feel there were enough changes to worry about?
Thank you for your help in advance. I am just so scared and want to make sure that they take a big enough excision out.
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