› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Newly Diagnosed -Need advice – very scared
- This topic has 21 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 10 years ago by
JerryfromFauq.
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- April 25, 2014 at 8:29 pm
This is my path report:
Breslow thickness: 2.5mm
Clark Level: IV
Mitoses squared >1
Ulceration: YES
Histologic Subtype: Nodular
Micro Satellite Metastatsis: NO
Regression: NO
Aniolymphatic Invasion: NO
Neurotropism: NO
T Classification: T3bAm I going to die?
I am so scared.
- Replies
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- April 25, 2014 at 8:52 pm
We are all going to die and no one can answer from this report alone if that will be sooner or later.
First off, this is a biopsy report only. Have you had a sentinel node biopsy (SNB) yet? Was it positive/negative? Currently, you are stage IIB. That may change with the results of the SNB. Getting a complete staging is what needs to happen at this point. Finding a melanoma specialist is also a good idea. If you end up stage IIB (negative SNB), then you may not do any treatment whatsoever other than surgical. If the SNB is positive (Stage III+), you might have additional surgery, additional scans and other treatment options. It's just too early or you've just provided too little information at this point. One step at a time. Get the SNB. Find a specialist. And don't talk about dying, because that's not where you are right now. It may never be where you are as it relates to melanoma.
Ask any questions you may have, but until you are properly staged there is only so much feedback we can give.
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- April 25, 2014 at 8:52 pm
We are all going to die and no one can answer from this report alone if that will be sooner or later.
First off, this is a biopsy report only. Have you had a sentinel node biopsy (SNB) yet? Was it positive/negative? Currently, you are stage IIB. That may change with the results of the SNB. Getting a complete staging is what needs to happen at this point. Finding a melanoma specialist is also a good idea. If you end up stage IIB (negative SNB), then you may not do any treatment whatsoever other than surgical. If the SNB is positive (Stage III+), you might have additional surgery, additional scans and other treatment options. It's just too early or you've just provided too little information at this point. One step at a time. Get the SNB. Find a specialist. And don't talk about dying, because that's not where you are right now. It may never be where you are as it relates to melanoma.
Ask any questions you may have, but until you are properly staged there is only so much feedback we can give.
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- April 25, 2014 at 8:52 pm
We are all going to die and no one can answer from this report alone if that will be sooner or later.
First off, this is a biopsy report only. Have you had a sentinel node biopsy (SNB) yet? Was it positive/negative? Currently, you are stage IIB. That may change with the results of the SNB. Getting a complete staging is what needs to happen at this point. Finding a melanoma specialist is also a good idea. If you end up stage IIB (negative SNB), then you may not do any treatment whatsoever other than surgical. If the SNB is positive (Stage III+), you might have additional surgery, additional scans and other treatment options. It's just too early or you've just provided too little information at this point. One step at a time. Get the SNB. Find a specialist. And don't talk about dying, because that's not where you are right now. It may never be where you are as it relates to melanoma.
Ask any questions you may have, but until you are properly staged there is only so much feedback we can give.
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- April 25, 2014 at 8:55 pm
BTW, your profile says stage IV. But your pathology report says stage IIB. (Clark's Level is NOT the same as stage). So have you had additional testing that shows you have metastases elsewhere in your body like an organ (stage IV) or did you confuse Clark's Level and stage (often done) and you are stage IIB and still waiting to complete your staging?
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- April 25, 2014 at 9:38 pm
Thats a good point! I made the same mistake with my husband's pathology report. His breslow depth was 19 mm (HUGE!) and was IV (which I mistook for Stage 4 mestatic disease overall and I'm a medical librarian and do a lot of statistical analysis). I won't go into the massive amount of research I did before even seeing the oncologist and finally figuring out that he wasn't even fully staged yet. It turns out they can't even stage him because of no overlying skin component. Debra, the panic was great in the beginning. But it turned out his SNB was negative as well as all his scans. We are in a wait and see mode. There are so many variables that go into your own individual case so try not to focus too much on the numbers (easier said than done, I can tell you just about every recurrence rate for every stage, etc). The not knowing is hard for you right now, I'm guessing you are going to get it surgically removed and then they can do more tests. Many hugs.
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- April 25, 2014 at 9:38 pm
Thats a good point! I made the same mistake with my husband's pathology report. His breslow depth was 19 mm (HUGE!) and was IV (which I mistook for Stage 4 mestatic disease overall and I'm a medical librarian and do a lot of statistical analysis). I won't go into the massive amount of research I did before even seeing the oncologist and finally figuring out that he wasn't even fully staged yet. It turns out they can't even stage him because of no overlying skin component. Debra, the panic was great in the beginning. But it turned out his SNB was negative as well as all his scans. We are in a wait and see mode. There are so many variables that go into your own individual case so try not to focus too much on the numbers (easier said than done, I can tell you just about every recurrence rate for every stage, etc). The not knowing is hard for you right now, I'm guessing you are going to get it surgically removed and then they can do more tests. Many hugs.
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- April 25, 2014 at 9:38 pm
Thats a good point! I made the same mistake with my husband's pathology report. His breslow depth was 19 mm (HUGE!) and was IV (which I mistook for Stage 4 mestatic disease overall and I'm a medical librarian and do a lot of statistical analysis). I won't go into the massive amount of research I did before even seeing the oncologist and finally figuring out that he wasn't even fully staged yet. It turns out they can't even stage him because of no overlying skin component. Debra, the panic was great in the beginning. But it turned out his SNB was negative as well as all his scans. We are in a wait and see mode. There are so many variables that go into your own individual case so try not to focus too much on the numbers (easier said than done, I can tell you just about every recurrence rate for every stage, etc). The not knowing is hard for you right now, I'm guessing you are going to get it surgically removed and then they can do more tests. Many hugs.
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- April 25, 2014 at 8:55 pm
BTW, your profile says stage IV. But your pathology report says stage IIB. (Clark's Level is NOT the same as stage). So have you had additional testing that shows you have metastases elsewhere in your body like an organ (stage IV) or did you confuse Clark's Level and stage (often done) and you are stage IIB and still waiting to complete your staging?
-
- April 25, 2014 at 8:55 pm
BTW, your profile says stage IV. But your pathology report says stage IIB. (Clark's Level is NOT the same as stage). So have you had additional testing that shows you have metastases elsewhere in your body like an organ (stage IV) or did you confuse Clark's Level and stage (often done) and you are stage IIB and still waiting to complete your staging?
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- April 26, 2014 at 4:50 pm
At this point you have every reason to be optimistic. That hard to believe right now, I know but you did not have a very thick tumor and very low mitoses (rate of spread). With luck you caught it in time to confine it to the location it started in and you willl be fine. The other point in your favor is that if you are going to have Mel the best place to have it is in your limbs. So read this web site to understand what is next. Ask questions here if you need to and good luck.
Mary
Stage 3
NED 4 Years
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- April 26, 2014 at 4:50 pm
At this point you have every reason to be optimistic. That hard to believe right now, I know but you did not have a very thick tumor and very low mitoses (rate of spread). With luck you caught it in time to confine it to the location it started in and you willl be fine. The other point in your favor is that if you are going to have Mel the best place to have it is in your limbs. So read this web site to understand what is next. Ask questions here if you need to and good luck.
Mary
Stage 3
NED 4 Years
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- April 26, 2014 at 4:50 pm
At this point you have every reason to be optimistic. That hard to believe right now, I know but you did not have a very thick tumor and very low mitoses (rate of spread). With luck you caught it in time to confine it to the location it started in and you willl be fine. The other point in your favor is that if you are going to have Mel the best place to have it is in your limbs. So read this web site to understand what is next. Ask questions here if you need to and good luck.
Mary
Stage 3
NED 4 Years
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- April 27, 2014 at 5:13 am
Debra, read my profile. I was misdiagnosed on 10 office visits to my GP for 3 1/2 years before even learning I had melanoma. I went to stage IV within 8 months of initial diagnosis. Initial diagnosis was in May 2006, stage IV in Feb 2007. I have not acce[ted that I will die from melanoma. I have not been NED (No Evidence of Disease – on scans) since at least Oct 2006. I have doubly innumerable lung tumors.
Jeff Tomczek: The Things I Wish I Were Told When I Was Diagnosed With Cancer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-tomczek/cancer-advice_b_1628266.htmlOn the subject of death, I will tell you the story of what happened with my pastor. In a sermon, 5 or six years ago, he made the remark that no one gets out of this world without dying. I asked if he didn't believe the Bible. He wanted to know what I meant. I asked him about Elijah. His response to me – "I don't think you are in THAT catagory!" LOL!
You have enough info to know that this is a scary situation, but not necessarily a catastrophic one. NOW is by far the best time to have been diagnosed with melanoma, even for the newer stage IV fighters. While I was given 30 days to 6 months when I went to stage IV, I'm still active and enjoying new grandkids and even new great grandkids seven years later.
I do urge all to learn everything they can about the medical melanoma field which is rapidily advancing.
If one gets to paranoid, then melanoma has already won by destroying our lives, so vigilance is the byword. -
- April 27, 2014 at 5:13 am
Debra, read my profile. I was misdiagnosed on 10 office visits to my GP for 3 1/2 years before even learning I had melanoma. I went to stage IV within 8 months of initial diagnosis. Initial diagnosis was in May 2006, stage IV in Feb 2007. I have not acce[ted that I will die from melanoma. I have not been NED (No Evidence of Disease – on scans) since at least Oct 2006. I have doubly innumerable lung tumors.
Jeff Tomczek: The Things I Wish I Were Told When I Was Diagnosed With Cancer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-tomczek/cancer-advice_b_1628266.htmlOn the subject of death, I will tell you the story of what happened with my pastor. In a sermon, 5 or six years ago, he made the remark that no one gets out of this world without dying. I asked if he didn't believe the Bible. He wanted to know what I meant. I asked him about Elijah. His response to me – "I don't think you are in THAT catagory!" LOL!
You have enough info to know that this is a scary situation, but not necessarily a catastrophic one. NOW is by far the best time to have been diagnosed with melanoma, even for the newer stage IV fighters. While I was given 30 days to 6 months when I went to stage IV, I'm still active and enjoying new grandkids and even new great grandkids seven years later.
I do urge all to learn everything they can about the medical melanoma field which is rapidily advancing.
If one gets to paranoid, then melanoma has already won by destroying our lives, so vigilance is the byword. -
- April 27, 2014 at 5:13 am
Debra, read my profile. I was misdiagnosed on 10 office visits to my GP for 3 1/2 years before even learning I had melanoma. I went to stage IV within 8 months of initial diagnosis. Initial diagnosis was in May 2006, stage IV in Feb 2007. I have not acce[ted that I will die from melanoma. I have not been NED (No Evidence of Disease – on scans) since at least Oct 2006. I have doubly innumerable lung tumors.
Jeff Tomczek: The Things I Wish I Were Told When I Was Diagnosed With Cancer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-tomczek/cancer-advice_b_1628266.htmlOn the subject of death, I will tell you the story of what happened with my pastor. In a sermon, 5 or six years ago, he made the remark that no one gets out of this world without dying. I asked if he didn't believe the Bible. He wanted to know what I meant. I asked him about Elijah. His response to me – "I don't think you are in THAT catagory!" LOL!
You have enough info to know that this is a scary situation, but not necessarily a catastrophic one. NOW is by far the best time to have been diagnosed with melanoma, even for the newer stage IV fighters. While I was given 30 days to 6 months when I went to stage IV, I'm still active and enjoying new grandkids and even new great grandkids seven years later.
I do urge all to learn everything they can about the medical melanoma field which is rapidily advancing.
If one gets to paranoid, then melanoma has already won by destroying our lives, so vigilance is the byword.
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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