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Path Report

This topic has 3 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 1 month ago by desmelwife.

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- February 28, 2019 at 11:17 am
- Quote
desmelwife
Participant
We met with my husbands hand surgeon today to get the path results from the mass they took off his tumor. I was very happy when the surgeon showed us the report that indicated a benign neuroma. My husband, however is very apprehensive.

Turns out that desmoplastic melanoma is often misdiagnosed as a neuroma. Both often involve nerves and look like scar tissue. His pathology report indicates:

skin with fibrosis and scant adipose tissue,
margins of excision are free of carcinoma

So now I really don't know what to make of it. When you type in "neuroma" and "melanoma" into good ole google there are several articles about the complexity of differentiating a neuroma from desmoplastic melanoma. Apparently the pathologist was aware that my husband is being treated for melanoma but as DM is such a different creature that does not have the typical characterics to mel I wonder if he was looking for the right thing.

I'm not sure where to go from here. I'm assuming further testing of the specimen is not an option as it has probably been disposed. Wondering if there is more comprehensive results that our oncologist could get if he contacts the pathologist. I'm not sure what the likelihood is of this pathology being incorrect?

I was really hoping that this news would relieve some of my husbands anxiety but unfornutately it just seems to have compounded it.

Love + peace,

Tania

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- - March 1, 2019 at 5:56 pm
  - Quote
  cancersnewnormal
  Participant
  It would really depend on the abilities and extent of experience of the pathologist, as to how accurate the report may or may not be. As for a second opinion… you should still be able to get one, as there should be a slide with a perserved tissue sample "on file" at the lab it was sent to. The lesion itself is very likely gone… but not that slide they viewed under the microscope.
  - March 1, 2019 at 7:01 pm
    
    Quote
    desmelwife
    Participant
    
    That is good to know! This specimen was sent to a different lab than the original one that diagnosed his DM. I think I will see if we can get a sample sent over to the original lab as I would guess that they could compare against the original sample that they analyzed.
    
    Thank you for your response Niki!
  - March 1, 2019 at 7:02 pm
    
    Quote
    desmelwife
    Participant
    
    That is good to know! This specimen was sent to a different lab than the original one that diagnosed his DM. I think I will see if we can get a sample sent over to the original lab as I would guess that they could compare against the original sample that they analyzed.
    
    Thank you for your response Niki!

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