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Pathology Report-Can anyone interpret?
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Pathology Report-Can anyone interpret?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Pathology Report-Can anyone interpret?

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    • May 16, 2013 at 3:15 am
    Houston
    Participant
      Here is what the pathology report says. We are waiting on lymph node biopsy results and just got this. Vascular invasion and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes are new terms to me. The doctors keep telling us not to worry because it was a “thin” melanoma, but now I know it’s a Clark level 4 and there is vascular invasion!! Help.

      MELANOMA, INVASIVE, SUPERFICIAL SPREADING TYPE
      CLARK LEVEL, IV
      BRESLOW THICKNESS, .54MM (SEE COMMENT)
      RADIAL GEOWTH: PRESENT
      VERTICAL GROWTH: PRESENT
      MITOTIC FIGURES/MM2, 3
      ULCERATION, NOT IDENTIFIED
      REGRESSION, NOT IDENTIFIED
      VASCULAR INVASION, PRESENT
      PERINEURAL INVASION, NOT IDENTIFIED
      MICROSCOPIC SATELLITOSIS, NOT IDENTIFIED
      TUMOUR-INFILTRATING LYMPHOCYTES, NON-BRISK
      ASSOCIATED MELANOCYTIC NEVUS, PRESENT, INTRADERMAL
      PREDOMINANT CYTOLOGY, EPITHELIOID AND NEVOID
      SURGICAL MARGINS: MELANOMA PRESENT IN SITU AT PERIPHERAL TISSUE EDGE

      NOTE-THERE ARE MELANOCYTES LOCATED DEEPER IN THE DERMIS; HOWEVER ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ADNEXAL STRUCTURES AND INTERPRETED AD NEVUS CELLS AND NOT INCLUDED IN THE BRESLOW THICKNESS.

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        • May 16, 2013 at 9:37 pm
        Kim K
        Participant

          The main concern with the report is the vascular invasion and possibly the mitotic rate for such a thin melanoma.  The main take home with this report is that while the tumor was thin, it still has the chance to spread and vigilant monitoring is necessary, more so than a tumor without those features.

          Around 20% of melanomas spread via the blood and not the lymph nodes.  Mine spread that way and I have never had nodal involvement.  My tumor was deeper though 2.06 mm, clark IV.  No vascular or lymphatic invasion.  Several years later I went from stage IIA to IV.

          I am fine now and have been for 3 years.

          Wait for the SNB results.  Not much more you can do at this stage, but be vigilant.  Oh, and there needs to be a WLE since melanoma was also present at the tissue edge, but I am sure that has been done already.  Thank goodness there wasn't ulceration.

          I know that probably wasn't very comforting to hear.  Hope all goes well.

          • May 16, 2013 at 9:37 pm
          Kim K
          Participant

            The main concern with the report is the vascular invasion and possibly the mitotic rate for such a thin melanoma.  The main take home with this report is that while the tumor was thin, it still has the chance to spread and vigilant monitoring is necessary, more so than a tumor without those features.

            Around 20% of melanomas spread via the blood and not the lymph nodes.  Mine spread that way and I have never had nodal involvement.  My tumor was deeper though 2.06 mm, clark IV.  No vascular or lymphatic invasion.  Several years later I went from stage IIA to IV.

            I am fine now and have been for 3 years.

            Wait for the SNB results.  Not much more you can do at this stage, but be vigilant.  Oh, and there needs to be a WLE since melanoma was also present at the tissue edge, but I am sure that has been done already.  Thank goodness there wasn't ulceration.

            I know that probably wasn't very comforting to hear.  Hope all goes well.

            • May 16, 2013 at 9:37 pm
            Kim K
            Participant

              The main concern with the report is the vascular invasion and possibly the mitotic rate for such a thin melanoma.  The main take home with this report is that while the tumor was thin, it still has the chance to spread and vigilant monitoring is necessary, more so than a tumor without those features.

              Around 20% of melanomas spread via the blood and not the lymph nodes.  Mine spread that way and I have never had nodal involvement.  My tumor was deeper though 2.06 mm, clark IV.  No vascular or lymphatic invasion.  Several years later I went from stage IIA to IV.

              I am fine now and have been for 3 years.

              Wait for the SNB results.  Not much more you can do at this stage, but be vigilant.  Oh, and there needs to be a WLE since melanoma was also present at the tissue edge, but I am sure that has been done already.  Thank goodness there wasn't ulceration.

              I know that probably wasn't very comforting to hear.  Hope all goes well.

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