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Post from the Off-topic board: Melanoma arising in Spitzoid Nevus Author: feich
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Post from the Off-topic board: Melanoma arising in Spitzoid Nevus Author: feich

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Post from the Off-topic board: Melanoma arising in Spitzoid Nevus Author: feich

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    • November 1, 2010 at 9:01 pm
    TinaR
    Participant

      Hello All.

      I was very recently diagnosed with melanoma arising in a Spitz Nevus. However, my story is a little confusing, and I am hoping to get some answers that my doctor wasn't able to provide.

      Hello All.

      I was very recently diagnosed with melanoma arising in a Spitz Nevus. However, my story is a little confusing, and I am hoping to get some answers that my doctor wasn't able to provide.

      I got a slightly itchy mole removed from my back. After removing the mole, I came back in two weeks later to get stitches removed. The doctor said they had to send my results out for a second opinion. The doctor that gave the second opinion said that while the first biopsy had come back negative, an area of my mole he felt was melanoma arising from a spitz nevus. The small, nodular dermal  (slightly more than a millimeter in thickness) had melanocytes that had small uniform nuclei and finely granular pigmented cytoplasm. They formed as confluent collections forming a non maturing module.

      The doctor finally concluded that based on the nodular dermal component he cannot defend any diagnosis but a tiny focus of melanoma arising in what appeared to be a pre-existing spitz nevus.

      Since this was from a referring pathologist and not my actual doctor, my actual doctor didnt seem to have many answers for me. They scheduled me in for an excision but said it would take 2-3 weeks to get in. He also said they would check the lymph nodes when I went in. I will go nuts waiting 2-3 weeks to get more answers. Im just wondering a few things:

      Since they don't definitevely say that I have melanoma, is there a chance this is benign and they are just being cautious? (if so I would rather be safe than sorry)

      If I get it excised and it hasn't spread to the lymph nodes, will that take care of it?

      Is there a large history of these changing into metastes (sp?) moles over time even if it is excised?

      If it has spread, what is the treatment and or prognosis?

      Does 2-3 weeks seem like a long time to wait to get in and get this taken care of?

      Any help anyone could give me in terms of answers or just clarification, would be extremely helpful. Thank you all for your time. 

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        • January 19, 2011 at 8:55 pm
        amandak
        Participant

          Hi!

          i am going through the same thing right now too.  My results were sent to 3 different pathology places.  they all came back the same as being an atypical spitzoid with melanotic features.  this entire thing is just so confusing.  i had the sentinel lymph node biopsy done and came back negative but they still sent it off, which then came back positive for micro-metasteses.  now, tomorow i am scheduled for a lymph node dissection of my right groin.  i have had a hard time excepting this surgery because there was never a definite answer as whether or not it was melanoma or not.  but as my doctors agree and me what if it was something and i waited then it was too late.

          you have probably had everything done that you needed to already, it looks like it has been a couple of months since you posted this but i am curious to how your doctors handled it and what you are having to do.  good luck to you!

          • January 19, 2011 at 8:55 pm
          amandak
          Participant

            Hi!

            i am going through the same thing right now too.  My results were sent to 3 different pathology places.  they all came back the same as being an atypical spitzoid with melanotic features.  this entire thing is just so confusing.  i had the sentinel lymph node biopsy done and came back negative but they still sent it off, which then came back positive for micro-metasteses.  now, tomorow i am scheduled for a lymph node dissection of my right groin.  i have had a hard time excepting this surgery because there was never a definite answer as whether or not it was melanoma or not.  but as my doctors agree and me what if it was something and i waited then it was too late.

            you have probably had everything done that you needed to already, it looks like it has been a couple of months since you posted this but i am curious to how your doctors handled it and what you are having to do.  good luck to you!

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