Staging

Pathology reports never "stage" because they are only looking at one piece of tissue, not the whole body.  Doctor's do the staging.

Local recurrences or "in transit" mets are not stage IV, but stage IIIB or IIIC.  You can see a breakdown in staging at this site:  http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/dermatology/cutaneous-malignant-melanoma/#s0110

The difference between B and C depends on if there is any lymph node involvement.  Stage IV would be a recurrence (either skin or organ) that is beyond the nearest lymph drainage basin.

Best wishes,

Janner

Pathology reports never "stage" because they are only looking at one piece of tissue, not the whole body.  Doctor's do the staging.

Local recurrences or "in transit" mets are not stage IV, but stage IIIB or IIIC.  You can see a breakdown in staging at this site:  http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/dermatology/cutaneous-malignant-melanoma/#s0110

The difference between B and C depends on if there is any lymph node involvement.  Stage IV would be a recurrence (either skin or organ) that is beyond the nearest lymph drainage basin.

Best wishes,

Janner

Pathology reports never "stage" because they are only looking at one piece of tissue, not the whole body.  Doctor's do the staging.

Local recurrences or "in transit" mets are not stage IV, but stage IIIB or IIIC.  You can see a breakdown in staging at this site:  http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/dermatology/cutaneous-malignant-melanoma/#s0110

The difference between B and C depends on if there is any lymph node involvement.  Stage IV would be a recurrence (either skin or organ) that is beyond the nearest lymph drainage basin.

Best wishes,

Janner

Hi Barb,

The local recurrence IS metastatic, but he is still stage III since the mets are close to the original tumor.  Anything that isn't a primary tumor is metastatic.  Another example of metastatic but stage III is when someone has local lymph node involvement; the mm found in the lymph nodes is considered metastatic melanoma.  A really dramatic example is Donna, whose leg was covered in mets before she became a shining beacon of how well ipi CAN work.  She would still be considered stage III.

Waiting for the MRI doesn't make sense to me; tell the consulting doctor what the local hospital said and ask him to explain.  The internal stitches would not be metallic (he doesn't have any staples, does he?) so I can't figure out how a brain MRI could be affected by stitches anywhere NOT in the brain.

Katy

Hi Barb,

The local recurrence IS metastatic, but he is still stage III since the mets are close to the original tumor.  Anything that isn't a primary tumor is metastatic.  Another example of metastatic but stage III is when someone has local lymph node involvement; the mm found in the lymph nodes is considered metastatic melanoma.  A really dramatic example is Donna, whose leg was covered in mets before she became a shining beacon of how well ipi CAN work.  She would still be considered stage III.

Waiting for the MRI doesn't make sense to me; tell the consulting doctor what the local hospital said and ask him to explain.  The internal stitches would not be metallic (he doesn't have any staples, does he?) so I can't figure out how a brain MRI could be affected by stitches anywhere NOT in the brain.

Katy

Hi Barb,

The local recurrence IS metastatic, but he is still stage III since the mets are close to the original tumor.  Anything that isn't a primary tumor is metastatic.  Another example of metastatic but stage III is when someone has local lymph node involvement; the mm found in the lymph nodes is considered metastatic melanoma.  A really dramatic example is Donna, whose leg was covered in mets before she became a shining beacon of how well ipi CAN work.  She would still be considered stage III.

Waiting for the MRI doesn't make sense to me; tell the consulting doctor what the local hospital said and ask him to explain.  The internal stitches would not be metallic (he doesn't have any staples, does he?) so I can't figure out how a brain MRI could be affected by stitches anywhere NOT in the brain.

Katy

Hi Barb, our son was staged 3c after they found Metastatic Melanoma in his Parotid Gland as well as 3 lymph nodes nearby. There was no sign of any Primary on his skin, its referred to as Occult or Unknown Primary. He did a Pet Scan prior to surgery to rule out further spread however no MRI was done just CT Scans..

best wishes

James

Hi Barb, our son was staged 3c after they found Metastatic Melanoma in his Parotid Gland as well as 3 lymph nodes nearby. There was no sign of any Primary on his skin, its referred to as Occult or Unknown Primary. He did a Pet Scan prior to surgery to rule out further spread however no MRI was done just CT Scans..

best wishes

James

Hi Barb, our son was staged 3c after they found Metastatic Melanoma in his Parotid Gland as well as 3 lymph nodes nearby. There was no sign of any Primary on his skin, its referred to as Occult or Unknown Primary. He did a Pet Scan prior to surgery to rule out further spread however no MRI was done just CT Scans..

best wishes

James

It should be safe to have an MRI.  My husband has a wider excision of his intiial lesion completed on 9/14/11 and had an MRI of his brain on 9/22.  Sutures should not contain metal.

It should be safe to have an MRI.  My husband has a wider excision of his intiial lesion completed on 9/14/11 and had an MRI of his brain on 9/22.  Sutures should not contain metal.

It should be safe to have an MRI.  My husband has a wider excision of his intiial lesion completed on 9/14/11 and had an MRI of his brain on 9/22.  Sutures should not contain metal.

My husband had an MRI the morning after his lymphectomy while he was still in the hospital. But, if he had metal staples put in during the surgery, they would not be able to MRI until they were removed. Perhaps that's the issue?

Michelle, wife of Don

My husband had an MRI the morning after his lymphectomy while he was still in the hospital. But, if he had metal staples put in during the surgery, they would not be able to MRI until they were removed. Perhaps that's the issue?

Michelle, wife of Don

My husband had an MRI the morning after his lymphectomy while he was still in the hospital. But, if he had metal staples put in during the surgery, they would not be able to MRI until they were removed. Perhaps that's the issue?

Michelle, wife of Don