Unbelievable change of events! Request a second opinion!!

W-o-o-o H-o-o-o, Brooke! Hip, hip, hooray!!!   That is fantastic news. Thank you for sharing!

This not only confirms the importance of specialists when dealing with melanoma (a notoriously tricky disease), but it also underlines the importance of BEING YOUR OWN HEALTH ADVOCATE. The vast majority of people will not even attempt to read their own path report (or any other medical reports) thinking that they will never understand them. But you can learn a lot just by TRYING to read them, even if you don't understand all the details. And you can look up the qualifications of the doctor, as you did. And for any really important decision, you can request a second opinion from a specialist, which you did.

You did GREAT!! Your husband owes you flowers and champagne, at the very least. I'd have you in my foxhole anytime.

W-o-o-o H-o-o-o, Brooke! Hip, hip, hooray!!!   That is fantastic news. Thank you for sharing!

This not only confirms the importance of specialists when dealing with melanoma (a notoriously tricky disease), but it also underlines the importance of BEING YOUR OWN HEALTH ADVOCATE. The vast majority of people will not even attempt to read their own path report (or any other medical reports) thinking that they will never understand them. But you can learn a lot just by TRYING to read them, even if you don't understand all the details. And you can look up the qualifications of the doctor, as you did. And for any really important decision, you can request a second opinion from a specialist, which you did.

You did GREAT!! Your husband owes you flowers and champagne, at the very least. I'd have you in my foxhole anytime.

W-o-o-o H-o-o-o, Brooke! Hip, hip, hooray!!!   That is fantastic news. Thank you for sharing!

This not only confirms the importance of specialists when dealing with melanoma (a notoriously tricky disease), but it also underlines the importance of BEING YOUR OWN HEALTH ADVOCATE. The vast majority of people will not even attempt to read their own path report (or any other medical reports) thinking that they will never understand them. But you can learn a lot just by TRYING to read them, even if you don't understand all the details. And you can look up the qualifications of the doctor, as you did. And for any really important decision, you can request a second opinion from a specialist, which you did.

You did GREAT!! Your husband owes you flowers and champagne, at the very least. I'd have you in my foxhole anytime.

Good news!

The only thing that concerns me is that the original path didn't go to a dermpath to begin with.  Why is the surgeon sending tissue to a general path?  And if you have a biopsy in the future, are you going to have to request it be sent to a dermpath?  I'd prefer my surgeon to have a good working relationship with the dermpath and not just some anonymous pathologist.  And I'd also hope my doctor would think enough of me to make sure the tissue went to the right specialist.  Just a comment and a question you may need to ask the doctors.

Best wishes,

Janner

Good news!

The only thing that concerns me is that the original path didn't go to a dermpath to begin with.  Why is the surgeon sending tissue to a general path?  And if you have a biopsy in the future, are you going to have to request it be sent to a dermpath?  I'd prefer my surgeon to have a good working relationship with the dermpath and not just some anonymous pathologist.  And I'd also hope my doctor would think enough of me to make sure the tissue went to the right specialist.  Just a comment and a question you may need to ask the doctors.

Best wishes,

Janner

Good news!

The only thing that concerns me is that the original path didn't go to a dermpath to begin with.  Why is the surgeon sending tissue to a general path?  And if you have a biopsy in the future, are you going to have to request it be sent to a dermpath?  I'd prefer my surgeon to have a good working relationship with the dermpath and not just some anonymous pathologist.  And I'd also hope my doctor would think enough of me to make sure the tissue went to the right specialist.  Just a comment and a question you may need to ask the doctors.

Best wishes,

Janner

Very glad for ya'll. What a woman! Waiting for the tie breaker.  (now if they can rurther rudece it – WOW.

Very glad for ya'll. What a woman! Waiting for the tie breaker.  (now if they can rurther rudece it – WOW.

Very glad for ya'll. What a woman! Waiting for the tie breaker.  (now if they can rurther rudece it – WOW.

Brooke, I'm so relieved for you!! Congrats on fighting the most important battle and winning!

~Hazel

Brooke, I'm so relieved for you!! Congrats on fighting the most important battle and winning!

~Hazel

Brooke, I'm so relieved for you!! Congrats on fighting the most important battle and winning!

~Hazel

By the way, just the other day JerryfromFauq posted a link to an article about a melanoma diagnostic test called "The DecisionDx-Melanoma" test. Check it out at http://www.melanoma.org/community/mpip-melanoma-patients-information-page/non-metastatic-melanoma-patients-high-risk-recurre

This might be a situation where that type of test (called a "FISH" test) could be very useful. 

By the way, just the other day JerryfromFauq posted a link to an article about a melanoma diagnostic test called "The DecisionDx-Melanoma" test. Check it out at http://www.melanoma.org/community/mpip-melanoma-patients-information-page/non-metastatic-melanoma-patients-high-risk-recurre

This might be a situation where that type of test (called a "FISH" test) could be very useful. 

By the way, just the other day JerryfromFauq posted a link to an article about a melanoma diagnostic test called "The DecisionDx-Melanoma" test. Check it out at http://www.melanoma.org/community/mpip-melanoma-patients-information-page/non-metastatic-melanoma-patients-high-risk-recurre

This might be a situation where that type of test (called a "FISH" test) could be very useful. 

I thought that test was to distinguish a benign nevus from a melanoma (for instance, with spitz nevi).  It sounds like the discrepancy here is with the satellite lesion, not the primary melanoma.  Although, maybe you're saying to utilize this FISH assay with the satellite lesion to discriminate?

I thought that test was to distinguish a benign nevus from a melanoma (for instance, with spitz nevi).  It sounds like the discrepancy here is with the satellite lesion, not the primary melanoma.  Although, maybe you're saying to utilize this FISH assay with the satellite lesion to discriminate?

I thought that test was to distinguish a benign nevus from a melanoma (for instance, with spitz nevi).  It sounds like the discrepancy here is with the satellite lesion, not the primary melanoma.  Although, maybe you're saying to utilize this FISH assay with the satellite lesion to discriminate?

Right. If the ambiguity concerns the satellite lesion, the FISH test might be able to resolve the issue.

Right. If the ambiguity concerns the satellite lesion, the FISH test might be able to resolve the issue.

Right. If the ambiguity concerns the satellite lesion, the FISH test might be able to resolve the issue.