Having a shave biopsy — already stage IV. Any survival benefit?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Having a shave biopsy — already stage IV. Any survival benefit?

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    • April 9, 2017 at 5:53 pm
    Spl25
    Participant

      Has anyone heard or seen info regarding whether excising a potentially melanomic lesion is beneficial? I'm already stage IV and suspect that my primary was a lesion I had removed 10+ years ago. I understand that skin lesions can change the immune system in a pro-melanomic way early on in melanoma development. 

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        • April 10, 2017 at 12:29 am
        Bubbles
        Participant

          Surgical removal of melanoma lesions is usually a very good idea if you can  anatomically, financially, and if it doesn't remove you from the treatment you have embarked on!!  (Some trials require measureable disease…though that is more the case in the past than currently.)  "Cherry picking" melanoma lesions as they cropped up kept many of us old timers alive before current therapies were available.  Jubes on this forum is an example of a recent tumor removed (along with part of her lung), rendering her NED and she has been maintaining that condition awesomely.  Although…."shave" biopsy is not usually cosidered best practice with a suspected melanoma lesion, no matter if you are Stage IV or I.  You lose a lot of needed data (depth, thickness, etc) whether you are just trying to get rid of the lesion, diagnose the lesion or define level of progression through the lesion.

          Hope that helps.  I wish you well.  Celeste

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