Biopsy results

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  • Post
    • July 15, 2015 at 3:14 am
    Steph001
    Participant

      I had a biopsy done that came back as melanoma and was sent to MD Anderson. I had my wide local excision today. Today I was also given a report that the MDA pathologist did on the original biopsy. It differs just a bit from the report that the first pathologist did. Is this common? The Breslow depth and Clark levels are the same but they differ on mitosis, ulceration, vertical growth, radial growth, and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. As far as I can tell these things don't make the diagnosis worse, is that right? 

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        • July 15, 2015 at 4:35 am
        Janner
        Participant

          Mitosis and ulceration affect staging, the rest not so much.  It's not uncommon to have differing opinions, pathology is an art as well as a science.  But you know dermatopathologists at MDA see a LOT of melanoma and typically more than one pathologist confers on a biopsy at larger institutions.  I'd probably use their opinion as my baseline.

          • July 15, 2015 at 4:35 am
          Janner
          Participant

            Mitosis and ulceration affect staging, the rest not so much.  It's not uncommon to have differing opinions, pathology is an art as well as a science.  But you know dermatopathologists at MDA see a LOT of melanoma and typically more than one pathologist confers on a biopsy at larger institutions.  I'd probably use their opinion as my baseline.

            • July 15, 2015 at 4:35 am
            Janner
            Participant

              Mitosis and ulceration affect staging, the rest not so much.  It's not uncommon to have differing opinions, pathology is an art as well as a science.  But you know dermatopathologists at MDA see a LOT of melanoma and typically more than one pathologist confers on a biopsy at larger institutions.  I'd probably use their opinion as my baseline.

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