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    • February 1, 2017 at 4:48 pm
    aprilrose
    Participant

      34YO Female.  I was diagnosed with melanoma 2/2/15. The official diagnosis reads melanoma, level IV, 0.56 mm tumor thickness, non-ulcerated. This was on my left shoulder and I did have a lymph node biopsy that came back negative. Lately I've been having some weird symptoms so I decided to look back though my records and do a little research to see if I need to be seen again. I've had the report here this whole time from my surgery but I just read through it last night and I'm having a hard time interpreting it. This is the comment below the wide local excision says
      There is a tiny focus in block A4  suspicious for, but not diagnostic of, a satellite metastasis of melanoma in the epidermis. Immunohistochemical strains were attempted. Unfortunately, the suspicious focus was cut through precluding interpretation of the Immunohistochemical stains. External controls reacted
      appropriately.
      My surgeon never told me about this so is it something I should be concerned about? I noticed on the official report they left the area blank where they were supposed to put what stage I am. I'm wondering if they even know.

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        • February 1, 2017 at 5:53 pm
        Janner
        Participant

          Staging is rarely included in path reports – especially WLE reports.  They may put a lesion clinical stage on an original biopsy report but basically, staging is done by the doctor who can look at ALL your information – not just a single lesion.  If your lymph nodes were positive, a pathologist looking at your WLE isn't going to know that and positive nodes change staging.  Staging is related to the whole body.

          If you had this removed two years ago and haven't noticed anything locally as a recurrence, I wouldn't be worrying too much.  It's possible the doc talked with the pathologist and got an in-person interpretation.  The reports state everything but a conversation might say that the pathologist wasn't really concerned.  You'll have to ask your doc for any more detailed explanation.

          • February 1, 2017 at 5:53 pm
          Janner
          Participant

            Staging is rarely included in path reports – especially WLE reports.  They may put a lesion clinical stage on an original biopsy report but basically, staging is done by the doctor who can look at ALL your information – not just a single lesion.  If your lymph nodes were positive, a pathologist looking at your WLE isn't going to know that and positive nodes change staging.  Staging is related to the whole body.

            If you had this removed two years ago and haven't noticed anything locally as a recurrence, I wouldn't be worrying too much.  It's possible the doc talked with the pathologist and got an in-person interpretation.  The reports state everything but a conversation might say that the pathologist wasn't really concerned.  You'll have to ask your doc for any more detailed explanation.

            • February 1, 2017 at 5:53 pm
            Janner
            Participant

              Staging is rarely included in path reports – especially WLE reports.  They may put a lesion clinical stage on an original biopsy report but basically, staging is done by the doctor who can look at ALL your information – not just a single lesion.  If your lymph nodes were positive, a pathologist looking at your WLE isn't going to know that and positive nodes change staging.  Staging is related to the whole body.

              If you had this removed two years ago and haven't noticed anything locally as a recurrence, I wouldn't be worrying too much.  It's possible the doc talked with the pathologist and got an in-person interpretation.  The reports state everything but a conversation might say that the pathologist wasn't really concerned.  You'll have to ask your doc for any more detailed explanation.

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