Newly dignoseds confused about regression

Regression is both good and bad – depending on the way you look at it.  Regression means your body recognized the lesion and attempted to destroy it.  Good.  But regression also means you don't know how deep the original primary was and staging can be compromised.  Bad.  Cells might have escaped the original lesion if the lesion was deep enough.   People can have an unknown primary and it is thought that the original lesion completely regressed but cells escaped and were transported elsewhere.  If my report listed extensive regression, I would definitely consider having a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy.  I'm not sure there is any clear concensus on long term prognosis – regression is not something included in the current staging so it's value has not been proven to affect staging as of now.  Part of that may relate to not being able to concisesly determine how much regression actually took place.

Regression is both good and bad – depending on the way you look at it.  Regression means your body recognized the lesion and attempted to destroy it.  Good.  But regression also means you don't know how deep the original primary was and staging can be compromised.  Bad.  Cells might have escaped the original lesion if the lesion was deep enough.   People can have an unknown primary and it is thought that the original lesion completely regressed but cells escaped and were transported elsewhere.  If my report listed extensive regression, I would definitely consider having a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy.  I'm not sure there is any clear concensus on long term prognosis – regression is not something included in the current staging so it's value has not been proven to affect staging as of now.  Part of that may relate to not being able to concisesly determine how much regression actually took place.

Regression is both good and bad – depending on the way you look at it.  Regression means your body recognized the lesion and attempted to destroy it.  Good.  But regression also means you don't know how deep the original primary was and staging can be compromised.  Bad.  Cells might have escaped the original lesion if the lesion was deep enough.   People can have an unknown primary and it is thought that the original lesion completely regressed but cells escaped and were transported elsewhere.  If my report listed extensive regression, I would definitely consider having a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy.  I'm not sure there is any clear concensus on long term prognosis – regression is not something included in the current staging so it's value has not been proven to affect staging as of now.  Part of that may relate to not being able to concisesly determine how much regression actually took place.