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Atypical Spitz r/o melanoma

Forums Cutaneous Melanoma Community Atypical Spitz r/o melanoma

  • Post
    Kimmie0811
    Participant
      Hi! I have been reading throigh your forums and y’all are a wealth of information. So thought I could get some opinions.

      Im a 34 year old female with a million moles, had more than a dozen removed and had varying degrees of dysplasia. Last year I had a normal pink round mole on the back of my arm go crazy. It turned a bluish/purple hue, got scabby and grew. I went in to derm and she reassured me it was just a hormonal mole (I was mid pregnancy at the time) and wasn’t even worth removing. Said to come back any time after the baby was born and they would do my annual then and check on it. Fast forward to a few months after baby and at my annual the new dr tells me it looks scarily like Melanoma. She did a shave biopsy. A week later the pathologist calls and says it looks like melanoma with a r/o differential of Spitzoid Melanocytic Proliferation. Sent it to MD Anderson and I’ll post the report below. The reason Im still seeking answers is because MD Anderson told me i needed to be followed by a Melanoma specialist. But the WLE surgeon was baffled by that. Ive also had spreading pain on the right side of my body that is, at times, intense enough for narcotics. The pain started in one spot, under my armpit on the same side they removed the mole and began within days of removal. It has since spread to my breast, groin, right thigh, upper right abdomen and behind my pubic bone. Does the pain have nothing to do with the Spitz tumor? I have autoimmune issues as well so it’s possible the stress of them saying Melanoma was enough to trigger something. I have 5 kids who need me. I am nervous, though. I’ve given it months to go away and it isnt leaving. I just want to know if I should definitively be looking elsewhere for answers or if this could possibly have anything to do with it (as I have read the spitz tumors can metastasize). I would love an educated opinion. Here is the report:
      “Sections reveal skin with a symmetrix, well circumscribed comoiund melanocytic proliferation. Within the epidermis there is a mostly nestled proliferation of atypical spindle and epitheliod melanocytes. These melanocytes exhibit increases amphophiloc cytoplasm and enlarged oval-elongate nuclei with small nuceoli. Hyalinized eosinophilic globules “kamino bodies” are present, and upward paegtoid migration of intraepidermal melanocytes is focal and confined to the center of the lesion. Similar nests of melanocytes are present in the subjacent dermis amidst a variably dense lymphohistiocytic inflammatory infiltrate. The dermal melanocytes show reduced cell size with dermal descent and disperse singly towards the base. Dermal mitotic figures not prominent.
      Immunohistochemical studies were performed at the referring institution. Antibodies for Melan A highlight the prolferative melanocytes within the epidermis and dermis. Antibodies for HMB 45 show patchy reactivity with stronger staining within the epidermis and superficial dermis. The melanocytes show retained expression of P16 stain. a cocktail (Mart-1/KI67) highlights the compound melanocytic proliferation and confirms a low-absent proliferative index among the dermal melanocytes.
      Together these findings support the abkve diagnosis. This nevus exhibits cytologic characteristics of Spitz nevus and architectural features of Clark/dysplastic nevus, consistent with “Spark” nevus. “

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    • Replies
        Julie in SoCal
        Participant
          Hi Kimmie,

          Welcome, I’m glad you found us!

          There are people who are much better than I am at reading path reports. In early stages of melanoma reading them is as much art as science. It’s possible that is why you were sent to a melanoma specialist for a second opinion. And again in Melanomaland, going to see a Mel specialist is never a bad idea.

          If they are ruling out spitz nevus, it sounds like you are still in the early stages. This is good!! And if you are in the early stages it’s very possible that the WLE has gotten it all. This is good news!

          As for the pain you are experiencing it does not sound like melanoma. It’s been my experience that melanoma itself has not caused me any pain. Treatments on the other hand… But pain is no fun at best soul sucking at worst and I’m sorry you are experiencing it.

          Shalom,

          Julie

          Ellie_82
          Participant
            Hi Kimmie, I know it feels terrifying at the moment, but judging from the report, all you have is a Spitz nevus. It is not melanoma, although due to some factors, the standard of care is to have them completely removed in adults just in case. Did you have a WLE to remove it? If so, I dont think that you have anything to worry about. Regarding following up with melanoma specialist, I also dont understand why it is necessary. I suppose it cant hurt if you have one nearby, but if not, I think that it is okay to see a regular dermatologist who you feel comfortable with. All the best to you!
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