Help Deciphering Biopsy Please
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Help Deciphering Biopsy Please

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Help Deciphering Biopsy Please

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    • June 21, 2012 at 2:58 pm
    JennR
    Participant

      I had a suspicious mole removed at the derm's office a couple of weeks ago and got the results today.  The doctor called me personally and said that it was concerning, but he didn't feel it was cancerous and because of my family history of melanoma, he wanted to see me every four months.  I asked for a copy of my report and now I'm reading conflicting things online.  It sounds like some doctors recommend going in and getting better margins.  Here is what my report says:

      PATHOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS:

      I had a suspicious mole removed at the derm's office a couple of weeks ago and got the results today.  The doctor called me personally and said that it was concerning, but he didn't feel it was cancerous and because of my family history of melanoma, he wanted to see me every four months.  I asked for a copy of my report and now I'm reading conflicting things online.  It sounds like some doctors recommend going in and getting better margins.  Here is what my report says:

      PATHOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS:

      Lentiginous Melanocytic Nevus, Compound Type, Irritated (Compound Melanocytic Nevus with Architectural Disorder)

       

      MICROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION:

      This is a compound nevus.  There is pigmented parakeratosis present.  There is architectural "disorder" characterized by a lentiginous proliferation of melanocytes between irrecgular nests of cells along the dermal-epidermal junction, highlighted by MART-1/MelanA immunohistochemical staining.  There is underying fibroplasia of the papillary dermis.  The intradermal component is bland appearance and matures with depth.  Original and deeper sections were reviewed.  (Compound Clark's Nevus or Compound Dysplastic Nevus)

       

      Can anyone help me decipher what this really means?  Do I need to get a second opinion or just follow his recommendation of being seen every four months?

      Thanks in advance for your help!

      Jennifer

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