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Newly diagnosed

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    • August 25, 2014 at 3:30 pm
    audrey_borgstrom23
    Participant
      A couple questions that I hope someone can answer!

      I am a 23 y/o female, diagnosed with melanoma 5 days ago. The initial biopsy was 12 days ago. I was told at the time this “spot” was removed that it didn’t look like anything but did a shave biopsy just in case. It was done by a PAC (a young woman only a few years older than myself) who said she would be surprised if it came back as anything.

      Exactly a week later (last week Wednesday) I got a call that it came back as melanoma and that I had to go back to get the surrounding area excised. The next day I had the surgery done. They said all should be fine, come back in 6 months for a check up.

      On Friday, I had the dermatologists office fax over the pathology report from the initial biopsy. Lots of big words, but a couple things stood out. It said the melanoma was at least 0.4mm deep and at least a clark’s level III. I think it read “at least” because there was a sentence that stated that although a majority of the depth had been sampled, there was transection at the base and a deeper more invasive melanoma cannot be excluded.

      Now to me, I’m thinking that when this PAC did the biopsy, she didn’t think it was melanoma and so she actually shaved off most of the tumor, but not all of it.

      I’m wondering if this has increased my chances of the spreading of the cancer. Or if it doesn’t really affect that at all. And what are the chances that the melanoma is in fact deeper than 0.4mm? I understand this is a thin melanoma. The results of the excision should be in by tomorrow, but I just wanted some input from anyone with experience with this?

      I appreciate your time in reading this, hope to hear some input soon! Thank you all greatly!

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        • August 25, 2014 at 7:25 pm
        Janner
        Participant

          Transecting the melanoma should not increase your chances of recurrence.  This has actually been studied.  You will never know the exact depth.  Even if they find nothing in the re-excision, scar tissue could obscure it.  (They rarely analyze the wide excision with the same degree of scrutiny on the initial biopsy).  Oftentimes, there is no evidence of melanoma on the re-excision.  Even if they were to find additional melanoma, you can't just "add" that depth to your original depth.  There is no way to line up the samples.  You don't know if your "deepest bit" would line up exactly with the "deepest bit" of the re-excision.  So basically, you're stuck with knowing your lesion was at least 0.4mm.  That's it.  Disadvantage of a shave biopsy.  There will either be residual melanoma or not, but it doesn't really tell you much at this point.

            • August 28, 2014 at 2:23 am
            Kristin_22
            Participant

              Janner, I'm new at this also. I just had a shave biopsy followed by a wide excision. If there are future biopsies, is there a "better" biopsy method that should be requested? 

               

              Thank you, Kristin

              • August 28, 2014 at 2:23 am
              Kristin_22
              Participant

                Janner, I'm new at this also. I just had a shave biopsy followed by a wide excision. If there are future biopsies, is there a "better" biopsy method that should be requested? 

                 

                Thank you, Kristin

                • August 28, 2014 at 2:23 am
                Kristin_22
                Participant

                  Janner, I'm new at this also. I just had a shave biopsy followed by a wide excision. If there are future biopsies, is there a "better" biopsy method that should be requested? 

                   

                  Thank you, Kristin

                • August 25, 2014 at 7:25 pm
                Janner
                Participant

                  Transecting the melanoma should not increase your chances of recurrence.  This has actually been studied.  You will never know the exact depth.  Even if they find nothing in the re-excision, scar tissue could obscure it.  (They rarely analyze the wide excision with the same degree of scrutiny on the initial biopsy).  Oftentimes, there is no evidence of melanoma on the re-excision.  Even if they were to find additional melanoma, you can't just "add" that depth to your original depth.  There is no way to line up the samples.  You don't know if your "deepest bit" would line up exactly with the "deepest bit" of the re-excision.  So basically, you're stuck with knowing your lesion was at least 0.4mm.  That's it.  Disadvantage of a shave biopsy.  There will either be residual melanoma or not, but it doesn't really tell you much at this point.

                  • August 25, 2014 at 7:25 pm
                  Janner
                  Participant

                    Transecting the melanoma should not increase your chances of recurrence.  This has actually been studied.  You will never know the exact depth.  Even if they find nothing in the re-excision, scar tissue could obscure it.  (They rarely analyze the wide excision with the same degree of scrutiny on the initial biopsy).  Oftentimes, there is no evidence of melanoma on the re-excision.  Even if they were to find additional melanoma, you can't just "add" that depth to your original depth.  There is no way to line up the samples.  You don't know if your "deepest bit" would line up exactly with the "deepest bit" of the re-excision.  So basically, you're stuck with knowing your lesion was at least 0.4mm.  That's it.  Disadvantage of a shave biopsy.  There will either be residual melanoma or not, but it doesn't really tell you much at this point.

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