Reading biopsy reports
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Reading biopsy reports

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Reading biopsy reports

  • Post
    • March 2, 2015 at 4:00 am
    corbyzmom08
    Participant

      I had two moles biopsied on 2/18. The one on my back apparently came back fine. The one on my head, they chose to to an excision within the week. I had that done on 2/28 (biopsy results came back on 2/23). I feel as though they aren't telling me much. And of course I don't understand the dermopathologists terminology. Can someone help me interpret the results? The surgeon who removed the rest of it told me to hug my hairdressers neck because she could have saved my life. And he told me it was pretty gnarly but that's about it and I'm making myself crazy waiting for the new pathology reports to come back. If it is melanoma I can handle it. It's the unknown I can't handle. That is part of my OCD. The lack of control. Thanks in advance. How can I post the report? I'm mobile.

    Viewing 8 reply threads
    • Replies
        • March 3, 2015 at 1:05 am
        pd1gal
        Participant

          Just try to copy/paste the report into a post if you can get a difital copy of it from your doctor.

          Or upload it to something like Google Drive and post the share link in your post.

          Lots of mrf members will be able to help interpret the report for you.

          • March 3, 2015 at 1:05 am
          pd1gal
          Participant

            Just try to copy/paste the report into a post if you can get a difital copy of it from your doctor.

            Or upload it to something like Google Drive and post the share link in your post.

            Lots of mrf members will be able to help interpret the report for you.

              • March 3, 2015 at 2:29 am
              corbyzmom08
              Participant

                I don't have an electronic file of it, unfortunately. Can I email it to someone to post?

                • March 3, 2015 at 2:29 am
                corbyzmom08
                Participant

                  I don't have an electronic file of it, unfortunately. Can I email it to someone to post?

                  • March 3, 2015 at 2:47 am
                  Janner
                  Participant

                    There is no storage or way to post more than links here.  So you either have to type it in, or upload a digital copy to a public site that you can link to.  There is no way to do attachments to a post on this site.

                    • March 3, 2015 at 2:47 am
                    Janner
                    Participant

                      There is no storage or way to post more than links here.  So you either have to type it in, or upload a digital copy to a public site that you can link to.  There is no way to do attachments to a post on this site.

                      • March 3, 2015 at 3:07 pm
                      corbyzmom08
                      Participant

                        I typed it in below.

                        • March 3, 2015 at 3:07 pm
                        corbyzmom08
                        Participant

                          I typed it in below.

                          • March 3, 2015 at 3:07 pm
                          corbyzmom08
                          Participant

                            I typed it in below.

                            • March 3, 2015 at 2:47 am
                            Janner
                            Participant

                              There is no storage or way to post more than links here.  So you either have to type it in, or upload a digital copy to a public site that you can link to.  There is no way to do attachments to a post on this site.

                              • March 3, 2015 at 2:29 am
                              corbyzmom08
                              Participant

                                I don't have an electronic file of it, unfortunately. Can I email it to someone to post?

                              • March 3, 2015 at 1:05 am
                              pd1gal
                              Participant

                                Just try to copy/paste the report into a post if you can get a difital copy of it from your doctor.

                                Or upload it to something like Google Drive and post the share link in your post.

                                Lots of mrf members will be able to help interpret the report for you.

                                • March 3, 2015 at 7:48 am
                                JerryfromFauq
                                Participant

                                  Can you OCR it?  Be sure to proof read the text version then!

                                  • March 3, 2015 at 7:48 am
                                  JerryfromFauq
                                  Participant

                                    Can you OCR it?  Be sure to proof read the text version then!

                                    • March 3, 2015 at 7:48 am
                                    JerryfromFauq
                                    Participant

                                      Can you OCR it?  Be sure to proof read the text version then!

                                      • March 3, 2015 at 3:07 pm
                                      corbyzmom08
                                      Participant

                                        Diagnosis:

                                        Skin, right sideburn area, shave biopsy:

                                        1.  Lentiginous compound melanocytic proliferation with severe junctional and dermal atypia and unusual features (see comment and microscopic).

                                        2.  The lesion extends to the lateral edges of the specimen (multiple levels examined).

                                        Comments:

                                        Specimen A: This melanocytic proliferation is very atypical. While the findings could represent an extensively traumatized/irritated aytipical nevus, the amount of junctional and dermal atypia and the associated stromal response are quite worrisome for an evolving melanoma that would be superficially invasive to a depth of 0.35 mm. Despite the worrisome features, the lack of complete junctional confluence, pagetoid spread, or definitive dermal mitotic activity precludes rendering an outright diagnosis of melanoma from this biopsy. Complete excision is recommended to ensure removal, prevent recurrance/progression and allow examination of any remaining lesion.

                                         

                                        I had the excision on 2/27 so I am awaiting new results. I will update once I receive those, but was hoping on some clarification before then. Thank you all in advance.

                                         

                                        • March 3, 2015 at 3:07 pm
                                        corbyzmom08
                                        Participant

                                          Diagnosis:

                                          Skin, right sideburn area, shave biopsy:

                                          1.  Lentiginous compound melanocytic proliferation with severe junctional and dermal atypia and unusual features (see comment and microscopic).

                                          2.  The lesion extends to the lateral edges of the specimen (multiple levels examined).

                                          Comments:

                                          Specimen A: This melanocytic proliferation is very atypical. While the findings could represent an extensively traumatized/irritated aytipical nevus, the amount of junctional and dermal atypia and the associated stromal response are quite worrisome for an evolving melanoma that would be superficially invasive to a depth of 0.35 mm. Despite the worrisome features, the lack of complete junctional confluence, pagetoid spread, or definitive dermal mitotic activity precludes rendering an outright diagnosis of melanoma from this biopsy. Complete excision is recommended to ensure removal, prevent recurrance/progression and allow examination of any remaining lesion.

                                           

                                          I had the excision on 2/27 so I am awaiting new results. I will update once I receive those, but was hoping on some clarification before then. Thank you all in advance.

                                           

                                            • March 4, 2015 at 4:41 am
                                            Janner
                                            Participant

                                              So you don't state the final diagnosis, but I am inferring that this is a severely atypical lesion.  Excision with at least 5mm margins would most likely be the treatment.  The difference between melanoma and severely atypical is a matter of degrees, and reading the comments, while the cells are atypical, there aren't enough factors to call it melanoma in the pathologists view.  It's unlikely that the wide excision would change anything with the diagnosis since the center of the lesion was most likely removed and analyzed here.

                                              So if the diagnosis is an atypical lesion, then consider it a warning shot.  Watch the scar area for any pigment regrowth, practice sun safety and live life.  I would definitely make sure you have adequate clear margins on the excision – that is your insurance policy.  A diagnosis of severely atypical is MUCH better than melanoma as far as insurance goes.  You don't have to report that you've had cancer.  (This is something that would affect getting life insurance). 

                                              Be watchful of other CHANGING moles!

                                              • March 4, 2015 at 4:41 am
                                              Janner
                                              Participant

                                                So you don't state the final diagnosis, but I am inferring that this is a severely atypical lesion.  Excision with at least 5mm margins would most likely be the treatment.  The difference between melanoma and severely atypical is a matter of degrees, and reading the comments, while the cells are atypical, there aren't enough factors to call it melanoma in the pathologists view.  It's unlikely that the wide excision would change anything with the diagnosis since the center of the lesion was most likely removed and analyzed here.

                                                So if the diagnosis is an atypical lesion, then consider it a warning shot.  Watch the scar area for any pigment regrowth, practice sun safety and live life.  I would definitely make sure you have adequate clear margins on the excision – that is your insurance policy.  A diagnosis of severely atypical is MUCH better than melanoma as far as insurance goes.  You don't have to report that you've had cancer.  (This is something that would affect getting life insurance). 

                                                Be watchful of other CHANGING moles!

                                                • March 4, 2015 at 4:41 am
                                                Janner
                                                Participant

                                                  So you don't state the final diagnosis, but I am inferring that this is a severely atypical lesion.  Excision with at least 5mm margins would most likely be the treatment.  The difference between melanoma and severely atypical is a matter of degrees, and reading the comments, while the cells are atypical, there aren't enough factors to call it melanoma in the pathologists view.  It's unlikely that the wide excision would change anything with the diagnosis since the center of the lesion was most likely removed and analyzed here.

                                                  So if the diagnosis is an atypical lesion, then consider it a warning shot.  Watch the scar area for any pigment regrowth, practice sun safety and live life.  I would definitely make sure you have adequate clear margins on the excision – that is your insurance policy.  A diagnosis of severely atypical is MUCH better than melanoma as far as insurance goes.  You don't have to report that you've had cancer.  (This is something that would affect getting life insurance). 

                                                  Be watchful of other CHANGING moles!

                                                  • March 4, 2015 at 1:31 pm
                                                  corbyzmom08
                                                  Participant

                                                    That was all the report said. They removed the mole and 5mm margins on Friday. I don't have that pathology back yet. Thank you for responding.

                                                    • March 4, 2015 at 1:31 pm
                                                    corbyzmom08
                                                    Participant

                                                      That was all the report said. They removed the mole and 5mm margins on Friday. I don't have that pathology back yet. Thank you for responding.

                                                      • March 4, 2015 at 1:31 pm
                                                      corbyzmom08
                                                      Participant

                                                        That was all the report said. They removed the mole and 5mm margins on Friday. I don't have that pathology back yet. Thank you for responding.

                                                      • March 3, 2015 at 3:07 pm
                                                      corbyzmom08
                                                      Participant

                                                        Diagnosis:

                                                        Skin, right sideburn area, shave biopsy:

                                                        1.  Lentiginous compound melanocytic proliferation with severe junctional and dermal atypia and unusual features (see comment and microscopic).

                                                        2.  The lesion extends to the lateral edges of the specimen (multiple levels examined).

                                                        Comments:

                                                        Specimen A: This melanocytic proliferation is very atypical. While the findings could represent an extensively traumatized/irritated aytipical nevus, the amount of junctional and dermal atypia and the associated stromal response are quite worrisome for an evolving melanoma that would be superficially invasive to a depth of 0.35 mm. Despite the worrisome features, the lack of complete junctional confluence, pagetoid spread, or definitive dermal mitotic activity precludes rendering an outright diagnosis of melanoma from this biopsy. Complete excision is recommended to ensure removal, prevent recurrance/progression and allow examination of any remaining lesion.

                                                         

                                                        I had the excision on 2/27 so I am awaiting new results. I will update once I receive those, but was hoping on some clarification before then. Thank you all in advance.

                                                         

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