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Spread Rate of Melanoma?
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Spread Rate of Melanoma?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Spread Rate of Melanoma?

  • Post
    • May 18, 2014 at 9:23 pm
    MixtaJones
    Participant

      I am trying to find some information in regards to how fast melanoma spreads in the body. I cannot find much online so figured I would turn to people with experience.

      I first had a mole removed in July or 2013 that was a superficial spreading melanoma .97mm deep. My general practitioner removed it a biopsied and found it was melignet but since the margins were clear he said I was fine. No more tests. 8 month later I found a lump under my arm and was diagnosed with early stage 4 shorty after. My big question is what stage I was at when the mole was removed? I know it had already started to spread I have no clue how to figure out how much worse my situation has become becasue the doctor didn't do any further testing. Does any have any input they can give me?

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    • Replies
        • May 20, 2014 at 2:38 am
        JerryfromFauq
        Participant

          The mitotic rate that should have been provided from the patholgy report is one of the first guides as to how fast one should expect melanoma to metastsize.

          Each person cn be different. 

          After 3 1/2 years of mis-diangnosis by my GP, I went from initial diagnosis to stage III in 4 months and then after the lympnode operation in late January with nothiing seen on a PET scan, I had innumerable lung tumors by March of the same year.

          • May 20, 2014 at 2:38 am
          JerryfromFauq
          Participant

            The mitotic rate that should have been provided from the patholgy report is one of the first guides as to how fast one should expect melanoma to metastsize.

            Each person cn be different. 

            After 3 1/2 years of mis-diangnosis by my GP, I went from initial diagnosis to stage III in 4 months and then after the lympnode operation in late January with nothiing seen on a PET scan, I had innumerable lung tumors by March of the same year.

              • May 20, 2014 at 9:08 am
              JC
              Participant

                so a low mitotic rate will metastasize, but just really slowly?

                • May 20, 2014 at 9:08 am
                JC
                Participant

                  so a low mitotic rate will metastasize, but just really slowly?

                  • May 20, 2014 at 12:24 pm
                  hbecker
                  Participant

                    No, a low mitotic rate just means that particular tumor is dividing (growing) at that rate. There's simply no way to know whether it had already spread beyond the primary. Sorry there are no easy answers here.

                    Wishing you well in fighting the disease. I know you would like to know what was going on in your body then and whether anything more could/should have been done at that time. But fighting melanoma under the current circumstances might be a better way to spend your energy right now. Please keep us posted on your progress.

                    ~Hazel

                    • May 20, 2014 at 12:24 pm
                    hbecker
                    Participant

                      No, a low mitotic rate just means that particular tumor is dividing (growing) at that rate. There's simply no way to know whether it had already spread beyond the primary. Sorry there are no easy answers here.

                      Wishing you well in fighting the disease. I know you would like to know what was going on in your body then and whether anything more could/should have been done at that time. But fighting melanoma under the current circumstances might be a better way to spend your energy right now. Please keep us posted on your progress.

                      ~Hazel

                      • May 21, 2014 at 7:00 am
                      JerryfromFauq
                      Participant

                        When Dr Wen Jen Hwu was asked in February about the mitotic rate changing between the primaries anad later metastises,s                        Wen Jen Hwo said that "the mitosis rate tends to stay the same from
                        the primary thru metastasis".

                        • May 21, 2014 at 7:00 am
                        JerryfromFauq
                        Participant

                          When Dr Wen Jen Hwu was asked in February about the mitotic rate changing between the primaries anad later metastises,s                        Wen Jen Hwo said that "the mitosis rate tends to stay the same from
                          the primary thru metastasis".

                          • May 21, 2014 at 7:00 am
                          JerryfromFauq
                          Participant

                            When Dr Wen Jen Hwu was asked in February about the mitotic rate changing between the primaries anad later metastises,s                        Wen Jen Hwo said that "the mitosis rate tends to stay the same from
                            the primary thru metastasis".

                            • May 21, 2014 at 1:41 pm
                            MixtaJones
                            Participant

                              I don't focus on this too much but I do have a law suit open against the GP who didn't follow through on the mole. In California the big thing they look at in settlements is if you went from 50% or higher chance of survival to 49% or lower because of the missed diagnosis. If I was stage 3A or higher when the mole was discovered and am now stage 4 it would make a big impact

                              • May 21, 2014 at 1:41 pm
                              MixtaJones
                              Participant

                                I don't focus on this too much but I do have a law suit open against the GP who didn't follow through on the mole. In California the big thing they look at in settlements is if you went from 50% or higher chance of survival to 49% or lower because of the missed diagnosis. If I was stage 3A or higher when the mole was discovered and am now stage 4 it would make a big impact

                                • May 21, 2014 at 1:41 pm
                                MixtaJones
                                Participant

                                  I don't focus on this too much but I do have a law suit open against the GP who didn't follow through on the mole. In California the big thing they look at in settlements is if you went from 50% or higher chance of survival to 49% or lower because of the missed diagnosis. If I was stage 3A or higher when the mole was discovered and am now stage 4 it would make a big impact

                                  • May 20, 2014 at 12:24 pm
                                  hbecker
                                  Participant

                                    No, a low mitotic rate just means that particular tumor is dividing (growing) at that rate. There's simply no way to know whether it had already spread beyond the primary. Sorry there are no easy answers here.

                                    Wishing you well in fighting the disease. I know you would like to know what was going on in your body then and whether anything more could/should have been done at that time. But fighting melanoma under the current circumstances might be a better way to spend your energy right now. Please keep us posted on your progress.

                                    ~Hazel

                                    • May 20, 2014 at 9:08 am
                                    JC
                                    Participant

                                      so a low mitotic rate will metastasize, but just really slowly?

                                    • May 20, 2014 at 2:38 am
                                    JerryfromFauq
                                    Participant

                                      The mitotic rate that should have been provided from the patholgy report is one of the first guides as to how fast one should expect melanoma to metastsize.

                                      Each person cn be different. 

                                      After 3 1/2 years of mis-diangnosis by my GP, I went from initial diagnosis to stage III in 4 months and then after the lympnode operation in late January with nothiing seen on a PET scan, I had innumerable lung tumors by March of the same year.

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