Pathology Report - Compound Nevus w/ Moderate Atypia

[krissy139]

Could someone interpret my pathology report please?

"Multiple deeper levels of this heavily fragmented and superficial biopsy specimen have been examined. There are epidermal fragments that show epidermal acanthosis with increased single melanocytes with moderate cytologic atypia. There is associated low level apgetoid spread. Minute fragments of associated dermis also show small nests of melanocytes. A melan-A stained slide has been examined. Given the nature of this biopsy specimen, interpretation of these findings is very difficult. Because lesional cells involve all tissue edges examined, a re-excusion of this site is recommended.

I was told the mole on my foot is benign, but there are abnormal cells and that I need to see a specialist and have the mole fully removed. However, once I read this it made me nervous and I feel that there is more to the report than this. Can someone explain it "in English" please. Thanks much appreciated!

[LELbri]

I have gone through this just a few months ago. The reason you were advised to have more of the surrounding tissue removed is due to the fact with the original incision areas around it still showed moderate atypia cells remainned. If the mole that was removed did not come back as melanoma, then the rest of the tissue around it won't be melanoma either. The reason they are taking more tissue is to get a clean margin. That means that they want an area of tissue around where the mole was with no atypical cells. There is no medical/study data that says an atypical mole will go on to become melanoma. But since they don't know for sure if it will or won't, your doctor wants to be thorough and get all the atypical cells.

take care

[Pum]

I'm sorry I can't help with your question much. It looks like they can't really tell exactly from the biopsy taken and so need the whole thing off to be 100% sure. Who told you it was benign? Was that after reading this report? If so, then trust that person. Many many times they follow through to removing the whole mole just to be 1000000% sure they don't miss anything. They are so cautious but it doesn't mean they really think you have a nasty mole. Just covering all bases.

Take care.