Is melanoma in situ really cancer?

Is melanoma in situ really cancer?

Melanoma in situ is the very earliest stage of a skin cancer called melanoma. ‘In situ’ is Latin for ‘in space’. It means that the cancer cells have not had the opportunity to spread to anywhere else in the body. About 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with melanoma each year.

What is melanoma in situ mean?

Listen to pronunciation. (MEH-luh-NOH-muh in SY-too) Abnormal melanocytes (cells that make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its natural color) are found in the epidermis (outer layer of the skin). These abnormal melanocytes may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue.

How long can a melanoma stay in situ?

Prognosis: Stage 0 melanoma, or melanoma in situ, is highly curable. There is very little risk for recurrence or metastasis. The 5-year survival rate as of 2018 for local melanoma, including Stage 0, is 98.4%.

How often does melanoma in situ recur?

The in situ group had 1,936 invasive recurrences and an incidence rate of 4.2 cases per 1,000 person-years. That compared with incidence rates of 3.7 per 1,000 person-years for the local invasive group and 4.7 per 1,000 person-years for the regional/distant group.

How do you treat melanoma in situ?

Stage 0 melanoma (melanoma in situ) has not grown deeper than the top layer of the skin (the epidermis). It is usually treated by surgery (wide excision) to remove the melanoma and a small margin of normal skin around it. The removed sample is then sent to a lab to be looked at with a microscope.

What is the difference between melanoma and melanoma in situ?

In Stage 0 melanoma, there is no evidence the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or to distant sites (metastasis). Stage 0 is local melanoma, meaning it has not spread beyond the primary tumor. Another term for Stage 0 melanoma is in situ, which means “in place” in Latin.

Is it possible to have melanoma in situ?

In Situ is considered by some oncologists as not being melanoma, and other oncologists believe that it is. In my case I had in situ removed with large clear margins…but 4 years later it returned and wasn’t considered in situ anymore!

What are the stages of melanoma in situ?

The first three stages refer to the depth of melanoma within the skin, size and possible ulceration. Only Stage IV indicates that the illness has spread to other organs. What is the recurrence of melanoma in situ following surgery? Survival rates hinge almost totally on the original status of the melanoma at point of diagnosis.

How often does melanoma recur after excision surgery?

Melanoma in situ recurrence. Melanoma in situ recurrence is most likely in the first 2 years after the disease has been diagnosed. About 3% to 6% of in situ melanomas often recur after excision surgery.

What’s the best way to find out if you have melanoma?

Step 1: Skin exam and physical. It usually travels to the lymph nodes closest to the melanoma. If there is a risk the cancer could have spread, your dermatologist may recommend that you have a lymph node biopsy. If a sentinel lymph node biopsy is recommended, it can be performed at the time of your surgery for melanoma.

How long does it take to diagnose melanoma in situ?

Melanoma in situ is also associated with the development of additional cancers. These secondary tumors include lip cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia/lymphoma. The average time to diagnosis of a secondary tumor is 14 years, which highlights the importance of regular follow-ups with your physician.

Is it possible to remove melanoma in situ?

Melanoma in situ is confined to melanocytes located in the upper layer of the skin. As a result, it can be easily removed with wide excision. While some types of melanoma first spread across the skin before becoming invasive, other types such as nodular melanoma spread very quickly.

What are the margins for melanoma in situ?

Melanoma in situ margins often range from 5mm to 15mm. 6mm margins have a success rate of about 85% while 9mm margins have a success rate of more than 95%. Large margins of up to 15mm have a success rate of near or equal to 100%.

How can you tell if you have melanoma from a skin biopsy?

If you’ve been diagnosed with melanoma, you’ve already had a skin biopsy. This biopsy was taken when you had part (or all) of the suspicious spot removed. After it was removed, a doctor looked at the spot under a microscope to find out if it contained cancer cells. This is currently the only way to tell if someone has skin cancer.