Always get copies of your biopsy reports! - Cancer: Skin Message Board

nebulous · 05-04-2004, 09:40 PM

Hi Everyone,

I just want to remind everyone to always get copies of your biopsy reports. I've always gotten copies of my lab tests, MRIs, exrays, etc., but I never thought to get copies of my biopsy reports. A few weeks ago I ordered all my medical records from my doctors office, and I just received them today. In the past two years I had two biopsies of suspicious legions. In both instances the doctor told me they were benign. Well, in looking over the biopsy reports that I received today with my medical records, I see that one of the moles was reported as "a junctional nevus with moderate atypical melanocytic hyperplasia, histologic margins clear". Upon looking up atypical melanocytic hyperplasia, I found that it is melanoma insitu or clark level I melanoma.

This really upsets me because my dad died of melanoma last year. I feel that I had a right to know even if they did feel that it was totally removed and could not spread. If I had continued to believe it had been benign, I might have been inclined to ignore similar appearing moles.

Anyway, I just thought I'd let everyone know of my experience so that they could learn from my mystake. Always get the copy of the pathology report, and don't just take the doctors word for the results.

Murphy · 05-06-2004, 11:25 AM

neb, AMEN! Thanks for posting. I tell everyone to get reports & folks just don't get it.
I hear, "I have a great Dr. or he's really good"! What does that have to do w/ being
informed? 1/2 my brow was removed yrs. ago to totally get a basal-cell. Bad scar
still there but I knew it was stopped. 5 yrs. later now, a plastic surgeon is having to
go back for re-do! Scar started slt. bleeding. New Dr. got old path. report. 2 areas
did `not' have clear margins. Now I need a skin graft to close & possible work on the
other eye to balance results. Old doc simply said `so sue me'! A lawyer said it's the
patients responsibility to be informed before paying a balance owed. Final pymnt. =
satisfied w/ services. I was deceived. Nothing mentioned on fol/ups. Also, there is a
chance of recurrence sometimes. Had I known, I would have altered my chances in
my favor 5 yrs. ago. I had a different surgery at a hospital 2 yrs. ago & arranged a
family donor for blood if needed. `Things went well, no transfusion, got upset over
nothing'! I just got procedure report & they (gave) me blood. Now it's a typo & didn't
happen. I now live w/ wondering abt whose blood I got. Get copies of everything!

sandra1 · 05-07-2004, 10:57 AM

Good advice for everybody here! Get your biopsy reports! I think doctors are afraid to alarm the patients with their reports and try to downplay the situation. When I went to my dermatologist last month for my first so called "sun spot", he freezed it and told me not to be too concerned about the spot. He seemed to be in a rush, so I didn't get the chance to ask him alot of questions regarding my spot. I have to go back to him at the end of June to see what my situation will look like. But if I have to have a biopsy done, I will make sure he will show me the report and tell me actually what I really have. I want the truth when it comes to medical concerns. I believe we should learn to speak up to doctors when we have some concerns and get the answers we need to know. It's our responsible, period.

Sandi