What does in transit metastasis mean?

Listen to pronunciation. (in-TRAN-zit meh-TAS-tuh-sis) A type of metastasis in which skin cancer spreads through a lymph vessel and begins to grow more than 2 centimeters away from the primary tumor but before it reaches the nearest lymph node.

What is the stage of in transit metastasis?

The presence of in-transit metastases indicates either N2 or N3 status under the current AJCC TNM system, and is classified as stage IIIB or C disease, respectively. In-transit melanoma carries a poor prognosis, with 5-year survival rates ranging from 25% to 30% in most reports [12, 20, 21].

What is satellite metastasis melanoma?

Melanoma metastases are described as satellite metastases when they are found within 2 cm of the primary tumor (or its scar) and as in-transit metastases if the lesion is located at a greater distance, along the lymphatic course toward the lymph node.

What is a microsatellite metastasis?

A microsatellite was defined, as in the 8th edition AJCC staging system, as “a microscopic cutaneous and/or subcutaneous metastasis adjacent to or deep to and completely discontinuous from a primary melanoma with unaffected stroma occupying the space between, identified on pathological examination of the primary tumor …

What is a satellite tumor?

Listen to pronunciation. (SA-teh-lite TOO-mer) A group of tumor cells in an area near the primary (original) tumor. In melanoma, satellite tumors occur within 2 centimeters of the primary tumor, on or under the skin, and can be seen without a microscope.

What does melanoma in transit look like?

Melanoma in-transit metastases typically appear as erythematous nodules of variable size that may or may not be pigmented. Occasionally, the lesions are flat rather than nodular depending on their location in the epidermis, dermis, or subcutaneous tissue.

What is in transit melanoma?

In-transit (IT) melanoma represents a distinct disease pattern whereby the disease recurs as dermal or subcutaneous nodules between the primary melanoma site and the regional lymph node basin.

What are microsatellite tumors?

Microsatellites are short, repeated sequences of DNA. Microsatellite instability-high cancer cells may have a defect in the ability to correct mistakes that occur when DNA is copied in the cell.

What is in transit metastases melanoma?

In transit metastases (ITM) from extremity or trunk melanomas are subcutaneous or cutaneous lymphatic deposits of melanoma cells, distant from the primary site but not reaching the draining nodal basin.