Collaborative Stage

Note 1: According to the College of American Pathologists (CAP) protocol for melanoma of skin, the growth patterns and depth of infiltration of melanomas are prognostically significant. Vertical growth phase (VGP) is an adverse factor. Nodular melanomas by definition are VGP tumors. VGP pattern in superficial spreading melanoma is defined as the presence of one or more dermal clusters of melanocytic cells larger than the largest epidermal cluster, and/or the presence of any mitotic activity in the dermis. Superficial spreading melanomas in radial growth phase (RGP) in contrast are generally wider than deep; one criterion for RGP is that melanoma in situ is present 3 or more rete ridges beyond the invasive component.
Note 2: Record the VGP as recorded in the pathology report. When the VGP is not identified, code as absent.

Code	Description
000	No vertical growth phase (VGP) present VGP not identified VGP absent
001	OBSOLETE DATA CONVERTED V0203 See code 010 Vertical growth phase present
010	VGP present
988	Not applicable: Information not collected for this case (If this information is required by your standard setter, use of code 988 may result in an edit error.)
998	No histologic examination of primary site
999	Unknown or no information Not documented in patient record

CS Site-Specific Factor 9
Vertical Growth Phase (VGP)