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Skin cancer

Netty71
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Hello, i'm after some advice. My partner noticed one of my moles had enlarged and had a brown crust on it. So i contacted my doctor who asked, for some photos. I sent these through and she sent off an urgent 2 week referral. It is almost 2 weeks and not heard a thing. So i called the hospital to be told there is a backlog and i have to wait. Also the scab has now fallen off and its pink again.  So not sure if i should cancel the appointment or just go and get it looked at. It does still have a small brown dot on it . I hate waiting to have it looked at. The longer it takes the more anxious i am becoming. They said i could be waiting weeks, even though its an urgent referral as they are behind with appointments 

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    Hi Netty, although I'm not medically trained I have lots of experience of cancer both with family members and myself.

    I would advise you to keep the appointment. It's always better to have it checked especially if you have to wait so long for the appointment. If it's nothing all good and if it is by having it seen earlier means treatment is so much easier.

    It's easy to say don't worry and almost impossible to do but by being pro active you are doing the best for you.

    Hope this helps. 

  • Hello Netty71 and thanks for the post

    It is never easy waiting for appointments and to be seen and it is natural to become anxious at times like this.

    Unfortunately many hospital services have backlogs and this means many people are waiting much longer to be seen.

    I'm afraid there isn't much more that can be done but to sit tight and wait. Some people who are able may pay privately to be seen but we cannot say if this is likely to be any quicker than being seen on the suspected cancer pathway on the NHS.

    It is important to still get this looked at just to be on the safe side and hopefully give you peace of mind.

    I'm sorry we can't be of more help to you but hope you don't have to wait too much longer.

    Try and keep yourself busy and your mind occupied with other things if you can.

    Take care 

    Naomi

  • Offline in reply to CRUK Nurse Naomi

    Thank you, i work a lot so puts my mind off, but still find myself thinking about it. But i will try not too, thank you for replying 

  • Offline in reply to Psaiumlon

    Thank you , i guess it is best to get it looked at.  My Dad passed from cancer and my maternal Nan. But neither were skin cancer, so it will prob be benign, more than likely. It did look really bad the other day. Hoping it was just burn from the sun. I know i didn't knock it and havent touched it 

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