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Urgent referral

Mumztheword247
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If you have an urgent 2ww referral in east sussex, for a possible nodular melanoma will they check lymph areas and do mole mapping in that 1st appointment, and organise a scan of your body? Im concerned about the length of time I have left it for diagnosis and the fact this type could spread fast to other areas. Do we know wait times roughly?

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    I don't have experience of that hospital trust but I do know that Mole Mapping is only available at a handful of UK hospitals & if it is available in East Sussex it's not done at the first appointment. They will check you for any other worrying moles though & the lymph node areas too. A scan is usually only carried out once the results are back and the melanoma is over a certain depth & Stage (usually Stage 2 but it can vary depending on the consultant). The wait time for an initial appointment after referral can be between 2 & 4 weeks (every Trust is different). If the mole needs removing, the wait for surgery is averaging 4 weeks and results are between 6 to 8 weeks. The current waiting times are due to a lack of dermatologists and histologists I'm afraid. 

    I know it's a great worry, especially if it's been left for some time, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's been growing deeper. I left mine for a year & it wasn't very deep when it was removed (29 years ago). It did spread 13 years later (3% of Stage 1b recur/spread) but I'm still here, fit & healthy, so try not to think the worst.

    Good luck & please let us know how you get on,

    Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)

  • Offline in reply to AngieT

    Forgot to add, the nurses will reply but, as I spoke to you yesterday, I popped in to answer your question while you wait.

  • Hello Mumztheword and thank you for posting,

    I can understand how worrying this must feel for you, especially with concerns about nodular melanoma and the time it’s taken to get to this point.

    What tests you have may depend on your situation and the doctor; it can vary from hospital to hospital.

    At your first appointment, the specialist will usually examine the mole in detail and check nearby lymph node areas for any signs of spread. They will also look for other concerning moles on your skin. As AngieT has also mentioned, mole mapping (a full-body photographic record) is not routinely done at the first visit and is only available in a few hospitals across the UK, so it’s unlikely to happen immediately.

    If the mole looks suspicious, the next step is usually to remove it for biopsy. Scans of the body are generally only arranged after the biopsy results confirm melanoma, and if the stage (its size and how deep it has gone) suggests a higher risk of spread (often stage 2 or above). You can read more about tests for melanoma on our website

    In terms of timing, most hospital trusts aim to see patients within 2 weeks of referral, but current pressures mean it can sometimes take 2–4 weeks for the first appointment. If there are delays, these are mainly due to shortages of dermatologists and pathology staff; however, it's important to know that even if the mole has been there for a while, it doesn’t always mean it has grown deeper or spread.

    If you haven’t heard within 2 weeks, contact the hospital booking team directly. If you do not have a direct number, the hospital switchboard can help, or your GP might be able to contact the hospital on your behalf .

    I hope you do not have to wait too long to hear when your appointment is. Please feel free to get back to us. If you would like to have a chat with one of our nurses on the helpline, we are available between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and the free phone number to call is 0808 800 4040,

    Jemma

  • Offline in reply to CRUK Nurse Jemma

    Hi Jemma,

    Thank you for your response. I got an appointment letter for tomorrow so that was super quick but slightly disappointed that it involves a teledermoscopy with an consultant reviewing it remotely. But I guess this is the best option available in a short time frame. And I just  hope that if it needs removing this will be done asap as it hurts.

    Claire

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