Hi,

There is believed to be a link between breast cancer and melanoma. Patients with breast cancer have an increased risk of developing melanoma, especially if they have the BRCA2 gene. Similarly, melanoma patients have an increased risk of breast cancer if diagnosed in their younger years (under 50). It doesn't necessarily mean a malignant mole would be secondary breast cancer - it's usually a primary melanoma which means you can have 2 different types of primary cancer (breast & melanoma) at the same time. I know a few melanoma patients who have gone on to have primary breast cancer. I also know a couple who have metastised (secondary) melanoma in their breast but I've never heard of breast cancer metastising to a mole. Hopefully your mole is benign but it's worth getting it checked out. Good luck and please let us know how you get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)

Thank you so much for this , it’s really helpful to me & I’m sure it will be helpful to others . I sent a photo to my nurse yesterday & got a reply this morning which I’m very impressed by & I have an appointment Friday . They said it’s almost certainly nothing but I really appreciate the reassurance of knowing for sure . I will definitely feedback how I get on good or bad I think it’s helpful to others 

thanks again c

Thank you so much for this , it’s really helpful to me & I’m sure it will be helpful to others . I sent a photo to my nurse yesterday & got a reply this morning which I’m very impressed by & I have an appointment Friday . They said it’s almost certainly nothing but I really appreciate the reassurance of knowing for sure . I will definitely feedback how I get on good or bad I think it’s helpful to others 

thanks again c

Feeling very embarrassed , Dr looked at my “mole “ squeezed it & it came came off , he said it was a black head . They were very kind about it & told me to report any changes . In my defence I never had anything like this before & it is right on my cancer site 

So glad it turned out to be something innocent. Don't feel embarrassed - after my groin/pelvic node dissection I was sent for an x-ray of my head, neck and shoulder as I had shoulder pain. My GP said the x-ray showed a swollen node in my neck.He arranged a next day appointment with my oncologist who couldn't feel any swollen node. We then burst out laughing when we realised the x-ray had picked up the large mole on my neck that I'd had from birth! I think these 'embarrassing ' moments bring the docs a little light relief xx

You are so right there’s not a lot of funnies in oncology , we all need a bit of light & shade 

BD 

I’m so happy you had good news xx