Cancer Research UK main site

BCC and/or Melanoma - v.anxious

LauP1986
Offline

Hi everyone

firstly, thank you to the regular posters who provide so much support to people like me. I am an obsessive googler with health anxiety and this forum has definitely been the best thing I stumbled on. 
 

I am 36yo female and about 2 weeks ago I noticed a small round red patch appear on my cheek - just looked like a dry sport. I noticed that it hadn't got any better and as I've also been meaning to get some moles checked I booked a private full body check which I had on Friday. 
 

The nurse used the Dermoscope all over and flagged the red patch on my face and another "ugly duckling" mole on my back. When she looked she said as there "were vessels" she would send the pictures to a dermotalogist. My first question is - what is the significance of "vessels"? Does this automatically mean something sinister? 
 

I asked her how worried I should be and she was very reassuring. She said she was pretty certain the dermatologist would want to see my back but the worst case scenario was that it was removed. I said my fear was that it would have spread through my body and she said she would be able to see if that was the case - is that just her trying to be reassuring? Or can they see through the scope how serious it might be? 
 

Since Friday, my cheek has felt a bit funny - sort of numb and tingly. This has put the fear of god into me that cancer is eating away under my skin. It also looks like another small patch is appearing about an inch away. They appeared so fast it's making me think it's something aggressive.

 

I hope to hear tomorrow if the dermatologist will want to see me which seems almost certain. 

Sorry for the ramble - I guess I just needed to offload somewhere! 
 

thanks everyone 

  • Offline

    Hi,

    Can I firstly say, don't panic. If one of them is melanoma you have caught them quickly so there is very little chance they have spread. If either are BCC these don't spread below the skin so are very, very rarely invasive. 

    With reference to vessels - it means there may be a blood supply to the lesion but doesn't necessarily mean it's cancerous.

    The scope shows if the cells are slightly different to normal skin cells. Any invasive spread can only be detected by scans and these are only carried out if a biopsy shows the lesion/mole is melanoma and it's depth is over a certain measurement ie. it's grown into the deepest layer of skin.

    She is right to let a dermatologist check them out. They may suggest one or both are removed for biopsy as it's the only foolproof way to know. 75% of patients referred to a dermatologist are given a clean bill of health so, even if the scope shows a change in cell shape, it may mean dysplasia (atypical which are precancerous and caught before they become malignant). There is also a chance that the one on your face is actinic keratosis which is caused by UV damage and is very easily treatable.

    Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

    Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)

     

  • Offline in reply to AngieT

    Hi Angie

    Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I've seen you post in response to many other anxious people like me - thank you!

    I'll report back when I know more as this forum has been very helpful for me this weekend when Google was a very scary place. 

    thanks again

     

  • Offline in reply to LauP1986

    Hi everyone

    i just wanted to report back and close this story as I think it would have helped me when I was really struggling a few weeks ago.

    After the full body check the dermascope images were sent to a remote dermatologist and they reccommended an urgent referall for the mole on my back and a routine referral for the mark on my face. Their likely diagnosis was mildly or severely dysplastic mole on my back and benign or BCC on my face. I didn't have these initial results when I posted.

    I saw the dermatologist just under 2 weeks later, by which time the patch on my face had almost gone so who knows what that was all about! He did agree that the mole on my back should be removed but reassured he didn't think it looked like melanoma.

    I have just been back to have my stitches out and get the results and it was "mildly dysplastic" so nothing to worry about now it's gone.

    This triggered some quite intense health anxiety over the last month and in the end it was all fine so I just hope this reassures someone else in a similar situation.

     

    Thank you again Angie for your reassuring reply when I really needed it.

     

  • Offline in reply to LauP1986

    Hi,

    I'm so glad both health issues were found to be fine. Thank you so much for updating everyone as it really does help others in the same situation. Take care and best wishes, Angie

  • Offline

    Oh wow the same thing is happening with me at the moment and I have suspected bbc on my nose just waiting for a report in the next 3 days to see what they say the nurse said it could be bcc or acintic keratosis originally I went in for a lesion on my scalp and moles she looked at my entire body and took a picture of my scalp lesion which she thinks is a mole and my nose. Worried about if it is bcc how would the surgery affect my nose 

Speak to a nurse

Quick links

Follow us

Registered with Fundraising Regulator (logo)
Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ.