Hi,

I'm a little confused as to why they booked you to have a WLE when you hadn't had an excision biopsy first? Do you have a copy of any paperwork stating that the surgery was a WLE rather than a biopsy excision? Without a biopsy they can't know if it's melanoma at the moment. They will send all the removed mole & surrounding tissue to histology for a biopsy & your results will tell you if it is melanoma, the depth & the stage. 

Results are taking a long time at the moment - some areas of the UK are managing to take 4 weeks whilst some are taking anything up to 10 weeks - most are taking 6 to 8 weeks. The time it takes to get the results bears no reflection on whether they are good or bad. The samples are seen & dealt with in the order they are received. 

If the surgical staff didn't indicate to you how long results are taking at that hospital, I suggest you contact them next week & ask what the current position is. If they've received them back they still have to be discussed at the weekly MDT - Multi Disciplinary Team meeting consisting of consultants from Dermatology, Plastics, Oncology & specialist nurses. They decide on the next step (discharge if the mole was benign, further treatment if melanoma). You will then be contacted - usually with an appointment for face to face results, whether good or bad. A few consultants will send a letter if it's good news but most prefer to see the patient to check the surgical site is healing.

Good luck, I hope you aren't waiting too much longer & the results bring good news. Please let us know how you get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)