Hi Sophie,

I know how anxious you must be, being referred & it happening so quickly. Your GP has been great in dealing with you so promptly & the 2 week referral is standard for a mole that looks suspicious. Your referral appointment is also happening slightly quicker than usual because only referrals are being seen face to face at the moment - regular check up appointments for melanoma patients are being done over the phone because of Covid, so there is more time for the dermatologist to see new referrals.

You have been given good advice as to what may happen if the dermatologist thinks the mole needs removing for a biopsy. If it needs removing, it's usually done at a different appointment & it's done as a day surgery patient. Can I just add that 75% of people referred to dermatology are given a clean bill of health, either at the referral appointment or after biopsy results are received. A couple of recent posts on this forum have been from people in your position & their biopsies have come back clear, so the odds are in your favour.

If it should turn out to be melanoma it will depend on how deep the melanoma has grown as to what treatment happens next. If early stage, like SDG3, only routine check ups will be necessary for a short period of time. If later stage, further surgery & drug treatment may be necessary, but that only occurs in a small number of new referrals.

Good luck with your appointment and please let us know how you get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient) 

Thankyou SDG3 and AngieT for your thoughtful replies - I am sorry to hear of both of your diagnoses. 

I think I am a bit in shock as my partner (rightly or wrongly) had tried to convince me it was nothing so I attended the appointment perhaps a bit naive as to what the outcome of it would be. I’m still not really sure he entirely understands the possible severity of this. I’m also presuming he can’t come with me to the appointment due to COVID restrictions. 

Do you know if they’ll take a look at other moles? I don’t have many which is partly why I have the referral as the one on my shoulder looks completely out of place. Do they also tell you there and then what they suspect it is?

Thankyou both for taking the time to reply x

Hi both, 

Thankyou so much for all your support. 

I had my appointment today - the dermatologist didn’t think there was a reason to worry but advised that I have the whole mole removed anyway, so I had that done today after my initial consultation under local anaesthetic. Feeling a bit sore now! I get the results in 3 weeks. The consultant put my mind at ease quite a bit but I know there’s still a chance it may not be positive news. Thankyou so much both for your support - I’ll let you know when I get the results. 

Thanks so much,

Sophie 

Hi Sophie,

I'm glad to hear that you have had it removed today, they are always better out than in..! 
I had the same done, but unfortunately it came back as cancerous and then had to have a further cm taken off. 
 

To be fair after that, all was good and I've just spent the last 18mths having 3monthly checks with the Dermatologist and regularly checking my lymph nodes myself. 
Now I'm all clear as far as the Melanoma is concerned.
 

Simon

Hi Sophie,

Sorry it had to be removed for biopsy but it's good they could do it there and then. Keep yourself busy now to take your mind off the results. Hopefully they will come back clear.

Angie xx

Hi both,

I’ve had a letter through the post asking me to attend the clinic in person on June 4th. Do you know if this is standard practice or do they only do in-person appointments if it’s bad news? I’ve done quite well in terms of not dwelling on this but this letter has thrown me a bit. 

Thanks so much,

Soohie 

Hi Sophie,

That is probably for your results, you will probably find that the results are being done a bit quicker at the moment as not so busy and I attended in person, all appointments good or bad.

Fingers crossed for a good result..

Simon

Hi Sophie,

It's normal practice to give results face to face whether they are good or bad. This is because they like to check the surgical wound and perhaps show patients how to check their other moles. So don't panic and hopefully all will be well,

Angie

Hi both, 

Thankyou so much for your replies. 

Just a week to wait now. Do you know what to expect at the appointment?? I’m getting a bit more nervous now about the results. Do they give you your results and then that’s just kind of it, depending on if they’re positive or negative? 

Thanks so much both for all your support,

Sophie 

Hi Sophie 

I'm 28 and in a similar position to you have been called back to have my mole removed and tested. So this thread has been very helpful for me too thanks for starting it - and thanks to everyone else providing insights!

They took photos of mine on the 13th may and have been told my appointment for removal is 11th June so not very fast moving which isn't helping with my nerves.

Hope your follow up appointment goes well - let us know how you get on.

Holly xx

Hi Sophie,

What happens at the appointment will depend on what the biopsy results showed. If it was benign, they will discharge you & may show you how to check your moles in the future. If it's a dysplastic (atypical) mole (pre-cancerous) they may want to remove extra tissue from around it to ensure they have got it all. They will also check any other moles - those with dysplastic moles tend to have a lot of moles. You may also be monitored through regular check ups - usually for a year or two.

If the results shows melanoma, they will arrange for you to attend a further appointment for a Wide Local Excision - this is where they remove a wider margin around the affected area so they can be sure they have 'mopped up' any stray cancer cells. Also, dependant on the depth of the melanoma, they may offer a Sentinel Lymph Node biopsy which will be explained in full at your appointment. This is only offered if the melanoma is more than 8mm in depth & it's done at the same time as the WLE. You will also have regular check ups for between a year & 5 years (depending on the Stage which is ascertained from the depth). 

Hopefully everything will come back clear. Crossing fingers for you,

Angie

Hi everyone, 

Thankyou so much for all of your amazing support. 

The hospital phoned me today to let me know everything is benign! I am so so relieved and I don’t need to attend in person tomorrow.

Thankyou so much again for the kindness and care you’ve shown me. It has been such a help and comfort.

Take care everyone, 

Sophie xxx

Hi everyone, 

Thankyou so much for all of your amazing support. 

The hospital phoned me today to let me know everything is benign! I am so so relieved and I don’t need to attend in person tomorrow.

Thankyou so much again for the kindness and care you’ve shown me. It has been such a help and comfort.

Take care everyone, 

Sophie xxx

I'm so very happy to hear your results were benign. Take care and get your life back to normal now xx

Thankyou Angie for all of your wonderful support xxx

Hi Sophie,

My heart was in my throat as I was reading this as I am going through a similar thing right now. I am so pleased to hear it was benign you must be so relived.

My appointment with Dermatology is next Thursday and I am bricking it. My lymph node on the same side of the mole has been raised for 4 weeks now so as you can imagine my head is shot to pieces. Praying I have the same outcome as you.

xx

Hi Reyhan,

I’m so sorry to hear you are experiencing something similar. It is really hard to not let your imagination run wild. 

Yes I can imagine - I had convinced myself my swollen glands were to do with it and had begun to peace together the absolute worse scenario. It turns out they were to do with tonsillitis in the end! 

I do hope it works out okay - in the meantime try and distract yourself. I know it’s easier said then done but this process can be prolonged and it doesn’t help to worry yourself sick. There are lots of people on this thread who have been a real comfort and help to me. 

Please let us know how you get on xxx 

So pleased you got the result you were after Sophie.

Im currently going through the same situation,had a mole checked and had an urgent appointment with a dermatologist. She checked it under a Dermoscope,said nothing to worry about.

Still it's been 5 days,I've got to wait 2 weeks for my results and I'm already climbjng the walls with stress and anxiety. Google doesn't do me no good either!!!

I'm in the same boat Flyingcatfish.

Had mine removed on the 21st. I feel like waiting for the results are all I think about at the minute! x

It's the worst isn't it! Think I feel worse now than at any point I went to rhe doctor's.  Should have just left them on and forgott about them  

Hope you get your results soon. Counting down the days.

Hi Sophie, 

Thank you for sharing your story, my daughter is 9 and I have found a mole that has changed in size and colour. I sent a photo to gp who then asked us to go down a day later and now he's made a referral. Just like you I have spent days over thinking it all and in a constant battle trying to reassure myself. But I read your posts feeling just like this and am so happy to read all is benign x

Hi I'm going through same thing with my nearly 3 year old girl.. With dodgy mole on her scalp that is two different colours, not symmetrical, blurred borders. Sent pic into gp and phoned for me to come in. Took pics sent off to dermatology. They requested to see my little girl. We saw dermatologist who was look at it, then phoned another dermatologist to come look at it. Mentioned had white streaks in it? They took pics and measurements for now, but to keep on on it till next a in few months. As apparently will leave scarring. But said any changes to ring straight away. Took pic obviously when I sent to gp, took today. Definitely see big change in mole. Dark bit grown into the tan area of the mole.. So worrying. Ringing dermatologist tomorrow. Tammy xx