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 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 Sophie, 

I just wanted to write under your forum for some advice myself. I have literally went through almost the same as yourself back in April. I had a mole on my right breast which I noticed changes and my GP red flagged it to the dermatologist at my local hospital and I was seen within 2weeks. They checked the mole and others on my body using a hand held microscope device and she said she didn't think it was anything to worry about but would like to do a biopsy just to make sure. I had my biopsy done on the 4th May 2020.. the only difference is I was told I would have to wait 12weeks on my results due to covid 19 and it's only been 4 weeks since and my nerves are shattered waiting.. I noticed you got a response sooner. I live in n.ireland and wondered if it's different wait times depending on where you live? 
 

I really hope you have a positive outcome x 

Hi Lauren, 

I am sorry to hear you are experiencing this. 

I live in the South East of England. To me the services didn’t seem at all affected by COVID other then having the results over the phone. I was seen within  week and had the mole removed on the same day as the appointment. I found out today after 3 weeks of waiting that my results were benign thankfully. My consultant said it wasn’t the same as a biopsy as they removed the whole mole but they did test it. 

I am surprised the wait is 3 months - did you have the biopsy on the same day as your appointment?

Good luck - there will be people on this thread who definitely know more about this then I do. This forum had been such a great help xxx

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

Hi Lauren,

I'm really sorry that you are going through all this and the wait for results are taking so long.

I know several melanoma patients in Northern Ireland and sadly the waiting times are very long. This is due to the Health Service being impacted by problems within the Government. 

I really hope you aren't left waiting that long and that the situation improves within your health service.

Angie (melanoma patient)

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 

Hi Sophie, 

i am so happy for you after reading all your previous posts I can imagine how nervous you were feeling.. I just hope I have the same outcome :( 

No I went for my referral and they told me I would get a letter to have the mole removed but due to covid 19 I could be waiting up to 9months... then two days later I had a call from the hospital asking if I could be down within the hour to have it removed. Then they told me I will have to wait 12 weeks for the results. I assume our health service here in N.ireland isn't doing aswell as yours in England. Many thanks for your well wishes and help. I will keep use informed once I know x 

Hi Sophie, 

i am so happy for you after reading all your previous posts I can imagine how nervous you were feeling.. I just hope I have the same outcome :( 

No I went for my referral and they told me I would get a letter to have the mole removed but due to covid 19 I could be waiting up to 9months... then two days later I had a call from the hospital asking if I could be down within the hour to have it removed. Then they told me I will have to wait 12 weeks for the results. I assume our health service here in N.ireland isn't doing aswell as yours in England. Many thanks for your well wishes and help. I will keep use informed once I know x