2 week referral - Mole

Hello,

 

First time posting on this...and worried sick! 

 

Today (26/10/20) I booked an appointment with my GP to look at a mole on my chest. No real reason to do this, more for peace of mind. I think it's been there for about 6 months.

 

 

When the GP looked at it he said "that's nothing to worry about" He then turned to the medical student who was also in the room and said  "we won't even use the Dermatoscope."

 

He was then talking to the student about this and said "in fact just to be sure we will use the Dermatoscope." 
 

After taking the pictures which where to be sent to the Dermatologist he showed me the photo and said "under the microscope it looks even more normal, nothing to worry about." He said he would send the photo to the dermatologist and I would only hear back if there is an issue which he said there woudnt be.  
 

Anyway, later this evening I did indeed receive a phone call from my GP saying the dermatologist had got back to him and if it is showing to be slightly assymetric so I woud be referred in the next two weeks! This was obviously a massive shock particularly considering how sure the GP was that the mole was normal! 
 

He did say on the phone that although this is a two week referral I should try not worry as it is just to be on the safe side and that his gut feeling is there is nothing sinister!  
 

Despite his positive outlook I am completely devastated! Why would I have to have a 2 week referral if nothing is wrong? 
 

Also I have seen on previous posts that people don't have the Dermatoscope procedure until this referral ...well I have already had it so what will I expect during my referral appointment? 
 

I am worried sick. It's all I can think about. 
 

Please does anybody have any experiences of this? If the Dermatoscope has already been carried out does this mean it's a foregone conclusion and not good news? 
 

Many Thanks, 

  • Hi can understand your worry but this has happened to me and it wasn't cancer. 2ww referral just means they need to exclude cancer and sometimes to do that they may also decide to do precautionary biopsy or may ask you to continue monitoring the mole and give advice on sun safety.

    Following dermatoscopy, I've had excisions which have been suspect for melanoma come back as benign (once) or dysplastic (four times). Dysplastic moles are not cancer but have a higher chance than benign moles of becoming cancerous in the future. So your GP is doing the right thing getting this checked out. 

    Wishing you well for your appointment. The 2WW letters generally say suspected skin cancer but this does not mean you have skin cancer just that they want to take a closer look to be on the safe side and in many cases (hopefully yours) reassurance will follow. Always better to get properly checked out. Good luck. Please let us know how you get on.

  • Hi Blue,

    Welcome to our forum. I am so sorry to hear about your worries. I am not a doctor, so all I can tell you is my experience with moles. I have been referred to a dermatologist on 2 different occasions. The first time the dermatologist told me that there was nothing to worry about, even though it was my lymphoedema nurse who advised me to get it investigated.

    The second time, my dermatologist was pretty sure that it was cancerous, so he referred me to a plastic surgeon. He looked at 3 different lesions, thought that 2 were suspect and biopsied these two. Fortunately, the results came back all clear. I guess what I'm saying is that there is no such thing as a foregone conclusion until you get your biopsy results.

    My plastic surgeon examined the lesions and gave me a local anaesthetic in both areas before removing some tissue to send to pathology. He then stitched up both lesions. I got the results a week later when I returned to get the stitches in my face removed. The ones in my leg were left in for 2 weeks and my practice nurse removed them. My face healed quickly, but it took a lot longer for my ankle to heal.

    I sincerely hope that nothing untoward is found when you get your referral.

    Please let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine

  • Thankyou so much for taking the time to reply...this has made me feel much better.


    The worst part at the moment is the waiting, it's driving me mad! Hopefully everything will be ok. 
     

    Thanks 

  • Thankyou so much for taking the time to reply...this has made me feel much better! 

  • Hi - yes, the waiting is awful. One of my appointments was exactly two weeks, but another (both during COVID times) was only a couple of days notice. I saw GP and then mole was out within a few days (same day I had the appointment). Good luck with it all.

    Try and keep yourself busy. Best not dwell on things hard though that is.

    I always think the process should get easier as I've been through through it multiple times now... But I struggle with the waiting both for appointment and then, if excision gets done, results.

  • Thanks. 
     

    I rang the GP back this morning as although he asked me yesterday evening if I had any questions I was still in shock and hadn't fully processed everything.

     

    He told me my primary diagnosis is a dysplastic nevus as it showed slight asymmetry and I was being referred to rule out anything more sinister. He seemed very positive it would be fine. Fingers crossed. 

  • Hi - that's helpful for you to know.

    Always best to get these things checked out.

  • Hi Blue,

    We all dread the waiting both for an appointment and then again for the results of any tests carried out. It sounds as if your GP is pretty confident that all is ok, so fingers crossed that he is right.

    Don't let the two week referral bother you. This is normal with anything that might be cancerous, as they don't want to risk any spread.
    Kind regards,

    Jolamine

  • Thank you for replying....really appreciate it.


    I have my appointment next Friday ....as they have already done a Dermoscopy what will they do during this appointment? 
     

    I am really worried as the GP has already carried out the Dermascopy and although he said it looks absolutely fine the dermatologist has come back and said otherwise? This is why I cannot get it out my head that this is a foregone conclusion!

     

    Has anyone else had any experience ...or seen on these forums someone getting referred after the dermoscopy and then it being nothing?? 
     

     

     

     
     

     

  • I had a phone appointment with gp yesterday 4/11/2020 sent multiple photos of large mole on my leg.  She said she didn't want to frighten me but thinks its likely melanoma.  She has put in urgent referral and I should be seen within 2 weeks.  From what I've read a result from a biopsy would take another 2 weeks or more.  This call was at 2pm and my older children were home from school at 3.30 so managed to pull myself together from being .. hysterical?  Felt like a death sentence (I know its not)

     

    I noticed a change in this mole quite a while ago but dismissed it as just getting older and having dry skin.  Its on the inside/back of thigh so I don't look at it often.  My legs haven't seen the light of day for 10/15 years (another reason i dismissed it)

    Looked through old phone photos last night knowing I've photographed it before (its quite hard to see and eyesight is terrible)

    The photos were nov 2017 what have I done 

    I'm lost /in a bubble swinging from dispare to feeling like its not really happening.  Terrified I've ignored it for too long and it will be serious 

     

    Sorry for the long post

    Laura x