Blobby has given you really good advice. 75% of patients referred to dermatology get a clean bill of health because GP's and dermatologists err on the side of caution when dealing with dodgy looking moles. No one can tell if it's dodgy with the naked eye - the dermascope shows up any unusual cell changes and then a biopsy gives a 100% decision of benign, cancerous or dysplastic. As blobby says, having it monitored will mean that you have caught it early, if turns out to be melanoma. Early stage melanoma patients have a 95% chance of having no further problems so try not to focus on worse case scenarios. I hope you, blobby89 and Sarahg75 all get your results back very soon and that they bring you all good news. Please let us know how you all get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)

Blobby has given you really good advice. 75% of patients referred to dermatology get a clean bill of health because GP's and dermatologists err on the side of caution when dealing with dodgy looking moles. No one can tell if it's dodgy with the naked eye - the dermascope shows up any unusual cell changes and then a biopsy gives a 100% decision of benign, cancerous or dysplastic. As blobby says, having it monitored will mean that you have caught it early, if turns out to be melanoma. Early stage melanoma patients have a 95% chance of having no further problems so try not to focus on worse case scenarios. I hope you, blobby89 and Sarahg75 all get your results back very soon and that they bring you all good news. Please let us know how you all get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)

Thank you all for your replies. 
 

I think it's just the waiting that's the worst part. I do suffer anxiety (funnily enough started by this lesion 8 years ago!) All I ever wanted was it to be removed but now I'm scared about it. I have contacted my GP today to see if I can get something to help me calm a bit etc so hooefully they will come back to me soon. 
 

I keep thinking about what the dermatologist said and wondering what she meant by it all. Of course I won't know and she wouldn't be able to tell me anyway! It will be her removing it on Friday. 
 

thank you again and will keep updated. 
 

sarahg75 and blobby89 I do hope you hear back soon and all is well with you both. Fingers crossed and take care. 
 

AngieT thank you so much also for your reply. It has all helped me put a little perspective on things. I really appreciate your responses x

Hi all

Well I had my biopsy on Friday and now have a massive wound on the side of my head (open no stitches). It hasn't been too bad to deal with though. The specialist felt my lymph nodes at the same time and said they felt good but then again I'm sure they won't say anything different. She wasn't the easiest of people to get on with (the same lady as I originally saw).
 

just got to wait for the results now. Funnily I had been calm up until today about it all after the initial shock of having to have it removed. I had my dressing changed today and had a bit of a meltdown in the waiting room with all the cancer posters to keep me occupied! 
 

Hopefully if it is Melanoma they have got it all out or it hasn't gone too deep. One step done (the original removal) now onto the next. Gotta try and see some positive in it all as my little girls know something is upsetting me. X

Hi Saz,

Glad to hear your biopsy hasn't been too bad, hope you are coping ok with the wait for results. That is the worst bit! I had good days and bad days but it definitely helped me to avoid googling and telling myself it would be early stage and I'd be ok. 

Fortunately that turned out to be the case! A lot of worrying for nothing. Had my results appointment on Thursday and it was a melanoma in situ. Not as good a result as it being benign obviously but extremely relieved that I caught it early and it wasn't any deeper, especially when I had a worry about this mole 3 years ago but GP told me it was fine! They removed it all in the biopsy so I don't need any more surgery or follow up :)

I really hope that you also get good news, chances are you will do. Do let us know how you get on x

Hey

that's fantastic news! I'm so happy for you. At least now it is done and you can finally relax. I know what you mean about the GP not doing anything about it. This is still my main worry that because he wouldn't do anything it's got way worse than it should have. 
 

I have up and down days but the relief to have it off has helped. I've got two little kiddies so they keep me busy especially now it's the weekend! 
 

Im back up the hospital on Monday for a dressing change. That's the worst part for me being back up there and recalling the info from the dermatologist. 
 

Will keep you updated. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I really do hope I get some good news like you. x

Hi,

So glad to hear that it's an in-situ which is the best of a bad bunch! Take care & now you know what to look out for with any other moles you may have or get in the future.

Angie x

Hi,

I hope your dressing appointment went well and that you aren't waiting too much longer for your results.

Angie x

Hi Angie

The dressing changes are going well and the nurse says it's healing nicely.

Its the waiting that's the worst. It's only been two weeks so I know I will probably have a long wait as yet. I didn't ask at the time of excision how I would get my results is asked the nurse in clinic. She said they would phone if it's bad and need me in or send a letter if it's ok. Now I have a complete meltdown when the postman doesn't bring me anything I know the waiting will be over soon though so just hanging on in there. 
 

I hope you are doing well x

Thank you Angie. Absolutely it's a huge relief to have caught it when in situ and I will definitely be more vigilant in checking my skin from now on. Lost my dad to melanoma only 3 years ago so of course I was fearing the worst. Sadly he was diagnosed after finding a lump and doctors never found a primary tumour so I guess he was an unusual case. Though if it wasn't for my dad being diagnosed I'd probably never even have noticed this mole until much later. I knew nothing about melanoma or the warning signs and never checked my moles as I'm not a particularly moley person. So I feel very lucky that I knew to get it checked!

May I ask you about margins for an in situ melanoma? I had thought I would still need a WLE even for in situ but was told at my results appointment it was completely removed and I don't need any more surgery. They took a 5mm margin in the biopsy. Is that the standard margin? I was a bit overwhelmed at the time to ask more! Off to get my vitamin D levels tested today x

I'm sorry to hear you lost your dad, especially to this disease. The good thing, as you say, is that you noticed the mole before it got any worse.

Normally a Wide Local Excision takes another 1cm for every 1mm of thickness (so a 2mm depth melanoma would have a 2mm margin. Added to the margin taken at the initial excision, it could mean anything from 5mm or bigger eliptical excision). A WLE for a melanoma in-situ is always 5mm so, as your initial excison was already 5mm, they are confident they removed a large enough margin first time around. So yes, it's a standard margin for an in-situ. I hope this helps and I'm glad you are having your Vitamin D levels tested as it's very important that melanoma patients have a higher level than the general public. 

Angie x

Hi,

It's good to hear you are healing well. I know the wait can be crippling, especially now you are worried every time the postman calls. As we say in the 'melanoma trade', we pull up our 'big girl' pants and grit our teeth because we have no other option. Keep busy and hopefully you won't be waiting too much longer.

Angie x