Likelihood of melanoma

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i had an excision on my back just over 2 weeks ago and the anxiety of waiting for the results is absolute torture. I know from reading other people’s stories that I’m not likely to get the results at least for another couple of weeks.

i have quite a few cherry angiomas which are not concerning. I had two fairly large ones on my back, one of which has now been removed. It appeared to start as a cherry angioma but I think I caught it and noticed blood on my bra. It got bigger and a little bit crusty but then appeared to shrink a bit and went back smooth. The fern said it could be a traumatised angioma or melanoma.

has anyone else experienced this with angiomas? I’m trying to reassure myself that I’m not high risk for skin cancer - I’m medium type skin, tan easily, don’t have lots of moles or freckles and haven’t had any bad sun burn episodes.

does the length of time a biopsy takes to come back bear any signs of whether it’s good or bad results?

when I had the excision I was slightly relieved when the surgeon said out loud “looks like angioma” but now I’m waiting for the results my mind is in overdrive

Kirstine - Macmillan over 1 year ago

Dear Stitch87,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the Macmillan Cancer Support online community. We hope you find this a warm and welcoming place to ask questions and seek support. I’m Kirstine, one of the information nurses here.

I’m sorry to hear you are worried by a possible angioma and understand that it is a worrying time when you are waiting for test results to come back and hopefully reassure you that this is not troublesome. It is not unusual for growths like moles or angiomas to bleed or become crusty, especially if they are rubbed or bumped frequently as can be the case if it is close to your bra line.

The length of time it takes for a biopsy to come back is only related to local capacity and work pressures and does not have a bearing on the results that will be returned.

It’s a horrible feeling when anxiety takes over. It can be very common, but also quite debilitating if it steals your capacity to enjoy your day to day. NHS Every Mind Matters, and also Mind, have some great information and tips on how to cope with worrying thoughts and look after yourself in anxious moments.

It is of course always sensible to monitor your skin and nails for changes regularly, and report these to your GP if you are concerned, and to practice good sun safety to reduce risk of developing a skin cancer. For future, you may be interested to read that high street store Boots offer a Mole Scanning Service but it’s advisable to check the eligibility criteria and restrictions before booking.

I hope this is helpful.

Wishing you the best with your results,

Kirstine – Macmillan

Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. Ref KDf/ KS

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Likelihood of melanoma