Hello everyone
Firstly, having waited 7 weeks since a biopsy for results over the last few months, I have found reading this forum really helpful. Thank you to all who contribute and the support is fantastic. Even to those of us who lurk without posting. Like me... until now.
I got results of a biopsy yesterday which was an In Situ melanoma. I am thankful that I got this mole checked and already have an appointment with plastic surgeon for the WLE on 14th July.
I remain a little anxious simply because the one that was biopsied I was obviously referred for (by a locum GP who was more cautious than the regular ones at my surgery), but two others I have been concerned about for some time have not been checked. I have been to the GP with them before and told they are ok. I raised this with the consultant yesterday and was told I would have to go back through my GP to have additional fast track referrals. I have had 2 other moles biopsied up to now and neither time did anyone look more generally at my skin and, as I have 100+ moles, I find it really stressful to stay on top of it...
I was just wondering is this normal? Things I read seem to suggest that they usually check your other moles when you are referred but even sitting next to a consultant I couldn’t have some suspicious moles looked at without another referral, and after an in situ diagnosis.
It just seems a bit odd. I am left wondering if I should go straight to my GP now, as I would really like the two remaining strange ones biopsied (they look so similar to the one removed but are bigger). Or if I should, if it’s ok to, wait until after my plastic surgery appointment and discharge so I start back in the system at the beginning again. The consultant said he would write to my GP and say that they can refer without even seeing me. I’m confused!
Sorry for the long post. And thank you again to all here. Much love. Xxx
Hi and a very warm welcome to the online community
I'm glad that you've found this group helpful while waiting for your results and you're perfectly welcome to 'lurk' 
As you're probably aware an in situ melanoma is the earliest stage of melanoma and means the melanoma is only in the top layer of skin and has not started to spread down into the dermis. The link is to BAD's (British Association of Dermatologists) leaflet in case you weren't given any information.
Like you I have hundreds of moles so when I was diagnosed my consultant suggested that I took photos of my body in sections, ie upper right arm, lower left leg, etc so that I could use these to compare my body against once a month. This way I stand a chance of noticing a new mole or seeing if one has changed.
It's natural to be concerned that you may have other 'dodgy' moles but I don't think that the consultant was being deliberately unhelpful in not offering to check the ones that you are concerned about while you were in the appointment. I think it's more likely that the time allotted to your appointment was only enough for you to be given your results and treatment plan and not enough to have further checks done. I wasn't checked at that appointment either but had a body check when I went for my WLE and SLNB pre-op appointment a couple of months later.
When you see a GP he can only refer you under the two week fast track system if cancer is suspected. Basically he has to tick various boxes and if not enough are ticked he's not allowed to fast track you and you may have to wait many weeks for a referral. I think this is why your consultant has offered to write to the GP saying he's allowed to refer you directly to him. This effectively bypasses the ticking boxes exercise.
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
