Can grading change after WLE?

Hi MazBe and a very warm welcome to the group which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

When I had my WLE 8 years ago it was also described by my SCNS as a "belt and braces approach" and I must admit that it never crossed my mind that my stage might change. However, I was also having a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and knew that my staging could change if cancer cells were found in that biopsy.

I can't recall anyone in the group coming on to say that their staging had changed after having just a WLE but I have found this report in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology which looked at 1332 WLE's and found that only 52, or 3.9%, had their staging changed after a WLE. It looked at people whose staging was between in situ and pT4. 

Although It's natural to worry I would think that statistically speaking your chance of being upstaged is very low.

Thank you - that’s reassuring 

Hi MazBe, I just wanted to wish you well with your WLE. I have been diagnosed the same pt1a and due my surgery 12th May. 
Mine is on my shoulder/back and am worried I’ll need a graft as the mole excision was hard to close. 
Also really anxious about all the uncertainty.

Try not to worry, ov been there , had all the same emotions xx no it's easy said than done, I ate mc ds all week. And put a but weight on, then they don't need to xxx so they can pull it together xxxx that's what I did xxxx don't worry thou , these Dr's r pros xxx

Hi, the worry and anxiety is hard to deal with isn’t it? Hopefully you won’t need a graft - I’m guessing that would be under general anaesthetic rather than a local which is how they’ve said they will do the WLE. How big a margin are they doing? Mine is 1cm so am expecting a fairly big scar. Wishing you all the best.