Worried

Hi Buddie.

You've been told straight, and that's a shock for you. My dermatologist said "looks like skin cancer" to me and then wrote "melanoma" on the paper I had to give to the photographer and then fitted me in super fast for the excision biopsy and I panicked and spent the time between then and official diagnosis researching on Dr Google and just traumatising myself. 

It is normal to have the further operation (wide local excision) - pretty much everyone has this and it is how they make sure the melanoma has been removed with a clear margin of skin without cancer in it. It reduces the chance of the melanoma coming back. Some people have a sentinel lymph node biopsy, where (in basic terms) the nearest lymph node to the melanoma is removed for testing to see if the melanoma cells have spread there, and then you can get treatment straight away if it has.

As my surgeon told me in the meeting we had before my wide local excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy, there are excellent treatments for melanoma now that have literally only been made available to everyone (i.e. not just in trials) in the last few years. I read an article that says soon melanoma will be like HIV and therapies will be so good that nobody will die with it. I believe there is even a vaccine in development.

The full body checks and lymph node checks from the dermatologist are to look at your other moles and to feel your lymph nodes and to make sure the melanoma doesn't come back. This is similar to lots of other cancers - you have regular checks to make sure you're still ok. I find it reassuring that an expert will be checking in with me every three months.

This is a horrible time for you, but know that this community is here and you are not alone,

Best wishes,

Kate

Hi Buddie21,

Sorry you have to go through this, it must a big shock. It was for me too when I was told its melanoma, I remember that feeling very well.

As Kate explained in detail, what you mentioned (skin checks, WLE and lymph node biopsy etc) are all normal procedures for melanoma, so nothing to be alarmed or suggesting it's "really bad" .

I think its a great plus that they are removing it immediately and gave you a date for results. I had mine removed then and there on my first 2week referral appointment and it turned out to be stage 1 melanoma(you can see my profile). So, again it does not mean they think its the worst, just shows that hospital is organised and have means, which is again a good thing.

Also, there are many advanced treatments available nowadays. I had a very positive experience during my treatment, so hope will be the same for you. 

Thanks Kate. Your reply is really useful. I'm sat at home on the sofa with a sore next feeling sorry for myself. The Dr was super nice and said she will be seeing me 29th with my results and to bring my husband. She said she has stirched it up nicely so hopefully the scar won't be too bad. I think the last 24 hours have just been a bit of a whirlwind where I wasn't prepared to be told its highly likely I have melanoma

Xx

Thanks Elmyra I have read your profile which has helped. I suppose now its a bit of a waiting game for the results and to see what's needed next. The WLE and SLNB sound scary. Is the WLE where they just remove more around where you have had the mole excised? Sorry for the daft questions x

Yes, WLE is exactly that - wide local excision - removal of further tissue around the mole after first biopsy, that tissue also goes for  biopsy to see if there are any cells in the margins.

It does sound scary but they are very commonly practiced procedures, so quite straightforward for surgeons, if it makes sense.

No question is daft, we've all been there, keep posting&asking please. 

So I'm 11 days post mole being removed.and 2 weeks 2 days left till my results appointment! She gave me the date for my results the day I originally saw her but looking at others posts times vary from place to place so I'm hoping they will be back by this date as I'm desperately counting down. Stitches are out and I think it's healing well but my anxiety is through the roof. I know this mole appeared in January and it looked a bit moody then but it had definitely changed over the time between then and removal. I'm just so annoyed with myself and cannot get the Doctors words of 'she's sure it's melanoma' out of my head. I'm just stressing and thought Id vent on my post! I just want the results xx

Buddie21, you will find the waiting time a very common complaint on here. The pandemic has worsened this in some areas more than others.  The need to know results is part of how we cope and prepare ourselves.  It's the "what if" factor. Once we know that answer we can then start processing the next stage but you are not there yet.

Not knowing if you have a malignant mole or just a weird looking benign one is agonising. There are others on here who had suspicious moles removed too and they ended up being benign (not cancerous) so please don't go onto Google at all just yet. You will scare yourself silly and you don't need that stress.  I guess that 2weeks and 2 days takes you to the 29th I think.  Christmas is not the same if you're waiting on results like this.  I hope you've got good family and friend support who can try and make Christmas close to normal for you. I've got my first set of check scans on the 20th with no results til the new year!  Try as many distraction therapies as you can, go for long walks to tire yourself out, anything to stop the brain from working overtime if you can, plus visit here as much as you want to and vent. Take care x

Thank you Allotment Lover your reply is very appreciated. Yes 29th is my results. The wait is agonising. I feel like I'm being dramatic but keep worrying about the worst case scenario and the fact the mole first appeared in January. Why on earth I waited so long  work are piling extra work on me and I just don't have the headspace at all x

Hi Buddie21,  is there a way to let work know what you're going through so they can lighten your be load?

It's natural to think of worst case scenario. I had my mole ignored by my local health centre for over a year before it finally ulcerated and I was taken seriously. Stage3c so my WLE and SNLB in July was not brilliant news. But back in march after the initial mole removal I was planning my funeral and songs for the service and the wake!

You've not been diagnosed as yet and even then the WLE, and if they do it, the SNLB will give you the staging score.  I won't say don't worry because we all do.  I really hope you can relax a little over Christmas and enjoy being with friends and family.  Headspace is certainly hard to find at this point, I cried a lot the first week after the mole was removed too. On a brighter note I have in the time since very sensibly chosen two songs for the service- my 21 yr old daughter said I should do that anyway even if I die of natural old age as she can't chose songs for me! ("Somewhere" from West Side Story- my favourite musical and also "She"sung by the wonderful Elvis Costello

I'm more hopeful than ever before after reading all these amazing people's stories on here and the incredible results from these new immunotherapy drugs.

So I don't feel it's a death sentence at all nowadays so please don't panic hon.  Deep breath, glass of wine, do let work know so they can support you and also celebrate with you if the results are negative. Thinking of you, it's such a hard time. Hugs xx

This has been the longest wait since I had this mole removed on 2nd December. Results tomorrow and I feel unbelievably anxious  I know the dermatologist seemed pretty sure it was Melanoma but I just can't wait to get this appointment over and see what's what x