Hi all
I posted in melanoma forum but haven’t had much response. I would be so grateful for any experience & insight!
Gp referral for suspicious lesion, 2WW. Invited for AI photos, dermatology outcome ‘clinical diagnosis of high grade skin cancer MM’ refers to plastic due to size. I haven’t heard anything further other than a follow up appt with a nurse weds. From what I’ve read online it suggests that this ‘clinical diagnosis’ stops the time limit as I’ve been given a diagnosis. But no one has actually told me this, I’ve found it out from the nhs app paperwork. Feeling quite anxious and out on a limb
Hi Penny2025
I assume that the 2WW you mention is the old 2 week wait standard of being seeing seen within 2 weeks of being referred by your GP. This was replaced in October 2023 in England by the Faster Diagnosis Standard which aims that anyone who is referred will find out within 28 days whether they have cancer or not.
At the moment you have only had photos taken of your suspicious lesion and the next step is to have it removed by a plastic surgeon, so you're still in that initial 28 days. I would assume that your appointment on Wednesday with a nurse is to discuss the removal of the lesion. This will then be sent off to be examined by a pathology laboratory to see if it is melanoma or not.
When you meet the nurse next week, ask her/him how quickly results are currently taking in your area of the country and also how you'll receive them. Some hospitals, like mine, make a face-to-face appointment no matter whether the results are positive or negative for cancer, whereas others will phone or write to you. Most people in the melanoma group get their results back around the 4 week mark but it can be as quick as 2 weeks or as long as 8. My first biopsy, 9 years ago, took 6 weeks but my second, 4 years ago, was back in 4 weeks.
I'm sorry you only got the one reply to your question in the melanoma group but I assume that Ederma AI assessment is something new as, having searched the group, yours is the only post which mentions it. However, we've all had excision biopsies so there's lots of people who'll be happy to answer any questions you have about that, me included.
I hope your appointment goes well on Wednesday. Let us know how you get on
Anne
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
