You are "too young" for it be cancer

I had a melanoma (in situ) at 31. Never used a sun bed, always use sun cream and my mum took great care of our skin when we were younger.

Is there another GP you could see at your practice? I would find the money to go private if not.

This is why there are specialists.
My partners experience even with specialists wasn’t amazing, had his checked at the GPs. Was given hydrocortisone which made no difference of course.

Went to derm who weren’t sure but listed to remove as it had blood vessels . The doctor on the day wasn’t even convinced but she did remove and have it tested. Ten weeks later it came back as a basal cell carcinoma.

Is there any way you could insist on reinstating the original urgent referral? Or see another GP?

I know of someone age 29, also dismissed by their GP in the UK, who happened to travel to Australia soon after, and had to visit a GP there, and as a side note, mentioned the mole. Australia has a higher incidence of skin cancer and the doctor there recognised it as such, and said person had surgery to remove it immediately over there. 29 is not too young. Discrimination like this angers me.

I would definitely have it checked by a specialist and if your doctor is refusing to refer you (would they do this if you insisted??) I would go private asap.

I HATE it when Drs say people are too young to get cancer. People of any age can get it.

Your GP has discriminated against you on the basis of age. Tell them that and that you deserve to be treated in the way they were going to treat you, before they discriminated against you. Make them give you a written explanation, if they refuse.

If the ONLY reason she's not referring you more urgently is age, then ask for a second opinion, 100%.

My friend was diagnosed with bowel cancer too late, he was blown off because he was in his 30's. He passed away after a 2 year battle with it.

I was “too young” for cancer. Once I was diagnosed, every single doctor I met grilled me about travel to the Soviet Union. They were all convinced I must have been exposed to Chernobyl. Nope, just an autoimmune disorder.

Always get a second opinion! I hope it's not cancer but it's better to be safe. Don't let one GP doubt yourself

My first melanoma looked nothing like the pictures you see. It was a pale freckle. I mentioned to the doctor that I had a family history of melanomas that presented as white and lacking in colour, and had often been missed. It was this that made her decide to remove it. My second one looked a bit more like a typical one. GPs are generally crap with skin and you should push for a referral.

I would message the surgery and ask them to document that you are unhappy that the GP has reversed the decision to refer you under the 2 ww for the reason given that 'you are too young to have cancer'. Say you want to see that in your notes on the NHS app. I am so sick of hearing about GPs dismissing (especially women) on spurious grounds. It happened to me too with near-fatal consequences.

Absolutely FUCK THAT SHIT! My dad died of skin cancer after I sent him to the GP twice about his growth. On the two occassions I have anything new appear I got an immediate better to be safe than sorry 2 week referal from my GP to derm. I would raise this with the practice manager and if need be tell them it is massively impacting your mental health. Also, as others mentioned if you can pay for a private dermo then do it.
You are definitely not too young, your doctor is a massive dick head. I was in FB groups when my dad was ill and there were plenty of young people with melanoma, mostly ignored by their docs.
In reality it is likely nothing but I would be kicking up a stink if I was you.

My best friend had a mole at 21.. went through all the red flags, GP dismissed it due to her age, it was cancer.

She went private after a 6 month battle with the GP to get a referral, and thank god she did because she managed to get through it and 15 years later I’m blessed she is still here with us.

Get a second opinion.

Ask to see a different GP. Given your family history I'd not listen to a GP who can't for sure say it's not anything sinister.

The ‘too young’ thing is ridiculous. Yes, it is less likely to be cancer at a young age but not impossible. There’s no such thing as ‘too young to have cancer’
Your GP is being unfair - I’d insist on the referral if it was me.

This sounds sadly like a money saving and queue reducing exercise.

If you can advocate for yourself then do.

Too young is a bollcoks reason.

I was BORN with a cancerous mole. She doesn't have a clue what she's talking about.

I was too young for ovarian cancer at 36 - but guess what. I wasn’t. Push for a proper check with dermatology

There is a private clinic at our local hospital that you can pay about £250 for an entire body check for suspicious moles, if it’s worrying you and you can afford it, I’d have a google for something similar near you - you’d be seen within days.

My GP is usually really good, but I went with a small pea sized breast lump, she said nothing there can’t feel anything you’re imagining it. A few days later it was a boil like a massive grape and burst in a most satisfying manner, so even the good ones make mistakes at times!

I’ve had a few classmates find out they had cancer in their mid-20s and sadly two didn’t make it to 30. I wouldn’t trust any medical professional that says someone is too young for cancer.

Even saying usually older people means there is a chance for someone younger to have it.

My husband's melanoma didn't look like melanoma to the GP or the dermatologist. Luckily they removed it "to be sure". Get a second opinion.

Edited to add the private dermatologist as we weren't willing to wait for a routine NHS appt. And because of that it was only Stage 1.

Like others have said, GPs are not experts so make sure this is checked out by a specialist whether that’s NHS or private. DH was diagnosed with skin cancer last year in his early 50s on his third visit to the GP. For the previous 13 years (!) he’d been told by GPs that it was eczema.

Thank you immensely much so for so compassionately & kindly sharing your enlightenments, & lived experiences🫂
Completely concur with everything you mentioned & you put it all so empathetically & articulately
I really hope & I'm praying that numerous souls read your wise words of wisdom & I know I for one, feel empowered & inspired by your courage to share your strength & hope with us all - Thank you again & I'm praying for your continued recovery healing & wellbeing, alongside your dear family's too🫂

I wouldn’t. My relative went to their GP who dismissed it as just “pigmentation”. I went back with them and insisted on a referral. They huffed and puffed but eventually did it and yes my relative ended up having 3 areas of full blown skin cancer removed, including the bit my relative has showed them. The other 2 were on their back, found when examined.

GP was clueless.

There are different types of skin cancer. Some are indeed more prevalent in older people. Some are faster growing than others. Melanoma is the nastiest, and there are also different types of melanoma too- some which grow faster than others. But it doesn't have to be melanoma- if she is suggest 'topical cream' I'd want to know what her suspicions are. Also, do moles disappear?.......

If you are worried, get a second opinion- and ask this next person what to look out for and what to do if you have suspicions. They need to look at the mole under a dermatoscope - which has magnification- and if they think that it's dodgy, they will ask for a biopsy. It's only after biopsy that they can tell you what it is. Under the dermatoscope, they are looking for patterns- which they can't see with the naked eye- to either confirm a suspicion or to rule out a mole. With apps like skinvision, you send in the photos, so the check would be the same as the GP check, then a visual by a specialist- but no dermatoscope. For you, I'd opt to see someone physically because it's then just a single visit to know what next steps are.