You are "too young" for it be cancer

Absolute nonsense re your GP. I know a couple of people who got skin cancer in their 30s. They were fine and caught it early (they were both in a medical field so were more ‘aware’ of changes).

People, especially doctor's who say that 'you're too young for it to be.....' are as bad as the ones who say something is because you are getting on in years! Also,there is the fact that cancers that used to be much more common in older people are now appearing in younger people,e.g. bowel cancer.
As an aside,I used to get absolutely sick of people saying to me when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 30 'Oh you're far too young to have arthritis'. Young children can have rheumatoid arthritis!

Did your GP take a photo to send to dermatology? If not I'd make an appointment - maybe with a different GP - and request it.

I had a birthmark on my scalp removed, when it started being a problem the GP photographed it and sent it off. Turned out it was nothing sinister but the dirt if thing that once it started causing problems would likely continue to.

We are constantly being told we are too young, too fat, and too female for various things. Don't take any notice of it and demand a second opinion.
I've never had this personally because I go armed with all the I formation, nice guidelines, diagnostic criteria for a condition I am worried about and a list of things I already tried so very rarely get dismissed but one shouldn't have to prepare for a GP appointment as if they are undergoing a police interview. Boils my blood.
I have high risk factors for skin cancer and I pay £100 a year for a full body mapping with a private mole specialist. Worth every penny.

I was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma in my early 30s. The first time I went to the GP they dismissed it and told me it was fine. I did go back again and this time the GP did agree to send a photograph of the mole to dermatology. When I then saw the dermatologist some weeks later I was told that my mole needed to be removed that day. GPs can get things wrong.
Please do go back again and ask for the referral.

Oh my goodness thankfully you made a private appointment, that’s awful. Glad you’re better now

I had a lump in my breast in my early 30s. Everything pointed to it being completely harmless, I was still referred for it to be checked on the pathway (6 weeks then), was seen, ultrasound done then biopsy.

Also had a weird mouth ulcer (as I thought) that didn't heal. Again GP referred me, turned out it was a harmless mucocele, but the GP didn't know so got it checked.

I’m an oncology nurse, there is no such thing as too young for cancer. I have looked after a baby born with cancer.

go back to the GP and ask for a different GP and tell them you want to be referred under the two week wait.

Or it’s been bounced back quickly after electronic referral. I’m curious why the change of mind, unless they are a trainee.

My son was 8 when he was diagnosed with cancer and sadly, he was often one of the older ones on the children's oncology ward.

No one is too young to have cancer. No one.

Please go back and insist on a second opinion, or go to your pharmacist/private provider.
It's all very well GPs being blasé about things like this but we are the ones that pay the consequences when they make a mistake.

Melanoma is serious but way more treatable than it used to be. But doctors need to know it's a melanoma early enough to treat it effectively. If they don't refer, how can they know?

I know there's a drive to stop GPs referring for everything and nothing but it's not hard to send a photo through to dermatology and ask for their opinion. And I do think the Skinvision app is good. It can be a bit awkward to use on the pink and red lesions but it works very well with moles.

If you were too young then children wouldn't get cancer would they.

Can you go private, some cosmetic clinics will remove and send for testing. Prices vary from independents to private hospitals like Spire.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33 and then stage 4 at 37 if something isn't right trust your instinct. X

Can you afford to get it checked out privately? I went with DH to the Mole Clinic in London for a general check of moles. I'm now awaiting early stage skin cancer surgery which I'm also paying for. Waiting times with the NHS is awful. I don't believe you're too young. A friend of mine had life threatening cancer at 18. Fortunately survived.

On reflection, someone in charge of the budget at the surgery has told her she’s making too many referrals.
Push for a referral OP.

This.

Second the suggestion of going to boots for them to do an in depth check for £40.

Ive done it. It wasn’t cancer but they were fast - I think if they have any concerns they send the images from the scope photos off to a dermatologist too.

Yes I have that app and you can scan a couple of moles for free without having to subscribe.

Your GP sounds clueless - Melanoma is one of the leading cancers in young people!! Any changing mole requires referral - I would go private or try and get another GP. I’m not sure where you are but in my area any lump or changing mole gets a urgent referral.

Hi OP, I've signed up just to respond to this. Please get a second opinion. I was diagnosed with melanoma at 32 so your GP is talking nonsense to say you are too young for it to be skin cancer. Im only okay now because my GP referred me straight away following the 2 week urgent process. I had my mole which was melanoma removed within 6 weeks of the GP visit. It was at stage 1b then.

Did the GP use a dermascope to check it and does your GP surgery have a dermatology specialist? It would be worth checking and if they do, insisting on an appointment.

I really hope for you that it is not skin cancer but, sadly, there is no such thing as "too young" for skin cancer and suspicious moles must be checked properly.

ETA: I cant believe your GP is ignoring a family history of skin cancer. Thats what made my GP say he would definitely refer even though I didn't have enough symptoms to do the 2WW referral. Around 10% of melanomas are genetic. A family history of skin cancer puts someone at much greater risk.

It horrifies me to read this. My 22yo daughter was told by her GP she was too young and not to worry. Thankfully it went the other way round and the GP called to say that after discussing it with a more senior GP, they would refer her. She saw the dermatology consultant who said she wasn't worried but would do a biopsy...we didn't hear for 4 months, almost forgot about it...and then they contacted her, on the phone.....to say it was cancer!

Unbelievable! Thankfully it was the lowest grade possible, but it still took another 4 months for them to test to make sure all had been removed during the biopsy. She was never one to go for a,tan, on the opposite and I always covered her in suncream as a child.

OP, listen to your gut feeling, go private.

If you can afford it go for a private consultation. I had a red patch on my breast that I instinctively knew wasn’t right. No lump, just a warm red patch. My gp referred me to the breast clinic, but when I still hadn’t been seen 6 weeks later I booked a consultation with a private breast cancer consultant. He told me within 5 minutes he was certain I had inflammatory breast cancer, and biopsies proved him right. I was at stage 3C already and was very lucky I could still receive curative treatment.
Trust your instincts. I hope you get on ok x

My DH had a 'dodgy mole' which GP wasn't too bothered about. He was Stage 3 Melanoma at 32, remission and then came back so Stage 4 at 44...Please don't wait. Get it checked out. Melanoma is very aggressive if it spreads it can do so very quickly.

Statistically it’s unlikely, but individually it may well be. Keep pushing OP. Second opinion, then an individual private screening if you need it.

Ask the gp to send pictures to the dermatologist or when you get an appointment send them in yourself. The Scanoma app apparently charges £27 for a dermatologist review. Skinvision is apparently £7 for one and £50 for twelve months monitoring. There are probably others.