Urgent cancer referral for a mole - experiences

[LadyHalesBroach]

I went to my GP on 14th (my birthday, as it happened) to ask her about a curious brown lump on my shoulder that had tripled in size, gone a bit crusty and reddish. I’m 9 months pregnant so put it down to that.

She referred me to the skin cancer clinic at my local hospital. Within two days I’d had a call to book in, and I am seeing them on Friday - Xmas Eve.

In a cruel twist of fate, that also happens to be my due date.

Anyone been through something similar and it turned out ok? Or through something similar and… it wasn’t ok but wasn’t that bad?

The tight rope between Christmas and Omicron is nothing compared to Christmas, Omicron, labour and now a skin cancer scare. It’s literally the most FML situation I’ve ever been in. If I can get through Xmas without a baby, covid or, ya know, skin cancer … I’ll be very grateful.

I refer a lot of patients with suspicious skin lesions to dermatology under the 2 week wait rule. Many of them are benign and reassuring, sometimes they still want to remove it or take a biopsy just to be sure. Of those that aren’t, the patients are in the system and things tend to move quickly.

As a side note, I’m pregnant too and have noticed all my moles getting bigger and more prominent so may equally be due to hormones.

Not great timing for your appointment but at least you will have more to go on by Christmas, and you’ll make the clinics year if you go into labour while you are there!

Hope it goes well.

I had a new mole that I noticed a weeks post partum with DC4. It was on my toe and irregular with black irregular speckles in it.

It was benign, completely fine.

Keep that chin up misses. Every chance this is nothing, you will not get covid and baby will come day after boxing day after an easy and quick birth. And you will be so proud of yourself! That's some shit to get through but once on the other side, you will see what a strong person you are.

My BiL has had repeated mole scares-actually cancer but removed every time and all ok.
More likely in your case that the whole hormone frenzy has sent an otherwise friendly mole completely haywire?

I had this a few months ago. except it was two moles. I was seen by a dermatologist within 10 days and they offered me an appointment for removal for 5 days later (I couldn't do it though as too short notice and had no childcare).

Both the moles were completely benign.

They take this stuff seriously and move quickly because for the very few moles that ARE cancerous, they are also very very treatable if caught and dealt with quickly. Most likely, you are fine and they'll suggest removing it (possibly after baby is born) and then they'll find it's fine. In the unlikely event that it's NOT fine, I believe they then do a deeper incision to remove more of the surrounding tissue - which is often the key to successful treatment.

So I understand why you feel stressed but deep breathes, they are handling it brilliantly and all the statistics say that even in worst case scenario (which is unlikely) you're still likely to be okay.

You poor thing, that's a lot to cope with all at once.

I had a mole removed in the summer, the time line was fast. The process went like this:
1 initial appointment with dermatology. Had all my moles looked at. They confirmed the suspicious looking one was looking suspicious and arranged for an operation.
2 operation was within a couple of weeks - I got a cancellation spot so faster than expected. Surgeon removed mole with 1-2 mm margin and it was sent for examination.
3 results and chat with nurse. Checked my vitamin d levels. Results meant back for another operation to remove wider margin.
4 second op - got delayed a little,maybe a week? Was still fast.
5 second appointment with nurses, discharged with no further action required.

Whole thing took 3 to 4 months from first gp appointment ( forgot to mention that in steps above!) to discharge. All operations done under local. The larger the wound the longer the healing, and depends on location how inconvenient it is - not too bad overall, didn't need painkillers after first day and even then it was paracetamol only.

You'll need childcare during the operation, I was at clinic for 2-3 hours each time in total. You might want it for any appointments after the baby is born so you get the headspace to concentrate on that.

As a pp said, it is likely to be benign and need no follow up. I'd like mine you do need follow up, the outcomes are still very good - concentrate on the baby and ignoring COVID rather than this. Look after yourself.

I’ve had 5 referred like this, 4 were malignant melanoma, 2 times they got all the melanoma out with the mole. The other 2 times they had to do a wider excision to get all the melanoma and a clear margin. All is good now.
Try not to worry you are in good hands.