Dermatologist apt - do they have to remove mole to see if it’s cancerous?

[okydokethen]

My teen DD has an urgent hospital dermatology appointment for a mole. I was fortunate to spot it only because she had a rash and I was taking a photo for GP. I’m grateful they are seeing her straight away but I wasn’t sure what will happen? She will benefit from a little prep/info from me or she’ll be anxious and it’s in an awkward position so she can’t actually see it herself -I’m assuming they’ll just look at it? Any experience?

Usually the first appointment is just to look at it. They might take photos. They will call you back if they want it removing.

They usually look at it with a dermascope first - a sort of magnifying glass with inbuilt light and ruler. With this, they can check for any characteristics of the mole that might be concerning (eg irregular border).

If there are suspicious features, the dermatologist may decide to just monitor the mole for changes. A detailed photo would be taken via the dermascope and your DD would be asked to return in two or three months so the mole's size and appearance can be compared to the photo and any changes noted.

Alternatively, the mole could be removed - this is usually a straightforward procedure done u der local anaesthetic and stitches are removed a couple of weeks later. The mole is sent off to the pathology department for analysis.

Should any sign of cancer be found, your DD would be recalled and a larger "margin" of tissue from around where the mole had been, would be removed. There might also be examination of nearby lymph nodes and further treatment if required.

My husband has just gone through this. Went to dermatologist at the GP who gave urgent referral. Hospital then saw him 2 years later and just looked at mole, and then he was booked a couple of weeks later for it to be removed. We're in the end of the 2-8 week period waiting for results

This is really helpful, thanks all!
@whoisit1234hope all goes well

All the posts were helpful today, we went in feeling prepared. Mole is being removed and checked.

Would there be any benefit in going privately to quicken the process? I’m worrying a bit tonight. Could I ask GP for advice?

If you're on the urgent suspected cancer pathway it should be removed quickly.
I only waited a couple of weeks from 1st appointment to removal, and my appointment was on a sunday morning!

I doubt there'd be any benefit to going private.

I see a dermatologist privately every year.
In 2020 she was concerned about changes to a mole on my leg. 7 days later she removed it in her consulting room rather than in hospital as would have been the norm pre COVID.
7 days after that she called me to say it was fine - it was an atypical mole that had become inflamed.

@EvilBeakerthank you I think you’re right and they will see her quite soon anyway. I’ll wait, so far the NHS response has been very quick.

Stick with the NHS. A week or two difference in the wait to have it removed will not matter really, but continuity of care will if it needs treatment.

I have stage 3 melanoma (spread to a lymph node) and the time between the initial appointment and removal was 2.5 weeks. They didn’t think it was melanoma at that stage, so it wasn’t particularly rushed.

When they did know it was serious and needed further treatment, there was no delay in referral because the teams already worked closely together and everything happened very quickly.

Good luck! If it’s any reassurance, I have cancer now, but I had 3 moles removed in my early 20s that were worrying looking but not cancerous.

@mindutopiathanks so much, I’m sorry you are unwell and I hope your treatment goes well. I think you are right and I will (anxiously) wait and see. We’ve had a good experience so far with NHS care and I need to trust the wait is safe for DD.