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Cancer

Find advice & support if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer

Awaiting biopsy results

2 replies

Glitterworld · 21/09/2025 00:14

Hi I’m currently 1 week post biopsy, all started with finding brown/dark brown discolouration on my left big toenail in mid June by late august half the nail came away (pictures will follow) called dermatologist that was due 30th of September they said to come in to take a look because they seemed concerned they wanted to do a single 4mm punch biopsy, day of biopsy a new doctor who was doing it looked before the minor op and seemed very concerned as a lump had grown under my nail she then proceeded to tell me she was quite concerned and wanted to instead do 2 4mm biopsy’s and part nail removal as the discolouration moved to my skin abit under cuticle they said results should be within 4-6 weeks, I’m losing my mind I don’t know how to think or feel I just want to know if I have melanoma or not has anyone else ever experienced or know someone that has experience this in the pictures and turned out to be cancer or not?

Awaiting biopsy results
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Awaiting biopsy results
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Awaiting biopsy results
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Awaiting biopsy results
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Awaiting biopsy results
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mindutopia · 21/09/2025 14:00

No one can tell you from looking at photos, but it sounds like they’ve done the right thing. Subungual melanoma is something a lot of people have never heard of, and have no idea they should even be looking out for.

To give you some reassurance, I was diagnosed with nodular melanoma (stage 3c) last September, which is a particularly aggressive sort. It was a bump on my head (didn’t look like the classic sort of dodgy mole photos we all see) and then spread to a lymph node in my neck. I needed to have the original lump removed (twice, they didn’t get it all the first time) and then 63 lymph nodes removed from my neck and shoulder.

I’m a bit battered, but the surgeries and treatment have so far been successful. I have 3 months left of treatment, but am cancer free as best they can tell. I should, touch wood, go on to live a normal life with no side effects other than surgical scars with regular monitoring.

My advice would be to try to stay as positive as you can and do not google. The data on melanoma is often quite old (pre-2017) and doesn’t reflect the recent treatment advances, which are excellent. If and it’s still an if, this is what it turns out to be, it’s a bit shit, but i manageable and treatable. Do keep on top of the consultant and report any infection or changes in symptoms. I called and emailed regularly while waiting for my results as I had new symptoms appear. I basically made myself really annoying. It meant my results came back much sooner than expected and we could start moving forward with a plan.

Try to rest and look after yourself now while you wait. It’s really hard. The waiting was the hardest bit for me. Much harder than treatment has been. Melanoma Focus is a good website and MacMillan also has forums that I found helpful to read for more information.

Glitterworld · 21/09/2025 17:18

mindutopia · 21/09/2025 14:00

No one can tell you from looking at photos, but it sounds like they’ve done the right thing. Subungual melanoma is something a lot of people have never heard of, and have no idea they should even be looking out for.

To give you some reassurance, I was diagnosed with nodular melanoma (stage 3c) last September, which is a particularly aggressive sort. It was a bump on my head (didn’t look like the classic sort of dodgy mole photos we all see) and then spread to a lymph node in my neck. I needed to have the original lump removed (twice, they didn’t get it all the first time) and then 63 lymph nodes removed from my neck and shoulder.

I’m a bit battered, but the surgeries and treatment have so far been successful. I have 3 months left of treatment, but am cancer free as best they can tell. I should, touch wood, go on to live a normal life with no side effects other than surgical scars with regular monitoring.

My advice would be to try to stay as positive as you can and do not google. The data on melanoma is often quite old (pre-2017) and doesn’t reflect the recent treatment advances, which are excellent. If and it’s still an if, this is what it turns out to be, it’s a bit shit, but i manageable and treatable. Do keep on top of the consultant and report any infection or changes in symptoms. I called and emailed regularly while waiting for my results as I had new symptoms appear. I basically made myself really annoying. It meant my results came back much sooner than expected and we could start moving forward with a plan.

Try to rest and look after yourself now while you wait. It’s really hard. The waiting was the hardest bit for me. Much harder than treatment has been. Melanoma Focus is a good website and MacMillan also has forums that I found helpful to read for more information.

Edited

Thankyou I appreciate your advice and that’s amazing that your now cancer free I hope it stays that way for you, how long did it take for your biopsy results to come back

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