› Forums › Pediatric & AYA Melanoma Community › 6 year old/Spitz nevus
- This topic has 6 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 7 months ago by Janner.
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- April 3, 2016 at 9:24 pm
My six year old had what the dermatologist suspects to be a spitz nevus removed from her left hip on Friday. I may be putting the cart ahead of the horse, but want to be cautious and proactive. From what I've read, diagnosing and differentiating between a spitz nevus and a melanoma is very difficult, which is very unsettling for me. Given that information, I have a couple of questions:
-What is the best route to getting a definitive reading on her biopsy? Getting a second dermatologic pathologist to read the slide? Is here something more concrete that I can request? Would they do a lymph node biopsy for just a suspicion given the spitz nevus?
-How do I go about getting a second opinion with a pathologist of my choice? We're in central Illinois and I don't see any pediatric melanoma specialists near me. I would like to have it sent to St. Jude or Dr. Bastian of possible.
The thought of a misdiagnosis and just letting melanoma lie in wait terrifies me. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
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- April 4, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Hi.
I'm in the UK. My son, also 6, has just had a 'suspected' spitz naevus removed from his back. We are awaiting the biopsy results but the dermatologist here told me on the phone that 'this is not cancer' at worst it will be an atypical mole.
I, like you, am concerned about misdiagnosis. But I guess I'm posting here to you because it is different in the UK. Asking for second opinions, unless you pay a great el of money privately, is difficult. And to be fair I have no reason to question the doctor who trained 8 years and has been practising for 15. I suppose I too, if the outcome is that it's not melanoma wonder about a second opinion but I then think where does that end?
Sorry that this isn't helpful but ill be interested too in the responses you get.
I do hope your initial diagnosis is correct and wanted to let you know someone else is on the same position.
S x
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- April 4, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Hi.
I'm in the UK. My son, also 6, has just had a 'suspected' spitz naevus removed from his back. We are awaiting the biopsy results but the dermatologist here told me on the phone that 'this is not cancer' at worst it will be an atypical mole.
I, like you, am concerned about misdiagnosis. But I guess I'm posting here to you because it is different in the UK. Asking for second opinions, unless you pay a great el of money privately, is difficult. And to be fair I have no reason to question the doctor who trained 8 years and has been practising for 15. I suppose I too, if the outcome is that it's not melanoma wonder about a second opinion but I then think where does that end?
Sorry that this isn't helpful but ill be interested too in the responses you get.
I do hope your initial diagnosis is correct and wanted to let you know someone else is on the same position.
S x
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- April 4, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Hi.
I'm in the UK. My son, also 6, has just had a 'suspected' spitz naevus removed from his back. We are awaiting the biopsy results but the dermatologist here told me on the phone that 'this is not cancer' at worst it will be an atypical mole.
I, like you, am concerned about misdiagnosis. But I guess I'm posting here to you because it is different in the UK. Asking for second opinions, unless you pay a great el of money privately, is difficult. And to be fair I have no reason to question the doctor who trained 8 years and has been practising for 15. I suppose I too, if the outcome is that it's not melanoma wonder about a second opinion but I then think where does that end?
Sorry that this isn't helpful but ill be interested too in the responses you get.
I do hope your initial diagnosis is correct and wanted to let you know someone else is on the same position.
S x
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Tagged: pediatric melanoma
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