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“Almost Cancer” – Severely Dysplastic Nevus
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“Almost Cancer” – Severely Dysplastic Nevus

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › “Almost Cancer” – Severely Dysplastic Nevus

  • Post
    • February 9, 2017 at 11:43 pm
    bing_bang_bum
    Participant

      Hi all. Just wanted to say this site is amazing and I appreciate so much the information I've gathered from lurking. This is my first post.

      Last week I went in for a full body check, with one mole I specifically had my eye on (a dark mole on my butt, the only raised mole on my entire body although I have tons of freckles). Doctor wound up doing two shave biopsies (said butt mole, plus another on my back that was benign). He called today with the results.

      He informed me that he was glad I came in when I did because the mole on my butt was "almost/borderline melanoma." This, obviously, scared the living hell out of me so I asked him what exactly it was. It's a severe dysplastic/atypical melanocytic nevus. Upon my research, this doesn't seem like that big of a deal, and it seems it's pretty damn rare that any atypical nevus will, itself, turn into melanoma. Especially for me, since this is my only one. So I'm struggling to understand how that could translate to "almost cancer."

      A couple questions for you all:

      1. I am livid with the way he described the diagnosis to me. In my opinion, the word cancer should never have even been mentioned. Am I missing something? Is "almost cancer" even a thing?

      2. He did a pretty deep excision for a shave biopsy; I have nearly half of an inch in diameter missing from my ass, and it goes a bit below the surface. But he said that I need to come in for a deeper excision. Is that standard for my diagnosis? Or is it something I should get a second opinion on? Or wait until it heals and just watch for a resurgence of pigment?

      Thank you in advance for any help you can provide me with.

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • February 10, 2017 at 2:57 am
        jennunicorn
        Participant

          You are right to be angry with the mention of cancer when there is no cancer. That's never acceptable. You're correct that just because it's severly atypical does not mean it WILL become cancerous, there's just a slight increase in the possibility, but does not equal a for sure future diagnosis. I've had family members have multiple severly atypical moles removed, they've never had melanoma. An excision is standard of care for these lesions, plus it'll leave a nicer looking scar than a hole that shave biopsies leave. It's small margins for these types, so there wouldn't be a lot of extra skin they'd take. I would get the excision.

            • February 12, 2017 at 8:51 pm
            bing_bang_bum
            Participant

              Thank you so much for all the wisdom! I'm going in tomorrow for the excision, but it will be the last time I go to this dermatologist. Not a fan.

              • February 12, 2017 at 8:51 pm
              bing_bang_bum
              Participant

                Thank you so much for all the wisdom! I'm going in tomorrow for the excision, but it will be the last time I go to this dermatologist. Not a fan.

                • February 12, 2017 at 8:51 pm
                bing_bang_bum
                Participant

                  Thank you so much for all the wisdom! I'm going in tomorrow for the excision, but it will be the last time I go to this dermatologist. Not a fan.

                  • November 8, 2018 at 2:28 pm
                  dwilcox
                  Participant

                    I need some clarification. I had a mole shave (not punched) biopsy from my back by a dermatologist in September 2018 and her pathologist diagnosed it as a "Severe abnormal mole." I decided to go to a second dermatologist where I had it completely excised and received clear margins. Nothing alarming came back on the pathology report after the second dermatologist excised it, they just told me it was gone. The second dermatologist then had their pathologist (who only looks at skin apparently) review the initial slides of the shave biopsy and he diagnosed it as "Melanoma in situ." I'm not sure who/what to believe. It sounds like a difference of opinions with the pathologists. It doesn't change the outcome…it was completely excised, regardless, and I need to watch myself closely and do 6 month follow ups. Right? I’m just confused as to why one pathologist would call it severe abnormal mole and one would call it melanoma in situ. Is there a difference?

                  • February 10, 2017 at 2:57 am
                  jennunicorn
                  Participant

                    You are right to be angry with the mention of cancer when there is no cancer. That's never acceptable. You're correct that just because it's severly atypical does not mean it WILL become cancerous, there's just a slight increase in the possibility, but does not equal a for sure future diagnosis. I've had family members have multiple severly atypical moles removed, they've never had melanoma. An excision is standard of care for these lesions, plus it'll leave a nicer looking scar than a hole that shave biopsies leave. It's small margins for these types, so there wouldn't be a lot of extra skin they'd take. I would get the excision.

                    • February 10, 2017 at 2:57 am
                    jennunicorn
                    Participant

                      You are right to be angry with the mention of cancer when there is no cancer. That's never acceptable. You're correct that just because it's severly atypical does not mean it WILL become cancerous, there's just a slight increase in the possibility, but does not equal a for sure future diagnosis. I've had family members have multiple severly atypical moles removed, they've never had melanoma. An excision is standard of care for these lesions, plus it'll leave a nicer looking scar than a hole that shave biopsies leave. It's small margins for these types, so there wouldn't be a lot of extra skin they'd take. I would get the excision.

                      • February 10, 2017 at 4:28 am
                      Janner
                      Participant

                        Not cancer.  May never be cancer.  Not even pre-cancer because it may never change.   But the standard of care for severely atypical lesions is 5mm margins – just to be safe.  I'd do the re-excision.  It's minor surgery but great insurance in avoiding any cells left behind.

                          • February 12, 2017 at 8:52 pm
                          bing_bang_bum
                          Participant

                            Surgery is lined up for tomorrow. Excited to be done with this whole thing. 🙂

                            • February 12, 2017 at 8:52 pm
                            bing_bang_bum
                            Participant

                              Surgery is lined up for tomorrow. Excited to be done with this whole thing. 🙂

                              • February 12, 2017 at 8:52 pm
                              bing_bang_bum
                              Participant

                                Surgery is lined up for tomorrow. Excited to be done with this whole thing. 🙂

                              • February 10, 2017 at 4:28 am
                              Janner
                              Participant

                                Not cancer.  May never be cancer.  Not even pre-cancer because it may never change.   But the standard of care for severely atypical lesions is 5mm margins – just to be safe.  I'd do the re-excision.  It's minor surgery but great insurance in avoiding any cells left behind.

                                • February 10, 2017 at 4:28 am
                                Janner
                                Participant

                                  Not cancer.  May never be cancer.  Not even pre-cancer because it may never change.   But the standard of care for severely atypical lesions is 5mm margins – just to be safe.  I'd do the re-excision.  It's minor surgery but great insurance in avoiding any cells left behind.

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