› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Biopsy Question
- This topic has 9 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 4 months ago by
Tamils.
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- January 15, 2016 at 3:19 pm
Hey guys and girls, I am new to the forum and apologize but I did not know where to turn. Let me start by saying I have not been diagnosed with Melanoma. I am 35 years old in good health.
My concern is in July of last year I had my first full body scan since 2005 with a new Dermatologist. I have always had alot of moles. On my torso I have 7 that are around 4mm and about 60-100 tiny pin point sized moles. I was an idiot in my 20's… I used tanning beds during my 4 years of college and 2 years after. I sun bathed and rarely used sunscreen when outside. I would only burn the first sun after the winter so I was ignorant and did not think I needed sunscreen because I would get very dark. I regret all this now and it makes me sick. My dermatologist in July commented on my moles and said that I had several funky looking ones and I need to consider having them removed at some point. She biopsied one on my back that I never noticed and it came back very mild atypia. She called me in and explained that I have a very high risk for Melanoma because of this atypical mole and would need checkups every 6 months. I had several noticable moles on my torso and she did not comment on them at all.
Fast forward to this Dec…. I made an appointment with a new dermatologist closer to my home. I had another scan with him. He photographed a mole on my leg and said it was an inflamed nevis but wanted to watch it. He scanned all my moles and said everything looked good. He wanted to see me in 3 years,,, unless I noticed a change in the mole on my leg. I was somewhat in shock after my visit in July and asked him if I had any atypical moles. He said the only one that I noticed is the one on you stomach it looks somewhat atypical. He asked me when I noticed it and I said I remember freaking out about it in 2003. I went to a derm back then and they did nothing. He said since it has not changed since then keep an eye on it and if you notice anything please come back in. So the two differing attitudes of my dermatologist's confused me. I made a 3rd appointment which I had Yesterday.
The third derm did a body scan on me. He commented on my moles and said you know you have a good deal of moles. Keep an eye on them. He went right to the mole on my stomach and told his nurse we will get this one off. He did not ask me about the history of the mole or anything. This alarmed me and I asked him does this look like melanoma ? He reponded it does not scream melanoma but it looks different from your other moles so I want to investigate it.. So he measured it and shaved it off. It was 4mm directly above my belly button. Right now I am confused and scared about the whole situation. I did not notice ANY change in that mole since I first noticed in in 2003. I am playing the what if game at the moment and making myself sick. THe derm in July did not even pay it any attention, the second derm in Dec made a fleeting coment on it and this derm wants it off. Should I be alarmed about this ? I am worried that this has been a melanoma for along time and no one did anything .
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- January 15, 2016 at 4:32 pm
CHANGE! If it isn't changing, I don't biopsy. It's unlikely this mole is melanoma although it may be atypical. But the vast majority of atypical moles never turn into melanoma. One mildly atypical mole really doesn't seem like it would put you at high risk for melanoma, I think that doc went a little overboard. Take pictures of your moles. Watch for change. These are the moles to remove as they pose the highest risk. Outward appearances can be deceiving and no derm can know for sure just by looking. Honestly, if this mole hasn't changed than I wouldn't be worrying about it even if it has some atypia. If it were really melanoma, you would have noticed some change over time. We're any of these docs willing to take pictures? Mole mapping? That's who I'd want for my doc!
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- January 15, 2016 at 5:04 pm
Thank you Janner ! This mole was a mix of dark brown and light brown. I remember in 2003 noticing it and googling Melanoma and getting worried because of the various shades of brown. It was always the largest mole on my body at about 4mm. I noticed the mole often and never noticed any change with it. I often thought to myself I want this stupid mole off .
The first derm did not photograph anything and did not even use a magnifying scope to look at my moles. She said I was high risk for melanoma and blasted me for my stupid tanning mistakes in my 20's. This doc also wanted to freeze a spot off my nose and told me it was an actinic keratosis. When I showed the other two derms they diagnosed it as a fiborus papule. So I do not know what to think about this derm.
The second derm did the most thorough exam It was about 15 minutes and he examined all of my funny looking moles with the magnifying light, took notes on moles. He photographed the mole on my leg and measured it. That was the only mole he photographed. He said I had a slightly higher risk for melanoma because of my sun history and moles but that I should not worry. He wanted to see me every 3 years.
The third derm was the one who took the mole on my stomach off. He also took the mole on my leg off. This was the one that said the mole did not scream melanoma but looked atypical compared to the rest of my moles. He wanted to see me every year.
I have never had a family history of melanoma. My dad has started developing basal cell carcinoma's at 70 years old because he worked on a railroad for 20 years of his life, He spent 10 hours a day in the sun for 20 summers and never wore sunscreen. He does not have the tiny moles that I have though.
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- January 16, 2016 at 12:52 am
Hi Scared,
I'm also a healthy person, but with a lot of moles and a family history of melanoma. I have gone for annual checkups from a derm for the last three years. On my first visit, she took one off because it looked a little different from my others (the 'ugly duckling' theory), just like your third derm did. That one was found to be moderately atypical, but I was not told that made me at any higher risk. On the second visit, none were removed. On my third visit earlier this week, she removed a scary new very dark mole in the crease of my toe that I had never even noticed (and that hadn't been there on the last visit). Luckily that did not turn out to be cancerous either.
So from my perspective, your third and current derm seems the most reasonable, or at least, the closest to my experience. Hope that helps, and probably the mole on your stomach will turn out to be nothing. Best of luck!
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- January 16, 2016 at 12:52 am
Hi Scared,
I'm also a healthy person, but with a lot of moles and a family history of melanoma. I have gone for annual checkups from a derm for the last three years. On my first visit, she took one off because it looked a little different from my others (the 'ugly duckling' theory), just like your third derm did. That one was found to be moderately atypical, but I was not told that made me at any higher risk. On the second visit, none were removed. On my third visit earlier this week, she removed a scary new very dark mole in the crease of my toe that I had never even noticed (and that hadn't been there on the last visit). Luckily that did not turn out to be cancerous either.
So from my perspective, your third and current derm seems the most reasonable, or at least, the closest to my experience. Hope that helps, and probably the mole on your stomach will turn out to be nothing. Best of luck!
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- January 16, 2016 at 12:52 am
Hi Scared,
I'm also a healthy person, but with a lot of moles and a family history of melanoma. I have gone for annual checkups from a derm for the last three years. On my first visit, she took one off because it looked a little different from my others (the 'ugly duckling' theory), just like your third derm did. That one was found to be moderately atypical, but I was not told that made me at any higher risk. On the second visit, none were removed. On my third visit earlier this week, she removed a scary new very dark mole in the crease of my toe that I had never even noticed (and that hadn't been there on the last visit). Luckily that did not turn out to be cancerous either.
So from my perspective, your third and current derm seems the most reasonable, or at least, the closest to my experience. Hope that helps, and probably the mole on your stomach will turn out to be nothing. Best of luck!
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- January 15, 2016 at 5:04 pm
Thank you Janner ! This mole was a mix of dark brown and light brown. I remember in 2003 noticing it and googling Melanoma and getting worried because of the various shades of brown. It was always the largest mole on my body at about 4mm. I noticed the mole often and never noticed any change with it. I often thought to myself I want this stupid mole off .
The first derm did not photograph anything and did not even use a magnifying scope to look at my moles. She said I was high risk for melanoma and blasted me for my stupid tanning mistakes in my 20's. This doc also wanted to freeze a spot off my nose and told me it was an actinic keratosis. When I showed the other two derms they diagnosed it as a fiborus papule. So I do not know what to think about this derm.
The second derm did the most thorough exam It was about 15 minutes and he examined all of my funny looking moles with the magnifying light, took notes on moles. He photographed the mole on my leg and measured it. That was the only mole he photographed. He said I had a slightly higher risk for melanoma because of my sun history and moles but that I should not worry. He wanted to see me every 3 years.
The third derm was the one who took the mole on my stomach off. He also took the mole on my leg off. This was the one that said the mole did not scream melanoma but looked atypical compared to the rest of my moles. He wanted to see me every year.
I have never had a family history of melanoma. My dad has started developing basal cell carcinoma's at 70 years old because he worked on a railroad for 20 years of his life, He spent 10 hours a day in the sun for 20 summers and never wore sunscreen. He does not have the tiny moles that I have though.
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- January 15, 2016 at 5:04 pm
Thank you Janner ! This mole was a mix of dark brown and light brown. I remember in 2003 noticing it and googling Melanoma and getting worried because of the various shades of brown. It was always the largest mole on my body at about 4mm. I noticed the mole often and never noticed any change with it. I often thought to myself I want this stupid mole off .
The first derm did not photograph anything and did not even use a magnifying scope to look at my moles. She said I was high risk for melanoma and blasted me for my stupid tanning mistakes in my 20's. This doc also wanted to freeze a spot off my nose and told me it was an actinic keratosis. When I showed the other two derms they diagnosed it as a fiborus papule. So I do not know what to think about this derm.
The second derm did the most thorough exam It was about 15 minutes and he examined all of my funny looking moles with the magnifying light, took notes on moles. He photographed the mole on my leg and measured it. That was the only mole he photographed. He said I had a slightly higher risk for melanoma because of my sun history and moles but that I should not worry. He wanted to see me every 3 years.
The third derm was the one who took the mole on my stomach off. He also took the mole on my leg off. This was the one that said the mole did not scream melanoma but looked atypical compared to the rest of my moles. He wanted to see me every year.
I have never had a family history of melanoma. My dad has started developing basal cell carcinoma's at 70 years old because he worked on a railroad for 20 years of his life, He spent 10 hours a day in the sun for 20 summers and never wore sunscreen. He does not have the tiny moles that I have though.
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- January 15, 2016 at 4:32 pm
CHANGE! If it isn't changing, I don't biopsy. It's unlikely this mole is melanoma although it may be atypical. But the vast majority of atypical moles never turn into melanoma. One mildly atypical mole really doesn't seem like it would put you at high risk for melanoma, I think that doc went a little overboard. Take pictures of your moles. Watch for change. These are the moles to remove as they pose the highest risk. Outward appearances can be deceiving and no derm can know for sure just by looking. Honestly, if this mole hasn't changed than I wouldn't be worrying about it even if it has some atypia. If it were really melanoma, you would have noticed some change over time. We're any of these docs willing to take pictures? Mole mapping? That's who I'd want for my doc!
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- January 15, 2016 at 4:32 pm
CHANGE! If it isn't changing, I don't biopsy. It's unlikely this mole is melanoma although it may be atypical. But the vast majority of atypical moles never turn into melanoma. One mildly atypical mole really doesn't seem like it would put you at high risk for melanoma, I think that doc went a little overboard. Take pictures of your moles. Watch for change. These are the moles to remove as they pose the highest risk. Outward appearances can be deceiving and no derm can know for sure just by looking. Honestly, if this mole hasn't changed than I wouldn't be worrying about it even if it has some atypia. If it were really melanoma, you would have noticed some change over time. We're any of these docs willing to take pictures? Mole mapping? That's who I'd want for my doc!
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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