› Forums › Pediatric & AYA Melanoma Community › Pediatric Melanoma
- This topic has 15 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 4 months ago by
Sophietx.
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- November 23, 2016 at 9:31 pm
Maybe you can give me some advice. I am from Europe but have lived in Australia, California and Florida. Both of my kids are fair skin. Especially my 13 year old son has had white hair and blue eyes. We spent big part of his life in Florida. I was just diagnosed with Melanoma in situ. My son has huge moles – more than 1 cm like 5 of them on his head. I have taken him before to pediatric dermatologist before and the doc never said anything. Also he has a large mole in his belly bottom. I am taking him back next week. What should I do? Should we have all the big moles removed? Now with my history I am really worried.
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- November 23, 2016 at 10:19 pm
At the very least, create baseline photos of these moles. Then you have a way to monitor for change. (Symmetric change related to growth is fine, assymetric change is more worrisome . Since he may still be growing, I want to make that distinction). If the moles are hard to monitor, it may be reason enough to remove. Having large moles is not any guarantee of melanoma. You having melanoma increases his risk, but risk is just that – risk, not certainty. You are still looking for change and a mole that exhibits the "ugly duckling" factor. Having multiple moles look similar is actually more reassuring than having one mole that is different. I understand the panic feeling of the newly diagnosed but the most important thing is to understand the risk and monitor closely and find a derm who will work with you and your children.
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- November 23, 2016 at 11:18 pm
Thanks. I have scheduled him to see a pediatric dermatologist and also waiting for an appointment at larger children's hospital. We have discussed a belly button mole removal before with a general surgeon. He said that its up to us but we might risk a hernia. It might be better to have this mole removed by surgical dermatologist? That's who did my WLE – surgical oncologist who only does skin surgery.
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- November 24, 2016 at 3:28 pm
I would let plastic surgeon remove as many large moles as you can. I had a mole in my belly button: dermatologists were not concerned. I decided to remove it and it turned out to be severely atypical. Plastic surgeon should do a good job with cosmetically appropriate outcome. Just my 2 cents.
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- November 24, 2016 at 5:21 pm
Thank you. I feel the same way. I have had 3 annual check ups and my dermatologist didn't say anything about my mole on my chest. Luckily I went for breast cancer monitoring. And the breast cancer surgeon didn't like the mole. I have taken both of my kids to see a dermatologist few times. I was concern since we lived in Florida and enjoyed the outdoors. I wished the doc would had told me how important sun safety is. Also I think pediatricians should stress that. I was putting sun screen but we just loved the beach a lot. I will be much smarter now.
I do want all his large moles on his head and in his belly button removed. May try to get mole mapping set up for him as well. Also my girl has had this "pink pimple" on her chin. I want this out as well.
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- November 28, 2016 at 11:29 pm
So had the app with pediatric dermatologist. He measured and took photos of all his moles and compaired them to a year ago. We are going to have a surgery to remove the mole on his belly bottom and as well one weird looking mall on his head. The rest of the moles look stable. In Feb I am taking my son for 2nd oppinion to large children hospital. I want to make sure we get 2nd opinion about all his moles.
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- November 28, 2016 at 11:29 pm
So had the app with pediatric dermatologist. He measured and took photos of all his moles and compaired them to a year ago. We are going to have a surgery to remove the mole on his belly bottom and as well one weird looking mall on his head. The rest of the moles look stable. In Feb I am taking my son for 2nd oppinion to large children hospital. I want to make sure we get 2nd opinion about all his moles.
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- November 28, 2016 at 11:29 pm
So had the app with pediatric dermatologist. He measured and took photos of all his moles and compaired them to a year ago. We are going to have a surgery to remove the mole on his belly bottom and as well one weird looking mall on his head. The rest of the moles look stable. In Feb I am taking my son for 2nd oppinion to large children hospital. I want to make sure we get 2nd opinion about all his moles.
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- November 24, 2016 at 5:21 pm
Thank you. I feel the same way. I have had 3 annual check ups and my dermatologist didn't say anything about my mole on my chest. Luckily I went for breast cancer monitoring. And the breast cancer surgeon didn't like the mole. I have taken both of my kids to see a dermatologist few times. I was concern since we lived in Florida and enjoyed the outdoors. I wished the doc would had told me how important sun safety is. Also I think pediatricians should stress that. I was putting sun screen but we just loved the beach a lot. I will be much smarter now.
I do want all his large moles on his head and in his belly button removed. May try to get mole mapping set up for him as well. Also my girl has had this "pink pimple" on her chin. I want this out as well.
-
- November 24, 2016 at 5:21 pm
Thank you. I feel the same way. I have had 3 annual check ups and my dermatologist didn't say anything about my mole on my chest. Luckily I went for breast cancer monitoring. And the breast cancer surgeon didn't like the mole. I have taken both of my kids to see a dermatologist few times. I was concern since we lived in Florida and enjoyed the outdoors. I wished the doc would had told me how important sun safety is. Also I think pediatricians should stress that. I was putting sun screen but we just loved the beach a lot. I will be much smarter now.
I do want all his large moles on his head and in his belly button removed. May try to get mole mapping set up for him as well. Also my girl has had this "pink pimple" on her chin. I want this out as well.
-
- November 24, 2016 at 3:28 pm
I would let plastic surgeon remove as many large moles as you can. I had a mole in my belly button: dermatologists were not concerned. I decided to remove it and it turned out to be severely atypical. Plastic surgeon should do a good job with cosmetically appropriate outcome. Just my 2 cents.
-
- November 24, 2016 at 3:28 pm
I would let plastic surgeon remove as many large moles as you can. I had a mole in my belly button: dermatologists were not concerned. I decided to remove it and it turned out to be severely atypical. Plastic surgeon should do a good job with cosmetically appropriate outcome. Just my 2 cents.
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- November 23, 2016 at 11:18 pm
Thanks. I have scheduled him to see a pediatric dermatologist and also waiting for an appointment at larger children's hospital. We have discussed a belly button mole removal before with a general surgeon. He said that its up to us but we might risk a hernia. It might be better to have this mole removed by surgical dermatologist? That's who did my WLE – surgical oncologist who only does skin surgery.
-
- November 23, 2016 at 11:18 pm
Thanks. I have scheduled him to see a pediatric dermatologist and also waiting for an appointment at larger children's hospital. We have discussed a belly button mole removal before with a general surgeon. He said that its up to us but we might risk a hernia. It might be better to have this mole removed by surgical dermatologist? That's who did my WLE – surgical oncologist who only does skin surgery.
-
- November 23, 2016 at 10:19 pm
At the very least, create baseline photos of these moles. Then you have a way to monitor for change. (Symmetric change related to growth is fine, assymetric change is more worrisome . Since he may still be growing, I want to make that distinction). If the moles are hard to monitor, it may be reason enough to remove. Having large moles is not any guarantee of melanoma. You having melanoma increases his risk, but risk is just that – risk, not certainty. You are still looking for change and a mole that exhibits the "ugly duckling" factor. Having multiple moles look similar is actually more reassuring than having one mole that is different. I understand the panic feeling of the newly diagnosed but the most important thing is to understand the risk and monitor closely and find a derm who will work with you and your children.
-
- November 23, 2016 at 10:19 pm
At the very least, create baseline photos of these moles. Then you have a way to monitor for change. (Symmetric change related to growth is fine, assymetric change is more worrisome . Since he may still be growing, I want to make that distinction). If the moles are hard to monitor, it may be reason enough to remove. Having large moles is not any guarantee of melanoma. You having melanoma increases his risk, but risk is just that – risk, not certainty. You are still looking for change and a mole that exhibits the "ugly duckling" factor. Having multiple moles look similar is actually more reassuring than having one mole that is different. I understand the panic feeling of the newly diagnosed but the most important thing is to understand the risk and monitor closely and find a derm who will work with you and your children.
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma, pediatric melanoma
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