› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Chances of melanoma? Kinda confused and a little scared…Janner? Anyone?
- This topic has 4 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 8 months ago by
violet33.
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- October 14, 2017 at 4:41 am
Hi everyone. I've read a lot of posts last year when I had my first atypical mole biopsied, but this is my first post. I'm 30 years old and went for a full skin check for the first time last year since I had had my second baby and wanted to make sure some of my moles looked ok. When I went for that visit my derm biopsied one mole and it came back mildly atypical.
Had my yearly check earlier this year and we biopsied two…one was mildly atypical and the other was moderately atypical, which I went back and had completely removed with clear margins. I asked my derm at that appointment how much higher are my chances of melanoma since I have atypical moles, and he said the general population is about 2.5% chance, and I'd be at about 7% chance.
Fast forward to two weeks ago, I went in to see him because I couldn't tell if one of my moles had changed or not (it was pretty dark, but I couldn't remember if it had always been that way or not) so to be on the safe side we biopsied it along with 5 others (I asked him to because I just wanted to stop thinking about whether or not they were "bad"). My darker one came back moderately atypical (which I will do WLE in a couple weeks), 4 came back mildly atypical, and 1 came back just a normal compound nevus.
I do have lots of moles…none of the ones I've had biopsied have looked crazy different or anything like that, just a little off from all my others. I only really just started paying really close attention to my moles last year, so I couldn't tell you how long I've had all the atypical ones or if they are new or not.
I don't believe I fall in the DNS category, but I thought I might ask my derm next time I see him. No family history of melanoma either.
So that brings me up to 6 mildly atypical and 2 moderately atypical biopsies…I know I also have some other moles on my body that would be considered atypical, but my derm says we can let them be unless they start to change (I'm assuming because they are probably mild?). My question/concern is: am I at a really high risk for melanoma now that I have 2 moderately atypical moles and lots of mildly atypical ones?
I know not everyone who has atypical moles will go on to get melanoma…but I find myself worrying about it all the time because of my two small kids…the worry of the worst case scenario of getting melanoma and not surviving it and leaving my kids without a mother 🙁 .
Sorry this was so long…
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- October 14, 2017 at 5:25 am
Take comfort in the fact that you're doing everything right with frequent visits to your dermatologist and regular body scans. Now that they know you're an atypical mole producer they will be equally as hypervigilent with you as you are with yourself. I know it is hard – and it takes time to overcome – but excessive worrying is the worst thing you can do for both your mental and physical health. I, and many others here, have been there (I'm batting 2 melanomas/3 biopsies myself). Do what you can: wear a hat, cover yourself when outside, wear sunscreen. But most of all, enjoy life and your two little ones!
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- October 14, 2017 at 8:08 pm
Thank you for taking the time to read all that and respond 🙂 Some days are worse than others in terms of how much I think about it all…but it's just so hard sometimes! And I don't even have a melanoma – but that fear! You are definitely right though, not good for overall health to worry so much. I will do my best to enjoy my life and kids and just keep up with my skin checks and try to be on top of things… I hope everything turns out well for you and I'll keep you in my prayers!
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- October 15, 2017 at 5:21 pm
I am 57 years old and, like you, worried about my moles since I was your age. I have always had many moles and got my first basal cell at 33. I have had many more since and I just had melanoma in 2013. In my case it was stage 0. I have had lots and lots of atypical moles removed, especially after each pregnancy. Pregnancy can change your moles. With all of this said and being older and wiser, I suggest you not worry so much. Just make sure you do monthly skin checks and go to your dermatologist at least once a year. I found my melanoma, which was a new mole and very dark but only pin head size. People not educated about skin cancer probably wouldn't of given it a second thought if it was on their body and would not have gone to the doctor. You are knowledgeable, so if you ever do get melanoma it will be caught early either by you or your derm. So relax, enjoy your kids and have fun!!
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- October 16, 2017 at 3:50 am
Thank you, Marcy. I think what I struggle with most is trying to get to a point where I don't feel like I need to freak out and go see the derm for "everything" and go when I "really know" something is up, if that makes sense? I would absolutely kick myself if I ever second guessed myself over something and not gone in and then turn out that it was bad and should have gone in sooner. Right now when I go and see him for my yearly checks, afterwards I leave feeling great/very positive and then like a week later I'll notice a mole and think to myself, "oh, maybe i really should have asked him about that one again" or "that one might look darker/look like it has changed since I last looked, but I'm not totally sure and I was just there and don't wanna look "stupid" going back in when I was just there" and things like that, *sigh*…sometimes I just can't turn this brain of mine off!!
He has obviously informed me of what kinds of changes and things I need to watch out for, but at the same time he said since I'm only 30 there is a good chance that I will get new moles until I'm 35-40 years old and it doesn't necessarily mean that they are bad, and that sometimes moles will get darker but not necessarily in a bad way. Also, I've read stories about what people's melanomas looked like when they found it and sometimes the description sounds a lot like moles I have on me now (nothing crazy looking, more like people like you who have a tiny spot that may be kind of dark – unless yours was dark like the color black dark, mine aren't like that and the ones that are slightly darker than my others are my atypical ones so far…). If melanoma weren't such a tricky little beast! I do appreciate your helpful words though, so thank you again 🙂
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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