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new lesion – any advice appreciated
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new lesion – any advice appreciated

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › new lesion – any advice appreciated

  • Post
    • July 7, 2018 at 7:24 pm
    sophiasmom
    Participant

      I am a physician and woke up this morning with a new dark nevus on my face that was NOT THERE last night.  there is nothing else it could be besides melanoma. it is not large but it must be melanoma and the sudden appearance makes me concerned about rate of growth and invasiveness.  I am a bit distraught about the fact it is saturday and it will be at least until Tuesday before I can get this taken off, and that with pulling out my professional courtesy card.  I think I just need some reassurance that a few days won't make a difference, even with how suddenly this appeared.

      thanks!

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    • Replies
        • July 7, 2018 at 8:33 pm
        Bubbles
        Participant

          While I am sorry for your concern, there really is NO lesion that can appear overnight.  Still, there are many lesions that can grow very rapidly ALMOST without our noticing:  keratocanthoma, spitz nevi, pyogenic granulomas, papulosa nigra, atypical nevi, and many others…as well as melanoma.  If you are concerned, then you should certainly have the lesion biopsied as soon as feasible.  No, a few days will make no difference.  Most of us have to wait weeks for a biopsy and have actually been dealing with melanoma for years.  Waiting until Tuesday is more than reasonable and I am sure, if you are a physician, your patients have waited much longer for many things.  I wish you my best.  celeste

            • July 7, 2018 at 9:04 pm
            sophiasmom
            Participant

              thank you Celeste.  I know it wasn't there yesterday.  I notice every tiny detail that is out of place, always.  I was teased over this tendency in my residency, to notice that an infant had a hypospadias even as we were resuscitating him.  this nevus is so dark it looks like a bug on my face and I would have seen it yesterday if it was there.  this rapid onset is the only reason for my concern.  if I didn't know how rapidly it was changing I would be fine with waiting til next week.  even so, I do appreciate your reassurance and I am sure you are correct.

              FYI, I was never a doc who would be complacent with my patients' waiting to receive proper medical attention from specialists.  If I had a reasonable concern for cancer I would be on the phone insisting my patients were seen within 24 hours if not the same day.  I have been shocked by other doctors' complacency, and I am sorry for all people who have had to be subjected to this.  I once had to get on the phone to insist a friend be seen by oncology same day after he faxed his CBC to me which his doctor had been sitting on for over a week, despite the fact he was having fevers.  it obviously showed leukemia and by the time he was admitted the same day I saw the CBC, he was almost in renal failure.  just because medical delays happen, does not mean they are appropriate.  

              • July 7, 2018 at 10:15 pm
              ed williams
              Participant

                I guess you haven't been around Melanoma patients before, waiting is our middle name!!!

                 

                • July 7, 2018 at 10:16 pm
                Bubbles
                Participant

                  You are correct.  Medical delays are NOT appropriate….EVER!  I am glad you have worked toward avoiding them for your patients.  Many of us do…but some don't.  Nevertheless, I still do not think a delay in biopsy of even a week would be consequential for any diagnosis of a superficial cutaneous lesion…even melanoma.  I would advise that you attain an excisional biopsy rather than a shave or punch.  That way, if benign – the lesion is gone and if it is melanoma you will have much more information.  I wish you my best. celeste

                  • July 8, 2018 at 12:50 am
                  sophiasmom
                  Participant

                    thank you so much for your expedient replies.  you helped to ease my mind.  I just needed to hear someone else say it.  yes, I was going to insist on the excisional biopsy.

                    thanks!

                    • July 8, 2018 at 3:42 pm
                    A
                    Participant

                      How old are you? It is not uncommon to develop a new nevus until age 50. If your lesion does not fit melanoma pattern, it is likely just a new nevus.

                    • July 8, 2018 at 1:25 am
                    laurakoco
                    Participant

                      Melanoma does not grow overnight. I doubt your new nevus is Melanoma. Melanoma takes MONTHS to grow. I was just diagnosed with stage 1 Melanoma and had to wait 3 weeks to get it surgically removed. Waiting up to 4-6 weeks after *diagnosis* for surgery for an early Melanoma is considered fine by the medical community.

                      • July 12, 2018 at 10:02 am
                      Paulajane
                      Participant

                        I hope everything turns out fine for you. I’m sure there are other things it could be rather than melanoma.try to take a breath and not jump to the worst conclusion.  But just so you understand – Most people do not have a professional curtesy card to pull. I was diagnosed with large ulcerated nodular metastatic melanoma and was told there was a 2-3 wk wait to get into the oncologist at  the nearest large hospital that has a melanoma clinic. Imagine what that is like then use that to educate yourself and others you can influence in your profession.  I was told that up to 12 weeks between path report and WLE does not effect survival. This was supposed to make me feel better. Wishing you the best. 

                          • July 12, 2018 at 10:32 pm
                          Bubbles
                          Participant

                            Amen.  Being the patient can be a huge wake-up call.  "Normal" wait times don't mean much until they are YOURS!  "Tolerable side effects" don't sound too bad until you experience them!  Coming on a board where people are struggling to survive… Hmmm….  Hope your biopsy shows benign atypia.  Celeste

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