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Relation between Atypical mole and melanoma?
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Relation between Atypical mole and melanoma?

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Relation between Atypical mole and melanoma?

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    • March 14, 2018 at 6:37 pm
    mwang122
    Participant

      Hi All,

      I am so glad that I found this website. I am 25 year- old female. I am Chinse and arrived US two years ago for graduate study. In China, few people know anything about  Melanoma and that is why once they notice it, it has already been too late.  I was lucky to hear a story about a young Chinese girl's Melanoma story right before I came here and had some knowledge about it. However, when I first noticed a new mole about 2mm on my left temple in May, 2016, I was not worried about it at all. I thought it was totally normal to develop new moles at my age. However, seven month later, the mole doubled in size (almost 4mm) and I went to see a dermatologist. She cut it and it came back as " severe dysplactical mole". I received another surgery to fully remove all atypical cells in Feb. 2017. I don't have any family history of Melanoma, but I do have a really fair skin compared to other Asians,  and also A LOT of sunburn( skin peeling) when I was 12 years old. I went to outdoor swimming pool for everyday for two summers without putting any suncream.  Last week, I noticed another mole on my face suddenly got darker and changed shape in only 2 weeks, my dermatologist biopsied it again and the biopsy just came yesterday as moderate atypical. My dermatologist recommended me to do another surgery by plastic surgeon because it was right above my lip. How long can I wait  until I receive another surgery ? The surgeon can only do it probably one month later. Will it become severe in a month? After my first severa atypical mole, I became so paranoid and stressed, thinking that no mattered what I do, I will definitely have melanoma in my future because of severe sunburn when I was a kid. I cut 6 moles in 1 year and 3 of them were atypical. one mild, one moderate and one severe.  I had nightmares almost everyday and my immune system got so weak.  Do three atypical moles mean that I have a high chance of getting melanoma? I am still developing new moles, I noticed a new one every two or three months.  Do I need to biopsy them once I notice them? I really don't live the rest of my life in fear and my doctor said I may show some sign of depression. Thanks so much for the help. 

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    • Replies
        • March 14, 2018 at 8:18 pm
        stars
        Participant

          There is a link between someone who has had blistering sunburn and melanoma, and has a lot of moles and melanoma, that's true. But there is really only a tenuous / weak link between atypical moles and melanoma. In my view, every 'funny looking' mole is going to be atypical because it already has, for example, weird colours etc. Would any of those ever become melanoma? Possiblly, possibly not. A severely atypical mole might sit there unchanged for your entire life, or might slowly 'graduate' into being an in situ melanoma. Just keep doing what you are doing – regular skin checks, removing anything suspicious – and I think you will be just fine.

            • March 15, 2018 at 2:28 pm
            mwang122
            Participant

              Thanks so much for your reply, make me feel a little bit better.

            • March 14, 2018 at 8:39 pm
            Janner
            Participant

              The timing is not an issue.  The mole has already been removed, they are just taking extra margins.  Even with melanoma, it is not considered a problem to wait (and it has been studied).  The vast majority of moles will NEVER change to become melanoma even if they are atypical.  Severely atypical lesions have the highest risk. 

              As for moles – new and different:  biopsy.  New and like your others:  monitor for change.

                • March 16, 2018 at 4:19 pm
                mwang122
                Participant

                  Thanks so much Janner,I really appreciated your reply.  I read your story and was so impressed by your fighting with Melanoma.  I have determined to biopsy every changing mole and new mole larger than 2mm just to be safe and maybe go to see dermatologist every three months.  I cannot change what happened when I was a kid. Just be more careful in the rest of my life.

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