Hi,

Don't Dr Google - it's out of date regarding melanoma & treatments and it only gives worse case scenarios. If you want to read up on melanoma this site, CRUK, and the MacMillan and British Association of Dermatologists websites are the best & most current for information.

It's good that your GP has referred your husband under the 2 week rule as the quicker it's seen the better. I know it's hard but don't treat it as a done deal that it's melanoma - the GP will think it might be but only the dermatologist is the expert! They will examine the mole under a dermatascope (hand held microscope that shows up any suspicious cells) and decide either a) it's something less serious like a basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer that isn't invasive but still needs removing) or b) the mole needs removal for a biopsy - the biopsy is the only foolproof way to diagnose melanoma.

Of every 10 patients referred to dermatology only 2 or 3 are diagnosed with melanoma so the odds are still very much in your husband's favour that it's something less serious. If it is melanoma then it's been caught very quickly and it will hopefully be early stage & easily treatable. I have been a Stage 3 melanoma patient for 10 years so it's not always as bleak as you may think. Treatments & research continue to improve for melanoma patients so please take some comfort in this. I have just accompanied my sister-in-law to her 2 week dermatology referral - our GP thought it was melanoma. The consultant is 99.9% sure it's a basal cell carcinoma so it will be removed & biopsied & hopefully she's dodged a bullet. There's a good chance your husband will do the same. Good luck and please let us know how he gets on,

Angie

Thank you Angie for your reply. He has an appointment next Thursday with Dermatology.  You have made me feel a bit more at ease. Dr Google is all doom and gloom and turns it into a pretty immediatedeath sentence.. I'm just praying that it is not as bad as what I am reading. even though it is only a week away it is feeling like years. 

Angela xx