Just looking for answers

Your pathology report will have all the info you need. Maybe by pre-melanoma she meant melanoma in situ (also referred to as stage 0) which would mean that the melanoma cells are only within the outer layer of skin, epidermis, and not in the deeper layers that have access to blood and lymph vessels. Basically, an in situ melanoma cannot spread and after an excision of surrounding skin, you probably won't hear the melanoma word again. Like I said though, the pathology will tell you the details you need to know in order to understand what it is you had removed since just saying "it was a melanoma" means nothing if you don't know the stage and other things. 

Your pathology report will have all the info you need. Maybe by pre-melanoma she meant melanoma in situ (also referred to as stage 0) which would mean that the melanoma cells are only within the outer layer of skin, epidermis, and not in the deeper layers that have access to blood and lymph vessels. Basically, an in situ melanoma cannot spread and after an excision of surrounding skin, you probably won't hear the melanoma word again. Like I said though, the pathology will tell you the details you need to know in order to understand what it is you had removed since just saying "it was a melanoma" means nothing if you don't know the stage and other things. 

Your pathology report will have all the info you need. Maybe by pre-melanoma she meant melanoma in situ (also referred to as stage 0) which would mean that the melanoma cells are only within the outer layer of skin, epidermis, and not in the deeper layers that have access to blood and lymph vessels. Basically, an in situ melanoma cannot spread and after an excision of surrounding skin, you probably won't hear the melanoma word again. Like I said though, the pathology will tell you the details you need to know in order to understand what it is you had removed since just saying "it was a melanoma" means nothing if you don't know the stage and other things. 

Hi Melissa,

My situation is very similar to yours. I went to the dermatologist a couple of weeks ago for an all over body check. I hadn't had one in 2 years and at that time they removed 2 atypical moles. Although I wanted an all over check, I was concerned about 2 spots in particular. One on my arm and one on my hip. They biopsied both.  The one on my arm was atypical and the one on my hip came back as melanoma – in situ.  Like you it terrified me. He explained that on a scale of stages 1-4, mine was a stage 0 because it was caught very early. Yesterday I went back for the removal. He drew a circle with a sharpie to tell me where the melanoma was. Then drew a much larger circle to show me how much he would remove to make sure he got it all and also went down to the muscle. They will send it to a pathologist for confirmation. What really scares me is that I have soooooo many moles – on my arms, back, some on my legs. And none of mine are perfect little light brown circles. I'm driving myself crazy now obsessing over "what if" I miss one and it spreads before I realize it. I read a thread on here where one guy had 42 removed!!  Oh, and like you, my doctor wants to see me every 3 months for the next 2 years. If our odds are not increased and they are sure they have removed it all, then why such a scheduled regiment like that?

Jenn

Hi Melissa,

My situation is very similar to yours. I went to the dermatologist a couple of weeks ago for an all over body check. I hadn't had one in 2 years and at that time they removed 2 atypical moles. Although I wanted an all over check, I was concerned about 2 spots in particular. One on my arm and one on my hip. They biopsied both.  The one on my arm was atypical and the one on my hip came back as melanoma – in situ.  Like you it terrified me. He explained that on a scale of stages 1-4, mine was a stage 0 because it was caught very early. Yesterday I went back for the removal. He drew a circle with a sharpie to tell me where the melanoma was. Then drew a much larger circle to show me how much he would remove to make sure he got it all and also went down to the muscle. They will send it to a pathologist for confirmation. What really scares me is that I have soooooo many moles – on my arms, back, some on my legs. And none of mine are perfect little light brown circles. I'm driving myself crazy now obsessing over "what if" I miss one and it spreads before I realize it. I read a thread on here where one guy had 42 removed!!  Oh, and like you, my doctor wants to see me every 3 months for the next 2 years. If our odds are not increased and they are sure they have removed it all, then why such a scheduled regiment like that?

Jenn

Hi Melissa,

My situation is very similar to yours. I went to the dermatologist a couple of weeks ago for an all over body check. I hadn't had one in 2 years and at that time they removed 2 atypical moles. Although I wanted an all over check, I was concerned about 2 spots in particular. One on my arm and one on my hip. They biopsied both.  The one on my arm was atypical and the one on my hip came back as melanoma – in situ.  Like you it terrified me. He explained that on a scale of stages 1-4, mine was a stage 0 because it was caught very early. Yesterday I went back for the removal. He drew a circle with a sharpie to tell me where the melanoma was. Then drew a much larger circle to show me how much he would remove to make sure he got it all and also went down to the muscle. They will send it to a pathologist for confirmation. What really scares me is that I have soooooo many moles – on my arms, back, some on my legs. And none of mine are perfect little light brown circles. I'm driving myself crazy now obsessing over "what if" I miss one and it spreads before I realize it. I read a thread on here where one guy had 42 removed!!  Oh, and like you, my doctor wants to see me every 3 months for the next 2 years. If our odds are not increased and they are sure they have removed it all, then why such a scheduled regiment like that?

Jenn

Try not to stress about all of your other moles. Only thing you can do is look for change, some people just have funny looking imperfect moles, doesn't automatically make them dangerous. That is why a montly self check is really good for all people to do. If any moles in particular concern you, take a picture, and compare in a month, if nothing changes it's ok to stay, if something starts to change (shape, color, size, bleeds, etc) then get it biopsied. Also, once you've had any level of skin cancer, derms will recommend you see them fairly often, usually every 6 months for a while, every 3 months is a bit much but makes them money so they're happy. They will be able to look in areas you can't see as well by yourself. Just remember, the odds of getting a second melanoma primary is small, most deal with it once and that's it. Derms like the steady flow of patients, so when they can say you have to come in every 3 months, they're happy. Doesn't mean you HAVE to do it, you could do 6 months. I only see my derm every 6 months, and I am stage 3b. 

Try not to stress about all of your other moles. Only thing you can do is look for change, some people just have funny looking imperfect moles, doesn't automatically make them dangerous. That is why a montly self check is really good for all people to do. If any moles in particular concern you, take a picture, and compare in a month, if nothing changes it's ok to stay, if something starts to change (shape, color, size, bleeds, etc) then get it biopsied. Also, once you've had any level of skin cancer, derms will recommend you see them fairly often, usually every 6 months for a while, every 3 months is a bit much but makes them money so they're happy. They will be able to look in areas you can't see as well by yourself. Just remember, the odds of getting a second melanoma primary is small, most deal with it once and that's it. Derms like the steady flow of patients, so when they can say you have to come in every 3 months, they're happy. Doesn't mean you HAVE to do it, you could do 6 months. I only see my derm every 6 months, and I am stage 3b. 

Try not to stress about all of your other moles. Only thing you can do is look for change, some people just have funny looking imperfect moles, doesn't automatically make them dangerous. That is why a montly self check is really good for all people to do. If any moles in particular concern you, take a picture, and compare in a month, if nothing changes it's ok to stay, if something starts to change (shape, color, size, bleeds, etc) then get it biopsied. Also, once you've had any level of skin cancer, derms will recommend you see them fairly often, usually every 6 months for a while, every 3 months is a bit much but makes them money so they're happy. They will be able to look in areas you can't see as well by yourself. Just remember, the odds of getting a second melanoma primary is small, most deal with it once and that's it. Derms like the steady flow of patients, so when they can say you have to come in every 3 months, they're happy. Doesn't mean you HAVE to do it, you could do 6 months. I only see my derm every 6 months, and I am stage 3b.