Question: How often does a mole look like melanoma but it turns out to be nothing? I recently had some biopsies done and one mole in particular perfectly matched the "ABCD" signs of melanoma. Are there any statistics on cases where it matched physically but the results came back negative for cancer?
For more details just in case my question was unclear: I'd like stats on how often a mole is non-cancerous after a dermatologist said it fits the ABCDs of melanoma. I cannot find anything on the subject of how often a biopsy comes back either positive or negative. Thank you!!!
Answer: Miss E - There are no exact numbers to answer your question. The ABCDs of a possible melanoma are good guides when to see a doctor (preferably a dermatologist), but there are other melanoma warning signs to consider such as:
• The appearance of a new bump or nodule
• Color spreads into surrounding skin
• redness or swelling beyond the mole
• pain
• tenderness
• itching
• bleeding
• oozing
• scaly appearance
Better to be safe and cautious than sorry too late.
