scheduling biopsy for my son - Cancer: Skin Message Board

youngmom_2 · 09-26-2006, 02:08 PM

My little boy is only 2 and a half years old and the doctor noticed a mole on the top of his head that has grown and spread really fast. It has jagged edges and it hurts him if we touch it. There is no scab or anything but the doctors are concerned. We go tomorrow morning to schedule a biopsy. I am the kind of person who wants a straight up answer and I need to know what the chances are that it is cancer and the doctor's are just trying to be comforting right now. I understand that everything can be ok but I need to know the cold hard facts. That's just the kind of person I am. I don't like things sugar coated. I deal with it better if it is just straight forward. So what I'm wanting to know is...what are the chances that this is skin cancer? How do they treat it? I always make him wear sunscreen when he's outside (which is alot) but I never thought to put it in his hair. Any feedback would be great.

bridgetc · 10-07-2006, 03:21 PM

Well I hope by now you have an answer. It is very rare for a child of his age to have melanoma.

My son had a black, rapidly growing mole removed when he was 4 and it was diagnosed as a Spitz nevus. A very nasty looking mole under the microscope, but clinically benign. It used to be called juvenile melanoma, but research shows that these moles don't metastisize.

So, I had a period of fear and anxiety, but it turned out OK. He's 16 now and just fine.

Good luck!