Is a gp referral always bad news? - Cancer: Skin Message Board

dewing · 02-05-2009, 03:38 PM

My partner has been referred to a specailist by his GP. Is it possible that the GP's can get it wrong? what i'm trying to say is that my partner has a black like area under one of his large toe nails and his GP told my partner it could be a possible melanoma but it could also be a number of other things but wants to rule out anything serious so is referring him. Do we assume that if the GP thinks it's suspicious then he is usually right and just gets it confirmed by the specialist? i hope this is not always the case, am very worried.

Oleander53 · 02-05-2009, 05:58 PM

I applaud your GP for sending to a specialist. Melanoma and other skin cancers can appear as a dark spot under a nail. Better safe than sorry.

My GP and Gyne did not think my little discoloration was "nothing to worry about". They were wrong. A GP can be wrong or their hunch can be right. Better to have it checked out. Hopefully it is just an old bruise.

Think positive and good luck....... Let us know what they find. Oleander

dewing · 02-06-2009, 03:27 AM

sorry i don't understand, did you mean your GP said it was nothing to worry about but when you went to see a specialist it was something to worry about and it was cancer?

Oleander53 · 02-06-2009, 07:30 AM

I am very good about checking my skin since my father had melanoma and my brother......I have a strong family history of skin cancer. So when I found this spot where the sun don't shine I went right to my GP. He was not concerned but at my insistance sent me to a Gynecologist who was not concerned either. At my insistance it was removed. So 2 Doctors did not think it was anything to worry about. It was a squamous cell carcinoma.
I have to see a Oncologist Gynecologist and hopefully all will be okay. I am also having a 2nd opinion on my Pathology slides......just to make sure they were read correctly the first time. I was not impressed with this woman Gynecologist who did my first biopsy.

So yes Doctor's can make mistakes.......better safe than sorry. Educate yourself on skin cancers and genital skin cancers. Genital skin cancers are on the rise for men and women.

Good luck and let us know what the outcome is........Sincerely, Oleander

writeleft · 02-06-2009, 07:48 AM

A referral is certainly not always bad news. It can be as simple as needing special equiptment that the specialist has available, testing methods that the GP doesn't typically practice, or a whole host of other reasons. Often specialists are much more in tune with the latest research in the particular field, and can offer the best diagnosis/treatment.

I think your GP is prudent to send you to a specialist, and I wouldn't automatically assume it's bad news.

Good luck to you both!