Mild, Moderate and Severe Moles: Should They All be Removed?

asked 1 year ago by Tracy in Manchester in Marlton, NJ
Latest answer by Vincent D. Lepore, MD
Question viewed 2,499 times
Tags: male, melanoma, mild, moderate, options

My Husand Had 4 Moles Tested. They Came Back and 2 Are Mild, One Moderate and One Severe. They want to remove which I agree but only the severe and moderate ones, my dad a Melanoma patient is suggesting i go to oncologist to have removed. What do you suggest and what does mild, moderate and severe mean. Could he have Melanoma?

7 answers to Mild, Moderate and Severe Moles: Should They All be Removed?

Severe and Moderate Yes: Mild: Maybe

First, let us dispose of the idea of a trip to the oncologist. Oncologists don't remove moles: some may NEVER have removed a mole in their career; others maybe 1-2 during a dermatology rotation. Your husband's trip to the oncologist might be the source of brief levity in an otherwise depressing day, but nothing more. The classifying of atypical nevi from mild to moderate to severe is a histopathologic grading system. As Dr. Allen mentions, atypical nevi are best... more

Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD
Virginia Beach Dermatologist

Treatment of atypical or dysplastic moles

I believe you are describing the amount of atypia or dysplasia of your husband's moles. The more atypical or dysplastic they are, the more likely the will become malignant. I would suggest your husband be regularly checked by a dermatologist, to monitor all of his moles and have any suspicious ones excised and examined by a pathologist. If any mole should suddenly change, he should should see his dermatologist immediately. I would follow your doctor's... more

Vincent D. Lepore, MD
San Jose Plastic Surgeon

What to do about atypical or dysplastic moles

Moles and melanoma appear to be on a continuum under the microscope, from the most benign garden-variety moles to dysplastic nevi with mild atypia, moderate atypia, severe atypia and then melanoma. The concept of dysplastic nevus is controversial. We know dysplastic nevi are a marker for higher risk of developing a melanoma, but we don't have any evidence showing that they themselves (the dysplastic nevi) are precancerous lesions. There is no good scientific way of... more

Emily Altman, MD
Short Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

How To Treat Precancerous (Atypical) Moles

In our office, we will do an excision with suture closure to get clear margins for all moles that have moderate to severe atypia. Far a mildly atypical mole we will observe the area and, if any pigmentation recurs in the biopsy site in the future, a very small excision is done (often with a small punch biopsy tool) for a minimal scar. We also follow all of our "atypical mole" patients by doing full skin examinations every six months. I recommend you see a board certified... more

Mitchell Schwartz, MD
South Burlington Dermatologic Surgeon

dorsetstreetdermatology.com

Removal of dysplastic moles

I presume that 'mild, moderate and severe' refer to the degree of atypia or dysplasia in the moles. These are abnormalities in the mole cells which are not cancerous or pre-cancerous yet. My suggestion would be to have the moderate and severe ones removed. You do not need an oncologist for them - a Plastic Surgeon or a dermatologist will be the appropriate person. Removal should be straight forward - under local anaesthesia and removing only the mole(s) completely without taking... more

Anindya Lahiri, MBBS
Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

Mild moderate and severe atypia in moles

The degree of atypia is diagnosed under the microscope. Having many atypical moles does increase the risk of a melanoma so total body skin checks are a must. As to what to do with these lesions, there is a continuum under the microscope of benign mole ranging to melanoma with the steps being normal mole , mild atypia , moderate atypia , severe atypia , melanoma. Whether to cut more depends on both the margins (whether they are clear or not) as well as what the dermatologist... more

Shawn Allen, MD
Boulder Dermatologist

Moles

You may be talking anout mild, moderate and severe dysplasia. If it is DYSPLASTIC NEVI, all should be removed. and MUST have a full body check now and every 6 months.

Samir Shureih, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

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