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Should a Mole That Has Mild to Moderate Cells Be Removed or Watched?

asked 9 months ago by T.Hill in Louisville, KY
Latest answer by Richard Galitz, MD
Question viewed 340 times
Tags: mild, moderate, protocol, removal

Should a Mole That Has Mild to Moderate Cells Be Removed or Watched?

7 answers to Should a Mole That Has Mild to Moderate Cells Be Removed or Watched?

+2

Atypical mole treatment

For moles with minimal to moderate atypia, careful clinical observation may be performed. However, whenever atypia is in the moderate spectrum, excision with sutured reconstruction may offer an excellent cosmetic outcome while giving you the peace of mind that the abnormality is removed completely. Excised specimen should be sent to a dermatopathologist for an evaluation to confirm that the lesion was removed and that no further abnormality, such as melanoma, was present. more
Larisa Ravitskiy, MD

Columbus Dermatologist
+2

Moderate Atypia in Moles

If an atypical mole has been biopsied and shows that some of the mole cells remain, the most conservative approach is to excise the area to get "negative margins". Of course, if the mole is in a difficult area, or the patient does not want another procedure, clinically monitoring the area is crucial.
Victoria W. Serralta, MD

Arlington Dermatologic Surgeon
+2

If a mole is changing, get it removed. It could save your life.

Sometimes small changes in shape and color of a mole, or the way a mole feels, can be an early sign of malignant changes in a mole. The safest thing to do to see a good dermatologist, have the mole examined and removed if there is any concern.
Mark Taylor, MD

Salt Lake City Dermatologic Surgeon
+2

How to treat moles with atypia

The only way to know if a mole has atypia is by removing it and sending it to a dermatopathologist for examination. So I assume that is what was done. When a mole is removed, it should be removed in its entirety so that the pathologist can examine all the margins, including the edges and the deep portion. If a mole, let's say, is shaved off the surface, normally that does not allow for examination of the deep margin and an appropriate diagnosis cannot be made. In my... more
Emily Altman, MD

Short Hills Dermatologic Surgeon
+2

How to Treat Atypical Moles

In my 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

+2

Moles with atypia

Moles with atypia fall along a spectrum of benign to melanoma. Mild atypia falls closer to benign while the moderate to severe are closer to melanoma. That being said, they are atypical and not normal and no one can tell you whether a mole with atypia will become a melanoma in the near or distant future. Conservative patients and their doctors will excise mild atypia. Some patients and their doctors will simply follow clinically the mild to moderate atypia, while almost all... more
Shawn Allen, MD

Boulder Dermatologist
+1

Atypical celluar mole

Any mole that has atypical cells on biopsy should be removed. Cellular atypithy with time will become either precancerous or frank cancer; there is simply no advantage to leaving it present.
Richard Galitz, MD

Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon

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