What should you know about naevoid melanoma?

Naevoid melanoma may look relatively uniform and may not show the classic features people expect from melanoma. Diagnosis cannot be made reliably from appearance alone. A clinician may examine the lesion with dermoscopy and remove it, or take a suitable biopsy, so a pathologist can assess the tissue. The report helps describe the melanoma and guides staging and treatment decisions.

Book a dermatology appointment for a new or changing mole, especially if it grows, bleeds, crusts, itches, develops several colours, or looks different from your other marks. Do not pick or repeatedly irritate it. Photographing the lesion beside a ruler can help show change, but it does not replace examination. If melanoma is confirmed, treatment may include surgical excision and further assessment of nearby lymph nodes.

Seek prompt care for rapid change, spontaneous bleeding, an ulcerated surface, persistent tenderness, or a new dark lesion. After a biopsy or excision, contact the care team for worsening redness, pus, fever, uncontrolled bleeding, or a wound that is opening. New neurological symptoms in someone with known advanced melanoma require urgent medical attention.

What did the pathology report show? Is further excision or a sentinel lymph node biopsy needed? What staging tests are appropriate? How often should my skin and lymph nodes be checked? Would immunotherapy be relevant to my situation?