Skin cancer MOLE?

I spotted a dangerous mole last year and insisted on having it removed. The dermatologist only took a small part of it and when the results came back it said it did not have any melanoma (cancer) but it had something else in which I don't remember, but the doctor said it's NOT DANGEROUS at all. Anyway the piece she left on is starting to turn darker and is growing too.  Obviously it's nothing to worry about since the other part of it got tested, but is it possible for that piece that was left on to turn into cancer?Just curious if I should go back and have that leftover piece tested and/or removed? Thanks
Devin

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
What you are having now after partial removal of the mole is a recurrent nevus. Recurrent nevus is a melanotic skin lesion which clinically resembles a superficial spreading melanoma at the site of a recent shave removal of a nevus. What happens is that melanocytes left behind in the wound regrow in an abnormal pattern. This is accompanied by scarring, inflammation, and blood vessel changes and this both the clinical and histologic impression of a melanoma.

However if the biopsy reports that you had got earlier were not normal then it is advisable to get a repeat biopsy done to rule out any atypical cells in the mole.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.