I had 2 suspicious melanoma spots diagnosed on my right leg- in Europe. Didn't have time to do biopsy done there. 

 

If I understand it correctly.... one should carefully choose a hospital that has a good pathology lab that can diagnose melanoma cancers as they are not so common in Thailand. 

 

I have social security insurance at my local govt hospital but don't have confidence in its lab to be honest.

 

In your opinion is Bangkok hospital pattaya a reliable option. One would presume they must have many farang doing biopsies of this type. 

 

What about in Bangkok? Would prefer to avoid Bumrungrad.

thanks

Long way from BKK or Phuket but Dr Vachiraporn at Chiang Mai Ram hospital. US-trained, speaks very good English and from my experience is highly competent. Details in the link below; contact the hospital directly.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you to act quickly.

https://zeekdoc.com/en/doctor/dr-vachiraporn-sujaritwanichpong-1264

Dr. Anna at BPH is considered by Sheryl and many posters here to be the best in Thailand (and they travel to Pattaya just to see her).  So would advise doing same.  Highly experienced.

 

Not sure why you did not post this in the health forum?

Edited April 9, 20197 yr by lopburi3

Better suited to the HEALTH forum

 

Moved

5 hours ago, ghworker2010 said:

Didn't have time to do biopsy done there. 

don't procrastinate any longer. 

5 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Dr. Anna at BPH is considered by Sheryl and many posters here to be the best in Thailand (and they travel to Pattaya just to see her).  So would advise doing same.  Highly experienced.

 

Not sure why you did not post this in the health forum?

Is she at bangkok hospital pattaya? 

Yes - website is called Bangkok Pattaya Hospital (BPH).

Yes, see Dr. Anna at BPH. She is the only doctor in Thailand I would go to for suspected melanoma.

 

She will know what lab/pathologist to use.

How long would you have needed to wait in Europe for the biopsy?  My USA dermatologist noticed an odd spot on my face and it was biopsied 20 minutes later.  Came back positive melanoma but the doctor suggested a second opinion on the amount of tissue to remove, which came back a few days later.  Lesion successfuly removed 5 days after that.  

You mentioned time as the limiting factor and not money while you were in Europe.  Since one of the most knowledgeable people on TV said there is only 1 doctor in Thailand she would trust to recommend a pathologist why not consider having the biopsy in Singapore given the gravity?  While I have no direct experience, there is a Johns Hopkins hospital there.

I'm not sure how fast Dr. Anna can have the lab rush the biopsy, but each time I've gone she routinely had me come back a week later for the results.  I suspect if she had concerns of an imminent problem, she could rush the biopsy.

 

If she takes a sample for biopsy and then removes the entire "blemish" is there any reason for a rush?

 

PS:  I'm another of Dr. Anna's cheerleaders.  She is very good, speaks fluent English and has a decent sense of humor.

She may be sending the specimen to Bangkok hence the delay. I'm sure she is careful about which pathologist reads it.

A week delay isn't going to mattter in most cases.

If it is malignant you will not know if it was totally removed until the biopsy comes back. Remving the visible lesion does not necessarily mean all the malignant cells were removed. The biopsy teport will mention the "margins" of the sample and unless all margins wrte clear further excision is necessary.

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