Is it really possible that I’ve skin cancer?

I went to the doctor this weekend to get a spot on my back checked out and the physician stated he wanted to remove it and test it. It looks like a mole but it is very black and it just showed up last summer. All the rest of the moles on my skin are light to medium brown. I'm getting the mole removed in 2 weeks. What do I do if it turns out that I do have skin cancer? I'm so scared!! I'm only 22. Please help!

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Answer:
If it is skin cancer–and that's not a sure thing–the doctor can remove the mole and surrounding tissue, stitch the wound up neatly, and once you've healed, all you’ve to do is be vigilant for new signs of skin cancer any place you've got skin, including the scalp, ears, etc.

Caught early, it's among the most curable of cancers.

If you tan, this is your wake-up call. Each year, about 10,000 people, most of them women, *die* of skin cancer which wasn’t caught early enough. Virtually all of them had extensive exposure to UV rays.

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Answer:
Two kinds of skin cancers are easily treatable - basal cell and squamous cell. Only melanoma is deadly. Most doctors want to remove all black moles because of this possibility. I wouldn’t worry about this too much because if removed early and it turns out to be one of the first two types of skin cancer, then you will be considered cured in most cases. Next, make sure to use sunscreen from now on so you don't have to go through this kind of stress again.