Diagnosed with skin cancer - Page 3

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@Shorty2U I want to thank you. I've had a mole that has changed colors on me over the past several years and I've been meaning to have it checked for a while now. I just made the appointment for tomorrow. Best wishes to you.

SeasonedCitizen · ‎10-09-2011

I have had 5 basal cell carcinomas on my face in the last 5 years or so and have had Mohs surgery on each. Had 1 1/2 hours of stitches inside upper and lower lip and same on outside. My Dr is a miracle worker in my opinion--to scars! Lived in Hawaii and my motto was sand and sunscreen don't mix. Well, I guess they do if one uses them.

I get checked every 6 mos and am always grateful when they find they can freeze them off. I'll take a bandage and a little vaseline any day. Altho I must say, the Mohs has never been hard to take. The initial shot takes care all the rest of them--and it is not unbearable.

Glad you have been diligent in following up on everything. You have been through far more with your breast cancer-you'll do fine with this. God bless.

bargainsgirl · ‎01-13-2012

I have had 2 cases of basal cell skin cancer, both on my face, one by my eyebrow and one next to my eyebrow between the bridge of my nose. First one removed by plastic surgeon (no scar) and the 2nd also removed by a cancer plastic surgeon who did the Moh's procedure. I do have a small scar from that but it was quite deep. That was about 12-15 years ago. I also had stage 1 breast cancer 3 years ago. My doctors assured me the skin cancer was not related to the breast. So far so good. I do not hang out in the sun any longer. As an adult I always wore a hat and sunglasses but it obviously did not keep the cancer from forming. But yes, always use sunscreen and wear a hat when you must be in the sun. Good luck! I think you will be fine. Try not to worry!!

D Kay · ‎04-20-2010

People think that sun exposure is from sun bathing or bad sunburns as a child, only. But unfortunately we are exposed to harmful rays year round, summer and winter, accumulating over a lifetime. Yardwork, walking the dog, going to the mailbox, riding in the car, etc. Working in a dermatology office, I saw the real evidence of this. That prompted me to wear sunscreen every day, year round, on my face, neck and the back of my hands. There are many sunscreens on the market that are not white, sticky, interfere with makeup or smell like coconuts.

ShowMe · ‎09-06-2010

Shorty2U.....sorry to read this. Be glad that it was found early and can be treated. Have heard that when some women have breast cancer they need to be checked out further down the line to be sure there is no cancer any place. That happened to my sister. But today she is fine. But she faithfully goes to the derm doc to have her body checked out....and does have some of them burned off. She will always have to do this.

Unfortunately, it will be 4 years ago this coming January that I was diagnosed with Metastatic Melanoma. It was a growth on my back near the waist area close to the spine. It was found when I went in for my mammogram. There was an enlarged lymph node under my arm close to the right breast. My primary doctor sent me to an oncologist. It is an open wound and has to be tended to daily. He has been treating me all this time. Started out with Urvoy treatments....1 every other week. It was a 6 treatment infusion. Then after that I had to go in every other week for for a treatment of OPDIVO....an immunal treatment..... It had many side effects that I had to battle with.

Had to have a port put in, and still have it to this day. And it has to be flushed out every 8 weeks.

These treatments were very hard on me....I was losing a lot of weight, got pretty weak, ended up having to use a walker so I wouldn't fall. My oncologist scheduled me for radiation treatments. That was very difficult to go through. Usually a patient goes in 5 days in a row for a treatment, with having 2 days off. They go through the same thing until they are done with the treatments. But the radiology doctor didn't think I was up to going in every day for 5 treatments, so she scheduled me to have one treatment a week that was as potent as the 5 would have totaled. Had 4 of these treatments.

I had gotten so weak that I couldn't turn the ignition on in my car. So they scheduled transportation to and from each treatment at no cost to me.

This all has been very hard on me. I am alone, and thank God every day that I have some wonderful friends and neighbors that help me out. Don't know what I would have done without them.

Right now, I'm not having any treatments, and apparently the radiation is still doing its thing. And am gaining my strength back and am now able to drive again. Still on my walker when I go out. My oncologist is pleased with what has been done and doesn't need to see me until January 21..... That is 3 months from the last time he saw me.

Having lost so much weight, I've had to get rid of all of my clothes and start over with new. Was in some 2X and now in a medium in some things. That means undies, jammies, pants, tops, and coats. You name it, it has had to be replaced.

When diagnosed I was in stage 4, and will always be in that....and there will be no remission. It's not over, but I am not giving up the battle. Not sure what is in my future as far as the cancer goes, but have my faith and have to know that what is in store for me is what it will be.

RainCityWoman · ‎06-16-2015

I have extremely fair skin, and even though I didn't sit hour after hour under the sun, I had many a sunburn in my childhood and a few in my adulthood. Eventually it took its toll. I have had four different skin cancers removed from my face, but they were basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. I am told the dangerous one is melanoma. The sooner it is dealt with the better. The first time, which was about 15 years ago, the cancer was removed by scraping layers. The next three I had were done by Mohs surgery, which is the latest method. That one they take the first cut off, and then they test the edges while you wait to see if they have to make a wider cut. Fortunately on mine, the first cut got it all.

ShowMe · ‎09-06-2010

@RainCityWoman wrote:
I have extremely fair skin, and even though I didn't sit hour after hour under the sun, I had many a sunburn in my childhood and a few in my adulthood. Eventually it took its toll. I have had four different skin cancers removed from my face, but they were basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. I am told the dangerous one is melanoma. The sooner it is dealt with the better.

@RainCityWoman.....yes, melanoma is the most dangerous and hardest to treat. Having metastatic melanoma I have to have PET scans done to be sure if it hasn't attached to any other place in my body. So far, I've had 10 of those dudes.

RainCityWoman · ‎06-16-2015

@ShowMe wrote:
@RainCityWoman wrote:
I have extremely fair skin, and even though I didn't sit hour after hour under the sun, I had many a sunburn in my childhood and a few in my adulthood. Eventually it took its toll. I have had four different skin cancers removed from my face, but they were basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. I am told the dangerous one is melanoma. The sooner it is dealt with the better.
@RainCityWoman.....yes, melanoma is the most dangerous and hardest to treat. Having metastatic melanoma I have to have PET scans done to be sure if it hasn't attached to any other place in my body. So far, I've had 10 of those dudes.

Oh my. Hopefully, there will be no more.

ShowMe · ‎09-06-2010

@RainCityWoman wrote:
@ShowMe wrote:
@RainCityWoman wrote:
I have extremely fair skin, and even though I didn't sit hour after hour under the sun, I had many a sunburn in my childhood and a few in my adulthood. Eventually it took its toll. I have had four different skin cancers removed from my face, but they were basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. I am told the dangerous one is melanoma. The sooner it is dealt with the better.
@RainCityWoman.....yes, melanoma is the most dangerous and hardest to treat. Having metastatic melanoma I have to have PET scans done to be sure if it hasn't attached to any other place in my body. So far, I've had 10 of those dudes.
Oh my. Hopefully, there will be no more.

Unfortunately there will be more. Doctor told me I will have to have one every 6 months. Have become friends with the technicians that do the scans.

Also the nurses in the treatment room....they are angels. Since I've not gone in for a treatment in a while I do get to see them when I have my port flushed. Always get some special comments from them. They said they miss seeing me and taking care of me. But they are glad for me that I've not had to have any treatments for a while. Don't know if I will ever have to go back for treatments, we'll see.