Basal Skin Cancer

[Dawg52]

Welllllllllllll went to the dermatologist the other day for a follow up visit from a couple of years ago. The doc froze off a couple of spots and that was about it. I casually mentioned I had a pimple looking thing on my arm that had been there forever. So he did a biopsy and sure enough, a basal skin cancer. Fortunately the most curable kind of skin cancer but this just goes to show, you better inspect yourself good. Skin cancers are not always that obvious.

Will have it removed in a couple of weeks. Just glad it wasn't a melonoma. A friend of mind went through hell with that.(doing fine however)

http://www.umm.edu/skincancer/basal.htm

 

[youbet]

Thanks for the post and reminder Dog52. I just checked the date of my last dematologist appointment. Eight months ago. I don't think I'm going to wait until the full year goes by this time.

Glad to hear you caught it and that it wasn't melanoma!

 

[wabmester]

Hmm, "small, fleshy bumps." Oh, no! I've got some small, fleshy bumps.... I better google some images....

I almost lost my cookies. If you decide to google for images of "basal cell carcinoma," prepare to avert your eyes from the "massive ulcerating" kind. I wonder how quickly they get to that state.

 

[Dawg52]

Hmm, "small, fleshy bumps." Oh, no! I've got some small, fleshy bumps.... I better google some images....

I almost lost my cookies. If you decide to google for images of "basal cell carcinoma," prepare to avert your eyes from the "massive ulcerating" kind. I wonder how quickly they get to that state.

Mine looked like a zit on a 16 year old.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I wonder how quickly they get to that state.

Takes a long time. That's why Hemingway (he absorbed a lot of sun)
called it the "benevolent skin cancer". In any case, it ain't pretty
(voice of experience).

JG

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Welllllllllllll went to the dermatologist the other day for a follow up visit from a couple of years ago. The doc froze off a couple of spots and that was about it. I casually mentioned I had a pimple looking thing on my arm that had been there forever. So he did a biopsy and sure enough, a basal skin cancer. Fortunately the most curable kind of skin cancer but this just goes to show, you better inspect yourself good. Skin cancers are not always that obvious.

Will have it removed in a couple of weeks. Just glad it wasn't a melonoma. A friend of mind went through hell with that.(doing fine however)

http://www.umm.edu/skincancer/basal.htm

Check out some photos of John McCain after his melanoma surgery
if you want the hell scared out of you.

JG

 

[mickeyd]

I have had 4 basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and 2 melanoma in situ surgically removed during the last 6 months as well as numerous Actinic Keratosis (AK) that I had frozen off with liquid nitrogen. The result of many years of outdoor living. Now that it is all behind me, I can say that it was really no big deal, however that was not how I saw it 6 months ago, I can assure you.

It is all a matter of coming to grips with that fact that you can no longer go out into the sun without sunscreen, long sleeves, a broad brim hat etc. Once you adjust to these simple rules and see your dermatoligist every 3 months or so, life is lovley.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I have had 4 basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and 2 melanoma in situ surgically removed during the last 6 months as well as numerous Actinic Keratosis (AK) that I had frozen off with liquid nitrogen. The result of many years of outdoor living. Now that it is all behind me, I can say that it was really no big deal, however that was not how I saw it 6 months ago, I can assure you.

It is all a matter of coming to grips with that fact that you can no longer go out into the sun without sunscreen, long sleeves, a broad brim hat etc. Once you adjust to these simple rules and see your dermatoligist every 3 months or so, life is lovley.

Jeez, your story is very similar to mine, except I am not quite as
faithful with the sunscreen, hat, etc. I think a nice tan looks great,
but there is no doubt it can kill you. OTOH, something will
eventually.

JG

 

[mickeyd]

except I am not quite as
faithful with the sunscreen, hat, etc.

...then you're sure to get it again JG.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

...then you're sure to get it again JG.

Yep! However, even if I was super careful I expect this would still be true.
Living is a terminal condition.

JG

 

[Dawg52]

Check out some photos of John McCain after his melanoma surgery
if you want the hell scared out of you.

JG

What I was referring to was the Interferon treatments he took for a year. His weight dropped from 190 to 148. He felt like he had the flu all the time. All his joints hurt. Just never felt good during that one year period.

mickeyd, did you take any interferon for your melanoma?

 

[donheff]

I won't post my gross photo again but I will second the caution to use sunscreen. More important for us old timers is to make sure our children and grand children use sunscreen so they can avoid the damage many of us did in our childhood. The treatments ain't pretty.

 

[mickeyd]

mickeyd, did you take any interferon for your melanoma?

No, once they carved me up and ran the tissue margins thru the lab for their ok, I was healed.

 

[lets-retire]

When I had my basal cell cooked off the doctor said I had a 99% chance of getting more, because the damage was done over many years. The way I look at it even if I cover up, put on sunscreen and all that stuff, I'm still likely to get another one so why worry. Mine looked kind of cool since it was cooked off it was all black and looked like either a cigar burn or a exit wound from a .22.

I had mine for about 6 years before I had someone look at it. Come to find out it can kill you if you get it on your neck. I guess it grows into the artery in your neck causing a hemorrhage. The wife still hasn't let me live it down that I should have gone in when in the military, than I'd be getting more disability.

 

[mickeyd]

make sure our children and grand children use sunscreen so they can avoid the damage

This reminds me of a comment that my dermatologist made to me while I was receiving treatment. She evidently has a pool in the back yard and her two kids are avid swimmers. She said that before her kids go outside to use the pool she slathers so much sunscreen on them that they look like ghosts.

It left me with a vivid picture.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

One more story and then I must take off (but, like MacArthur "I shall return").

I saw a photo of an older guy who worked as an Australian lifeguard
in his youth. They put a colored "sticky dot" (you know like the 3M
"post it" notes) everywhere he had a skin cancer removed. I am not
sure, but I seem to recall there were 78 "dots". Anyway, he was a pretty
old guy. Doesn't matter which kind you have. Catch it early. Hey, one of the guys I knew personally who was killed by melanoma ignored his
wife when she said "You better get that checked out!" I go in every 6 months, more often if something "funny looking" pops up.

JG

 

[Dawg52]

No, once they carved me up and ran the tissue margins thru the lab for their ok, I was healed.

Your fortunate. The cancer doc my buddy used seems to always recommend taking the stuff as an insurance policy. 'Alway' may be a stretch but that is the reputation the guy has. Maybe Rich can tell us what is the norm for treating melanoma.

 

[paradiseken]

Hey DOG,
Just had a basal cell cancer removed from my nose. Had the MOHS surgery by a dermatologist to cut the cancer out and then went to a plastic surgeon who made made a flap from surrounding skin to cover over the hole. I have a bump now, but it should look okay in a few months (I hope).

 

[Dawg52]

Hey DOG,
Just had a basal cell cancer removed from my nose. Had the MOHS surgery by a dermatologist to cut the cancer out and then went to a plastic surgeon who made made a flap from surrounding skin to cover over the hole. I have a bump now, but it should look okay in a few months (I hope).

That is a tough spot. One of my golfing buddies had the same thing done. He's just as ugly as before. Seriously, good luck with it all!

 

[ronin]

I had the mohs surgery on my nose as well. Had some trouble with the skin graft taking. Hope yours goes well.

 

[MikeD]

I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from the top of my head, right on my hair part (where my hair parts) a few years ago. I am slightly more susceptable to them due to the immuno-suppressants I take for my transplant. I have to go to the Derm. every year for a "full body skin check."

Mike D.