SQUAMOUS UPDATE & PHOTO

[crazyphil]

This was a wake-up call for me. I hope it may help someone else.
A while back I had a sore that would not heal on my left ear.
The VA Dermatologist took it off and it was identified as some
rare form of cancer.

So, almost a year ago I developed a couple more skin problems.
One on my left wrist and one on the right side of my neck. My
GP prescribed an anti-fungal salve. I tried it for six months, but
it didn't help.

I told my GP that with the previous history of the rare cancer on
my ear, and the fact that these two would not heal, I wanted to
see a Dermatologist. He agreed.

Upon testing, they both turned out to be squamous cel carcinoma,
so now I have appointments to have them both removed.
The one on my neck is the larger of the two, so I will show you a photo.

We have always heard that when a sore will not heal, it could
be cancer. The truth of this has come home to me. I thought
I should give all of you this warning. If you were out in the sun
a lot, when younger, and get a sore that will not heal, go see a
dermatologist.

Survival rate, if treated early, is quite high. But don't wait too
long.

So here is an AFTER photo. UPDATE at post 34.

 

[cougar14]

I've had two diagnosed and removed.. The tell-tale is the white horn in the center of the lesion. Doc got both of them out with one cut, one on right calf one on right shoulder. Cuts were deep, took a while to fill in. Expect to have more as payment for past sins, should have had better protection. Young and dumb.

 

[JohnRippert]

I have had 4 removed but they were all basal cell carcinomas. 3 on the left side of my head and i on the right side of the neck. 1,000,000 miles of driving and sunlight take their toll. If you have to get a skin cancer though, basal cell is the one to get.

 

[Jlpgumbo]

PLEASE go to the dermatologist after 50! You boys are lucky it was on neck, head, and arm. I have had 3 MOHS surgeries on the same side of my nose. Luckily, they were basil and squamous and not melanoma. Here are some pics

 

[LCC]

have had MOHS twice on my forehead...been seeing a skin doctor 2x a year for last couple of decades due to heavy sun exposure when younger, have had plenty of pre-cancers either frozen or cut out and biopsied.
Use my cell phone to take pics of anything suspicious, compare it every few months...any changes and it's off to the skin doc.

 

[crstrode]

Yee gads! Enough with the photos!

Most here are old enough to know better, and have lived lives that prove they don't take their own wisdom to heart.

Having pre-cancerous lesions removed is just another sign of a long life well lived.

I can advise from personal experience to not be shy. Get them cut out sooner than later and have the Doc cut wide and cut deep. A little cut is no more pleasant than a big one.

Scars are no biggie - their absence merely promotes a better looking corpse.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Hope they get it all Phil.
An endless number of things seem to be coming at us as we get older.

 

[hsguy]

Good advice! I have had 7 Mohs surgeries and a topical chemotherapy treatment not to mention numerous cryotherapy treatments all above my neck. I told my doctor as they remove tissue I am receiving a free facelift!

 

[ameridaddy]

This was a wake-up call for me. I hope it may help someone else.
....
Survival rate, if treated early, is quite high. But don't wait too
long.

Thanks so much for the heads up, and good luck.
I'm seeing a dermo in Feb recommended by my primary doc to get a going over. She supposed to be very, very good, so I guess that's why my appointment isn't until 4 months after I scheduled it.

 

[KalamazooKid]

I'm on a first name basis with everyone at the local dermatologist's office. Great folks that do an awesome job - for me, every 6 months.

I'm not usually proactive about anything but living close to the Lake Michigan beaches my whole life forced me to be!

 

[Bugkiller99]

Had a friend going into gall bladder surgery . In one of those "fashionable gowns". Surgeon comes in for the usual perfunctory greeting before surgery, taps them on the shoulder, and says "Get that looked at IMMEDIATELY!"
Gall bladder comes out no problem, next thing you know, multiple myeloma.

Running joke (now years later, not so much then). Life saving "gall bladder surgery"

 

[ZGrand]

Crazyphil - hope your surgeries go well. Just had my annual Dermatologist check-up yesterday. I've had 4 occurrences (one requiring MOHS surgery), but thankfully they've all been Basil cell. Too much fun in the sun when we were all kids and didn't know any better.

 

[SS336]

Good luck with your procedure, Phil. I'm sure it will go well. The surgeons today are very good at this.
I have had 7 surgeries for squamous cel carcinoma, 2 of them MOHS on my face. I wasn't that pretty beforehand so it wasn't a problem.
I am a big proponent of keep covered and especially wear a hat. It is hard to impress young people to do this. Just show them pictures of the procedure that may help.

 

[JcMack]

I was in the hospital for heart surgery 5yrs ago. Since I was in there anyway I saw a Neurologist and he ran tests on the neuropathy I developed after being force fed beer and booze most of my life. The test was conducted by a Devil's disciple who wielded a miniature cattle prod that she touched to my skin in about 8 places on each calf. A puff of smoke rose each time she touched. Within 2 weeks of my coming home I developed an ugly black sore on my calf exactly where one of touches from the probe occurred. It was diagnosed of some kind of skin cancer and within a month they did a MOHS on me about the size of a half dollar.

 

[WardenRoss]

I spend more time with my dermatologist than probably anyone else!

Except Quigley, my dog.


,

 

[H Richard]

Have had one Squamous Cell removed from my right leg below knee, and one MOH' surgery on my forehead for a Basil Cell. I start radiation treatments next week for a recurrence of the Basil Cell on my head. There's not enough skin left to do another MOH's surgery. So much fun in the "Golden Years".

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I see a dermotoligist once a year for a go over. Had a big chunk taken out of my back-It was that Squamous thing. Wife had a chunk taken off her wrist. Same thing.
There is a youngster in Layayette that does NOTHING but remove these things on referrals form the other dermotologists. He cuts whatever out with enough of a border to make sure he gets it all-sends it to his inhouse lab right thee before you leave and will continue to cut until he gets a clean border. Kid does good work and has more business that he can handle.
Skin cancer is the easiest thing to get rid of-no reason not to see the dermatologist at least once a year. And the insurance companies will happily pay for it as preventive care. (Plus if you're lucky you can get examined by the cute little PA with the pretty blue eyes )

 

[crazyphil]

CAJ - I have a cute little PA at the Boise VAMC. I have been going there
for over 21 years. She has been there 28 years. Sorry, but I guess I have
been too busy looking at her figure to notice the eye color. Also another
reason to hate the masks.

 

[Old_Cop]

Been there, done that, got the scars.

 

[DWalt]

I had three pre-cancerous growths (one on my forehead and one on each arm) removed a few weeks ago. The dermatologist just froze them with liquid nitrogen and they later fell off. While I was there, he examined all my skin, head to toes, front to back, to make sure I didn't have any others. He said he often sees them on soles of feet.

Around 15 years ago I had a more serious growth surgically removed from the back of one hand.