Skin Cancer!

[foreigncorrespondent]

Last year while at work, I knocked the (what I assumed to be) head off what I thought was a weird looking pimple (smooth, pinkish and felt waxy.) And this sucker bled for over half an hour before I got it to stop. It has never been really sore (slight ache in that area every so often, but nothing major), but does get itchy quite often, so I never thought much more of it.

Well I recently decided I needed to get it checked because it is still there and had begun to worry me. Turns out it is Basal Cell Carcinoma, which of course if a form of skin cancer. Right now I am in shock and am pretty lost. The last 4 months have been pretty bad for me, and it just keeps getting worse.

I can just hear my ex right now saying "I told you to put sunscreen on." Trouble is it isn't anywhere that ever got the sun. It is on my inner left thigh. And when I go to the beach I wear my shorts, so it has always remained covered in that area.

They wanted to cut it out yesterday, but I kinda shit myself and refused to have that happen right now. So I do have to go back in as an outpatient in a few weeks to get it done. So they can test it, and take it from there.

I do have a lot of questions to ask the dermatologist when I go back, but if anyone can give me a heads up on this I would greatly appreciate it. I know my grandmother did have a few melanoma's cut out, and she has been fine ever since. But just how bad is this form of cancer?

Thanks,

FC

[LiberalinNC]

1. The best advice I can give right now is...

get that sucker cut out asap! Make sure you get clear margins and listen to your doctors about follow up and treatment options. Be sure to write down all questions before you see your doctor and try and take someone with you who can take notes. I did find information on the webmd.com page....check out: http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/Skin-cancer-non-melanoma-Treatment-Health-Professional-Information-NCI-PDQ-Basal-Cell-Carcinoma-of

Good luck!

[foreigncorrespondent]

2. Thanks, Lib...

...the info you supplied is reallhy helpful. :)

[flamingyouth]

3. Hi FC

First off, I know how scary this can be, and I'm sorry that you're going through this. I don't have skin cancer, but when I was diagnosed with stage 1 bladder cancer, my doctor compared my tumor to basal cell carcinoma.

I second the advice above - get it removed ASAP.

Find a doctor you like and that you can have a good, ongoing relationship with. You'll need to feel comfortable asking questions. I only mention this because my first doctor was a jerk and that wasn't really helpful, needless to say.

Take a friend or family member with you to appointments. It can be really helpful, not just for moral support, but also for the deluge of information you can get.

Take good care, keep us posted. :pals:

[ropi]

4. help! me too!

I was just referred to a skin cancer/specialist dermatologist and i feel utterly lost, stupified, and even sad. I keep care of myself, put sunscreen on, and regularly check my skin (as well as every other part of my body).

I've read about Moh's Micrographic Surgery. Does anyone know about this procedure?

[Liberty Belle]

5. Don't worry--I had a basal cell misdiagnosed for almost 2 years!

The cancer popped up on a surgical scar. I asked the surgeon and he said not to worry, I just had a necklace or collar irritating the scar.

Over a year later, I saw a dermatologist for something else and she asked to biopsy the spot, which turned out to be a basal cell carcinoma. They are generally much slower growing than melanomas. They had to cut mine off twice and dig a bit deeper the second time, but eventually got it all. It was under a local anesethetic in the doctor's office, and the incision was along my collar bone. Really not a big deal at all!

It's been several years now, and it never came back. I hope you'll have the same luck.

[Liberty Belle]

6. delete please, misposted by mistake

[shrike]

7. What LiberalinNC said

Get it cut off ASAP. The sooner it's cut off and biopsied, the better off you'll be.

I'm not trying to belittle skin cancer, but I've known a few people who've had skin carcinomas cut off, and they're fine. If you get it early, it's very curable.