Squamous Cell Carcinoma
 

When your dermatologist calls you at home at 8:00 PM on a Monday night you know it's not a good thing.

Ten, eleven years ago I had a spot on my left ring ringer that wouldn't heal. I finally got my GP to send me to a dermatologist and he biopsied it. Squamous Cell Carcinoma was the result. The biopsy took care of it but they squirted nitrogen on it to be safe.

A little over a month ago I had some weird skin happening along the nail of my ring finger on the right hand. It looked similar to what happened 10 years ago so I asked my GP for a referral to another dermatologist.

Now I'm waiting to hear from a plastic surgeon who will either remove the nail from my finger and treat what's below or remove the end of my finger.

Check yourself for any new lumps or bumps........

Not good.

I'm absolutely paranoid about the sun. I always wear a hat, avoid the sun and I wont go to the beach before 7 pm during Summer.

I hope it works out OK.

I have to go to the dermy every 3 months. :( They find something to send to the lab everytime. I've had three positives in the last year.

Sunburn on my head years ago finally bloomed last year. I had the nitrogen treatment to remove the entire cluster. Bald guys really need t be careful.

Don't eff around, take the tip of the finger, you hoser.

could be worse..it could be your pinkie finger. you lose that you cant swim.....

(old Cheers TV show joke.)

Squamous Cell CA is a cancer, but as cancers go, it is uncommon (though not impossible) to kill you. It's melanoma that's a lot more dangerous. That can occur underneath a fingernail--subungal melanoma--(amongst other places), and people will just think it's some sort of weird bruise and ignore it. But just a little depth of invasion and it can metastasize.

Find out what you're dealing with first, before you panic or lose sleep.

Yesterday my dermo took out a squamous cell CA from my shin. He used MOHS surgery as it was large (I had been ignoring it), about the size a fingertip (not as deep!) at the surface. These can get pretty big, nothing to ignore (LOL!). Fun part was I got to watch his technique closing it up, amazing skill.

Hope all goes well...today's medical science is damned amazing.

Good luck.

Every six months I go to see my skin cancer/dermatologist doc. He burns off anything that is a basil cell carcinoma, squamous.. or a dodgy looking solar keratosis. My sister had a melanoma so I'm cautious. I see it as being like paying protection money to the mob. If I pay up reguarly hopefully nothing really bad will happen to me.

Same here.... went to my six month appt. with dermatologist just yesterday. Today ??
If i got stopped by the PoPo they would be searching my car for crystal meth. as the nitrogen burns on my face and shoulders would probably have them assuming I was a "tweaker"...

but after having a squamous cell cut out of my neck about 20 years ago it is a small price to pay. Grew up in the 50's / 60's when the more sunshine the better, we are all paying for it now as my derma. reminds me every time I go in.

I’m recovering from an excision (or wrestling as it felt at some times) on my left temple after radiation did not fully take care of the cancer. I was told to expect swelling, but I was still surprised when my left eye pretty much swelled shut days after the surgery. I took a picture to document the after affect. The swelling has gone away but it spurred me on to look at non-surgical solutions to my skin cancer issues, since I know I have other spots that need attention.

My wife found out about an Italian doctor who had success treating epithileomas, basaliomas, and melanomas with a seven percent iodine solution. The theory is that skin cancers are caused by a fungus and the iodine destroys the fungus. The protocol is described at, treatment skin cancer | Dr Simoncini Sodium Bicarbonate Cancer Therapy.

I’ve started the process on a number of sites, including one where a biopsy was performed and scheduled for excision. My results have aligned with expectations. But I have not completed the process for any site. I can be patient, though, given how easy, painless, and inexpensive this process is.

I know what your'e going through. I just had a Squamous Cell carcinoma removed from INSIDE of my right nasal septum a couple of weeks ago.

Actually this was my second surgery for it. Initially, back in June, I had an endoscopic biopsy of a mystery lesion that all the doctors kept saying not to worry about because it wasn't cancer. Surprise! :eek: Unfortunately they weren't able to get acceptable margins with the first surgery so I had to go back for an open septumectomy on the 9th. The good news is that the pathology came back clear and my doc didn't have to remove as much as she had thought she was going to have to!

The waiting time between surgeries is the hardest part. Not knowing how you're going to look when you wake up is really scary. And the videos of the reconstruction procedures are absolutely frightening! The good thing is I don't think I'll have to do any reconstruction and now I have this "former boxer' look going so I guess that's something!

Best of luck and I wish you a speedy recovery.

Fu*k Cancer,
Michael

Good luck with the outcome.

Best of luck.

I am 55 and spend the entire weekend in the sun w/o sunscreen. Go to work on Monday lobster boy...stubborn and stupid I guess. In my 20's-40's I raced bicycles over 30K miles and no sunscreen. I was 16 and ski'd Mammoth Mtn on Easter with no sun screen (got 2nd degree burns...worst ever) and I'm still here. Maybe...

We all used to die from this stuff. Not so much anymore, especially if you get on it early.

I'd be cutting that whole finger off. As long as you got the middle one......not for that.......for flipping the bird....

Not to frightened you all too much, but here's my 57 year old redheaded, semi bald friend after his first melanoma surgery. He's OK now, but pretty scary.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1535713030.jpg

Best of luck on your treatment! Please let us know how it goes.

Michael

I have had the MOHS thing twice and am going in Sept 10 for the third time. I have scars all over from removals. Surfing and Surveying when it was cool to be tan.