Melanoma

[rondog]

Being a soul-less ginger, I've always avoided the sun if possible, since I burn like friggin' flash paper.

[hobowh]

They usually just cut it out and move on as long as it was caught early. Hopefully that is all you need. Best wishes for a quick and easy recovery

[CoGirl303]

They usually just cut it out and move on as long as it was caught early. Hopefully that is all you need. Best wishes for a quick and easy recovery

sorry to hear the news.

best of luck with treatment.


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[Grant H.]

This thread is making me nervous.

Hope everything goes well Lefty.

No kidding.

I'm blonde haired, fair skinned, sun burn easily, and work outside, play outside, and pretty much routinely have a sunburnt nose.

[hatidua]

A close friend of mine had a melanoma removed on his lower leg, just above the ankle. The 'margins' required with melanoma surgery are significantly larger than the margins for other skin cancers...he's missing a fairly good chunk of meat on that leg and it limits his ability to stand for great lengths of time or hike any significant distance.

The vast majority of dermatologists that I've encountered seem to be primarily chasing the cosmetic dollars from the lunching-ladies crowd (cool sculpting, botox, etc.). If a person is susceptible to skin cancer, it's worth the effort to search out someone who really knows skin cancer, how to identify it early on, and does their own Mohs surgery. The local board-certified wrinkle specialist that caters to the soccer moms is not the same as someone who did their residency in Australia confronting melanoma every day.

I get at least one basal cell skin cancer removed every 6-8 months. Suffice it to say, the earlier they are detected, the less stitches are involved. I've lost count at this point of how many I've had removed but it's not something I'll ever "be done with".

That tan I had in the 80's that I worked so hard on wasn't worth this. I wish you the best of luck.

[BlasterBob]

Had three basil cell type removed which were no big deal. Had one squamous cell type which required Mohs surgery on my nose.
Mohs surgery is kinda neat as the Derm Doc will carve it out and they have you stand by in the waiting room for the results, that is, if he got it all. If it was deeper than anticipated and another slice must be removed on the same visit, they will do that immediately so shouldn't have to make another visit. Cancer has visited me frequently. Soft tissue sarcoma (cancer of the nerves, muscle or tendons) 36years ago. Then starting in 2010, had prostate cancer, cancer of kidney which required a kidney to be plucked out and finally bladder cancer. This shit is getting old. I’ll probably croak of something other than cancer. Have found that as we get older, our chances increase of getting this shitty disease but there are a lot of us old farts that have gone through required treatments and are still here and enjoying life and I’ll be hitting 82 later this year. Guys, please get yourselves checked out if you feel anything out of the ordinary. As cancer diagnosis is NOT a death sentence.

[ChadAmberg]

I've been sliced 4, maybe 5 times. First started getting things cut off in my 30s. I've also had 4 rounds of the blue light therapy. I've lost count of how many times I've had things frozen or electrified off of me. Hell, I've even had to have one surgery scar from a removal be surgically removed again.

I always encourage people to hit the skin doc just even for a look over every year at least.

Side funny note: Every time someone says how great the healthcare is up in Canada, remind them that they do colonoscopies using only a local, because it's cheaper. Imagine that one...

[Irving]

Had three basis cell type removed which were no big deal. Had one squamous cell type which required Mohs surgery on my nose.
Mohs surgery is kinda neat as the Derm Doc will carve it out and they have you stand by in the waiting room for the results, that is, if he got it all. If it was deeper than anticipated and another slice must be removed on the same visit, they will do that immediately so shouldn't have to make another visit. Cancer has visited me frequently. Soft tissue sarcoma (cancer of the nerves, muscle or tendons) 36years ago. Then starting in 2010, had prostate cancer, cancer of kidney which required a kidney to be plucked out and finally bladder cancer. This shit is getting old. I’ll probably croak of something other than cancer. Have found that as we get older, our chances increase of getting this shitty disease but there are a lot of us old farts that have gone through required treatments and are still here and enjoying life and I’ll be hitting 82 later this year. Guys, please get yourselves checked out if you feel anything out of the ordinary. As cancer diagnosis is NOT a death sentence.

You sound like my neighbor. He's told me he has cancer so many times, and in so many different places, that I barely even register it anymore. I'm not sure if he exaggerates, is the toughest man alive, or both.

[BlasterBob]

You sound like my neighbor. He's told me he has cancer so many times, and in so many different places, that I barely even register it anymore. I'm not sure of he exaggerates, is the toughest man alive, or both.

Now when the Doctor indicates I have still another cancer, it doesn’t shake me up much anymore. I have survived all of them and no recurrence of any of them YET...... One thing about bladder cancer, we get a LOT of catherizations and Cystoscopy's and they will ruin your “point of aim” when taking a leak.

[StagLefty]

they will ruin your “point of aim” when taking a leak.

I thought by 82 you got a pass on aiming !!!