Anyone had skin cancer before?
- Thread starter R18Civic
- Start date
Yeah, these things happen. Had it two years ago. I was in shock as I’m just a little bit over 40 years, and have always tried to protect myself against the sun.
I was a bit late with the treatment. Few months earlier it would have been flat with excellent prognosis. But I forgot it and few months later wife noted that ’what’s that blob next to your ear’. It had grown thickness which increases the severity. So the point is to treat it as early as possible, as others have already stated earlier in this thread.
It was cut off, but local relapse happened within a year. After a second surgery + local radiation therapy + cancer medication it looks that we’ve beaten it down and I will survive. So far so good. I’m having controls every 4 months now.
I have ’nice looking’ scar now next to my ear and neck as a reminder. Doesn’t bother me anymore, as I have got used to it. It’s part of my identity and life journey now. Hair and beard are still missing around the ear from the radiation therapy. They said that the hairs would grow back in ’some months’, but after some months I’m still waiting…. Oh well, even that won’t bother me anymore, I have calibrated my priorities from the surface to more meaningful things in the last two years.
I was thinking the traditional ’why does this happen to ME?’ I’m relatively young. I have always talked about the importance of sunscreen to others and have tried to use it myself. But apparently not enough. My skin burns really easily, fair hair, fair skin, blue eyes... Now I have bought texas style hat and I’m using sunscreen with SPF50 liberally at summer. And I avoid mid day sun. I believe now I’ll be safe.
With this experience I have learned to appreciate life and small things more, and will do what I want to achieve right now instead of waiting. The previous me was always waiting for ’some other remote point in time’ when I would do things, for some perfect time. With this new view on life of doing things now, I just revently repaired AC on my car by myself and I bought a welder. Because I wanted! I have always wanted to weld too, and now I can. And I feel great! Earlier I didn’t have encourage to do these bigger tasks on myself, now I just think ’why not, it’s just life! What’s the worst that could happen to me?’ If I want to achieve something in my life, now I will do it asap and not wait (note: it must not cost a lot of money, but it’s ok to cost a lot of effort). Why wait? Let’s do it!
You are possibly at the beginning of a journey. Be optimistic. My brother said to me two years ago: ’Even if the survival percent would be 1%, then so what!? That 1% is going to be someone. Why wouldn’t it be you?’ It hit me hard, in the positive way. Really, why wouldn’t it be me? And the percent was much better for me and will be for you. And you are young, I count that as a plus (compare to some 80 year old who has multiple underlying conditions already as a burden).
I hope you will find similar enlightment as I did in my two year journey, and you will learn to appreciate small things in life even more, and life itself. Turn the negative into positive event. I sometimes can appreciate and enjoy every sunlight, every singing bird, in totally different way than before. Every day I appreciate being alive.
And you know what, you’ll be fine! I’m glad you are already ’in the pipe’ for treatment if needed. And you’re not alone. We hear you buddy! Been there, done that! We’re on the same boat, you see. Life can surprise sometimes, but you just have to bite the bullet, go forward, and trust that life carries you over the temporary waves. Do your best with the possible treatment and trust that everything’s going to be fine. Because if somebody is going to come out of this as the winner, why wouldn’t it be you?
I was a bit late with the treatment. Few months earlier it would have been flat with excellent prognosis. But I forgot it and few months later wife noted that ’what’s that blob next to your ear’. It had grown thickness which increases the severity. So the point is to treat it as early as possible, as others have already stated earlier in this thread.
It was cut off, but local relapse happened within a year. After a second surgery + local radiation therapy + cancer medication it looks that we’ve beaten it down and I will survive. So far so good. I’m having controls every 4 months now.
I have ’nice looking’ scar now next to my ear and neck as a reminder. Doesn’t bother me anymore, as I have got used to it. It’s part of my identity and life journey now. Hair and beard are still missing around the ear from the radiation therapy. They said that the hairs would grow back in ’some months’, but after some months I’m still waiting…. Oh well, even that won’t bother me anymore, I have calibrated my priorities from the surface to more meaningful things in the last two years.
I was thinking the traditional ’why does this happen to ME?’ I’m relatively young. I have always talked about the importance of sunscreen to others and have tried to use it myself. But apparently not enough. My skin burns really easily, fair hair, fair skin, blue eyes... Now I have bought texas style hat and I’m using sunscreen with SPF50 liberally at summer. And I avoid mid day sun. I believe now I’ll be safe.
With this experience I have learned to appreciate life and small things more, and will do what I want to achieve right now instead of waiting. The previous me was always waiting for ’some other remote point in time’ when I would do things, for some perfect time. With this new view on life of doing things now, I just revently repaired AC on my car by myself and I bought a welder. Because I wanted! I have always wanted to weld too, and now I can. And I feel great! Earlier I didn’t have encourage to do these bigger tasks on myself, now I just think ’why not, it’s just life! What’s the worst that could happen to me?’ If I want to achieve something in my life, now I will do it asap and not wait (note: it must not cost a lot of money, but it’s ok to cost a lot of effort). Why wait? Let’s do it!
You are possibly at the beginning of a journey. Be optimistic. My brother said to me two years ago: ’Even if the survival percent would be 1%, then so what!? That 1% is going to be someone. Why wouldn’t it be you?’ It hit me hard, in the positive way. Really, why wouldn’t it be me? And the percent was much better for me and will be for you. And you are young, I count that as a plus (compare to some 80 year old who has multiple underlying conditions already as a burden).
I hope you will find similar enlightment as I did in my two year journey, and you will learn to appreciate small things in life even more, and life itself. Turn the negative into positive event. I sometimes can appreciate and enjoy every sunlight, every singing bird, in totally different way than before. Every day I appreciate being alive.
And you know what, you’ll be fine! I’m glad you are already ’in the pipe’ for treatment if needed. And you’re not alone. We hear you buddy! Been there, done that! We’re on the same boat, you see. Life can surprise sometimes, but you just have to bite the bullet, go forward, and trust that life carries you over the temporary waves. Do your best with the possible treatment and trust that everything’s going to be fine. Because if somebody is going to come out of this as the winner, why wouldn’t it be you?
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Skin cancer isn't "skin cancer".
There are 3 types:
There are 3 types:
- basal cell carcinoma - while a cancer, this type is fairly benign. Also known as a rodent ulcer. These are very common. You get these cut out and (once the edges are clear) that's the end of it.
- squamous cell carcinoma - not the worst but still serious. I had a patient die from this. It had spread to the lymph nodes in his neck and it eventually blocked the blood flow to his brain. This type is usually curable with local excision but still nothing to fool around with.
- malignant melanoma - this one is nasty. It has a tendency to spread through the blood or the lymphatic system early on and while totally removed locally can reappear years or decades later in an entirely different location (not in the skin). Not too common but not rare either. My niece has had two of them but still doesn't wear a hat and sunbathes.
I’ve had melanoma.
If I remember correctly, 5 year survival rate is 97% if it’s cut away when it’s totally flat, on the skin level. If it grows thickness (and under the surface deepens) the survival rate drops sharply. That’s why it’s essential to always treat it as soon as possible.
My current percent is about 50/50, but I believe I’m still on the safer side, as the relapse has been so local. I shall stay positive, until further notice If I’m going to be clean for 3 years, that’s really good news, 5 years is practically fully cured. 10 years = can consider fully cured.
If I remember correctly, 5 year survival rate is 97% if it’s cut away when it’s totally flat, on the skin level. If it grows thickness (and under the surface deepens) the survival rate drops sharply. That’s why it’s essential to always treat it as soon as possible.
My current percent is about 50/50, but I believe I’m still on the safer side, as the relapse has been so local. I shall stay positive, until further notice
If I’m going to be clean for 3 years, that’s really good news, 5 years is practically fully cured. 10 years = can consider fully cured.
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I've had barnacles removed. One my left arm was scooped out, perfectly round marble. Not malignant. The burners on my face get old
