who here has had a skin cancer scare

WoodysXR6 · 03-02-2008, 07:50 PM

Hi all i off too the skin cancer clinic in the morning as it might not be good and was wonder who else on the forums has had it or a scare?

not looking Forward to it.

olfella · 03-02-2008, 08:11 PM

Well not being the bearer of good news, I buried a mate last week who died from melenoma, and he was younger than me!! Personally, I have had heaps of kerotosies burnt off, had a big slice taken from my bottom lip to BCC, three goes at my nose by a plastic surgeon to remove more SCC and BCC, and more recently had a melenoma taken from my upper arm. Apparently it was in its eary stages. I have been going to skin specialists since my lip was done in 1996, so it pays to be vigilant. Main thing is get in early and have anything looked at. If you are not happy then get a second opinion.
I would be interested to hear how you go - Cheers, Eric

WoodysXR6 · 03-02-2008, 08:46 PM

Not good news for you to here sorry.

Its the redness behind the mark i am worried about so yeah im in panict mod and will not be in the sun every not covered up.

fmc351 · 03-02-2008, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xr220Au3

Not good news for you to here sorry.

Its the redness behind the mark i am worried about so yeah im in panict mod and will not be in the sun every not covered up.

I had a few 'spots' on my arm, so toddled off to the skin clinic as one appeared to have changed. Turned out I had nothing to worry about, Dr just said welcome to getting old. B4stard, Im only 30 odd, OK very odd.

I was asking about skin cancer in general as Im a white bugger and living in Qld I get plenty of red in summer on my arms from driving etc, nose gets its fair share too. Dr was saying while sun has been spouted as a cause and may be, there is no evidence it is as many people get skin cancers who dont get that much sun exposure, basically he was saying it has a role in it, but isnt the cause in his opinion. He was explaining to me its a melanin issue and can occur in your groin or any other place the sun dont shine, much the same as moles are melanin issues and are what they look at.

That was my take on his explanation anyway.

WoodysXR6 · 03-02-2008, 09:06 PM

Oh yep i have a a english background and have got my mums side of things being very white , im not much for the sun but were singlets and thats were im worried about,

Damn both my sisters got my dads olived skin too.

Cheers guys
Regards Craig

WoodysXR6 · 03-02-2008, 09:07 PM

This is a scarey topic i think never ever get burnt to.
Rodderz thats alot hey gez

fmc351 · 03-02-2008, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xr220Au3

Oh yep i have a a english background and have got my mums side of things being very white , im not much for the sun but were singlets and thats were im worried about,

Damn both my sisters got my dads olived skin too.

Cheers guys
Regards Craig

So you'd hear the same cr4p I hear. "You need some sun mate, just do it a bit each day or similar".

Ummm no, I have two shades, white, then red, then white again with maybe some peeling and little blisters if I get stuck without cover for a little too long.

My boy got his mums olive skin thank christ.

olfella · 03-02-2008, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmc351

I was asking about skin cancer in general as Im a white bugger and living in Qld I get plenty of red in summer on my arms from driving etc, nose gets its fair share too. Dr was saying while sun has been spouted as a cause and may be, there is no evidence it is as many people get skin cancers who dont get that much sun exposure, basically he was saying it has a role in it, but isnt the cause in his opinion. He was explaining to me its a melanin issue and can occur in your groin or any other place the sun dont shine, much the same as moles are melanin issues and are what they look at.

That was my take on his explanation anyway.

I blame my Irish ancestors!! I have also heard that you can get them where the sun nevers shines - like the soles of your feet!!
I would not be too worried at this stage XR220Au3. It is usually a colour change or change in size to keep an eye out for.

mattp · 06-02-2008, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmc351

Dr was saying while sun has been spouted as a cause and may be, there is no evidence it is as many people get skin cancers who dont get that much sun exposure, basically he was saying it has a role in it, but isnt the cause in his opinion. He was explaining to me its a melanin issue and can occur in your groin or any other place the sun dont shine, much the same as moles are melanin issues and are what they look at.

That was my take on his explanation anyway.

If he believes that I'd find a new GP. Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body, and may be somewhere that's never seen the light of day, but it's cumulative sun exposure that's the cause, that is well and truly established. Saying it's not is like saying smoking isn't proven to cause lung cancer.
Best thing is to be vigilant and get regular skin checks, especially us Queenslanders, who have the honour of having the highest skin cancer rate in the world.
Good luck.

fmc351 · 06-02-2008, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattp

If he believes that I'd find a new GP. Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body, and may be somewhere that's never seen the light of day, but it's cumulative sun exposure that's the cause, that is well and truly established. Saying it's not is like saying smoking isn't proven to cause lung cancer.
Best thing is to be vigilant and get regular skin checks, especially us Queenslanders, who have the honour of having the highest skin cancer rate in the world.
Good luck.

Its clearly stated he said the sun has an effect but its not the cause, at best its a trigger. Otherwise people who live in more temperate climates wouldnt have to worry about it.

He is not a GP.

rodderz · 03-02-2008, 09:02 PM

My old man has had about 6 cut out, 3 on his head

He used to do heaps of waterskiing without screen on

The first one on his leg was misdiagnosed and grew double the size in a matter of weeks, when cut out they had to take out a huge piece of calf muscle with it

Geez Louise · 03-02-2008, 10:29 PM

My father in law went in for a routine check up and 30mins later was having a melanoma removed. Scary stuff!!

Best of luck to you!!

gtxb67 · 03-02-2008, 10:35 PM

my mum has had 6 moles cut off, 3 in the pre cancerous stage. she spent too long in the sun when she was younger.
most doctors will take them off if they have the slightest doubt about them, so you may very well have nothing to worry about. maybe have regular (yearly, or as the doctor recommends) check ups to make sure no more are growing.
my mum has not had any for around 20 years now so yours may be a once off, but if would be wise to stay out of the sun, and have anything that looks like it has changed appearance checked asap

Paxton · 03-02-2008, 10:41 PM

I'm whiter than a Ghost, so I've had my fair share of freckles and things turn, however 99% have turned out to be nothing, but the other 1% have been SCCs. Not fun having the "Laser" on them, but so far I've been lucky.

You just reminded me to see a Dermatologist about this Wart I have on my Right Arm. I've been putting it off for months.

Pedro · 04-02-2008, 12:15 AM

I spent most of my youth on the Northern beaches of Sydney. I've had heaps of BCC's and SCC's taken off and have a check up at the skin clinic every three months.

I'd advise everyone to get checked at least every 6 months.

paul_r_d · 04-02-2008, 12:39 AM

My friend had to have a chunk taken out from the top of her ear that contained a mole. When it healed it looked hideous (looked like something bit her and this piece was missing). She is current seeing plastic surgeons to make her ear look normal.

gtfpv · 04-02-2008, 12:47 AM

best advice is a skin check every 6 months . there have been many times i have been worried and it has turned out to be nothing .
but vigilance is a must.

WoodysXR6 · 04-02-2008, 07:10 PM

HEY GUYS ALL SWEET just a few fatty moles Hell Yeah.

olfella · 04-02-2008, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xr220Au3

HEY GUYS ALL SWEET just a few fatty moles Hell Yeah.

beauty!!

jd dad · 04-02-2008, 09:26 PM

Had a piece taken out of my calf a month or so back, Doc said it doesnt look bad but we will take it anyway. Turned out to be a nasty one so lucky she did. Got to have skin check every 6 mnths now just to be safe. Had one on the same calf removed about 5 yrs back as well.

WoodysXR6 · 04-02-2008, 09:50 PM

Lucky it eneded that way its scarey

4vxc · 04-02-2008, 10:01 PM

Last year I had a small spot which was like a bit of dry skin. Saw a GP who tried to freeze it off twice but no luck then got referred to a specialist for a biopsy, turned out bad so off to the hospital for a general anesthetic and this was the end result.....

went back for the checkup 6 weeks later only to find I had another one on my eyelid which had to come off under a general also.
Due to sunburn as a kid apparently

4vxc · 05-02-2008, 10:38 PM

one more thing, most damage is done when your young but if you get badly burnt in your 20's,30's or whatever it will still catch up with you latter on in life. I have to be real careful now not to get burnt where the "repairs" were done.

huggiebear · 05-02-2008, 11:46 PM

i have had 2 melanomas removed, one on my back which i got in time and the other on the back of my head. i got that one removed with 1 month to spare otherwise it would have spread all over my body. just a reminder people, i had the moles since birth so its not just new ones you need to look out for. i hope no one has to go through what some of us here have

Duke · 06-02-2008, 08:42 AM

Scary as hell this stuff.
Had a small bump appear from nowhere on my shoulder a few months ago. Doc took one look and burnt the bugger off - hopefully it stays gone, but it's a scary thing to have pop up all of a sudden like that - I'm only 42.

I can only imagine the outcome if it'd appeared somewhere I couldn't see in the mirror...

As others have said, vigilence is the key with regular skin doctor visits. It's big business now, but with good reason apparentley.

**aussiblue** · 06-02-2008, 03:48 PM

I wear a hat all the time and sun protection driving gloves but have to have two frozen off the right side of the face; runs in the family and I was a freckled red head (hence aussiblue) before I startef going grey and bald. I figure the right side of my face gets exposed to the rising and setting sun as I drive too and from work so I have started wearing one of these while driving and look like a terrorist:

DeJaVuFPV · 06-02-2008, 04:15 PM

Glad everything is OK,
I had a doctor recomend a specialist visit after a general checkup. I didn't get around to it and next time I saw him he rang me the next day to make sure I booked in. Turned out I had 2 melanoma cut out. One on the back and one on the thigh. Both where I had bad burns in my early teens.