[Help] Experiences of Skin Cancer

So been a pretty shitty week at WS Towers. Lost my job on Tuesday but then to cap it, Mrs WS comes back from the doctor with suspected skin cancer diagnosed. The real kicker is of course I no longer have access to my, now ex-employer's, private medical services.

Anyway, despite the doctor's assurances, Mrs WS is shitting it as most of us would having heard the big 'C' word. Currently waiting for an appointment with a consultant.

Does anyone have any experience of having skin cancer ? What's the process ? What's the treatment like ?

So sorry to hear that, mate. I can't offer any advice, I'm afraid. All the best.

My wife had skin cancer about 6 years ago (she was in her late 30's). I believe that there is only 1 treatment for skin cancer and that is to remove it. The procedure was cariied out at Southlands hospital. They just cut / lasser it out.

She has had regular checks ever since. We did have a scare about 18 months ago, but it turned out it had not returned. The NHS has been very good.

Wishing you all the best.

Mum and a friend have both had lesions which were skin cancer. Had them cut out and tested. Friend had to go back to have a bit more cut out to make sure they'd got it all. Both fine.

One of my team at work has just had two skin cancers removed. One from her head and one her nose. My mother also has had several removed (tops of shoulders and nose / face) and has a closer relationship with her dermatologist that my Dad I suspect. Being Australian my Mum spent most of her life in the sun before slip, slop, slap was a thing and before the dangers of the sun were really understood and communicated. I think the way to try and help the enormous scare it gives you is to think of them as spot cancers, get them removed and then monitor annually and keep checking yourself. Many many people don't see them again or if they do, you just remove it and keep monitoring. Early detection is obviously the best thing. Its horrific when that word is mentioned, I completely understand the fear! Sends you into a spiral of googling, which makes it worse too, but sometimes people just can't help themselves looking for something to sooth the fear. Best thing to do is talk about it to others, like you are on here. Its far more common than you realise.

No personal experience but two close work colleagues had incidences - both underwent simple removal operations and have had no recurrence. NHS care and attention was excellent in both cases. Good luck

My mum had it. As others have said you just get it removed so long as it’s been caught early enough. She’s now 78 and very fit and well.

Good luck with the job hunt.

Both my wife and I have had skin cancer. My wife for about 15 years and has a yearly check where they remove by laser/cream/scalpel (?) one or two a year, basel skin cancer mostly. I have had a squamous cell cancer cut out of my scalp. She now knows exactly what to look out for and goes straight to the doctor for referral.

In all cases once referred from the doctor, we were seen within a couple of weeks and depending on the severity removal appointments made within another couple of weeks. All done on the NHS even though we had private medical cover at the time.

Without knowing the full details I think your wife may well be sorted quickly. I believe if caught early there is often actually nothing major or sinister to worry about. Fingers crossed for your wife.

Cant offer any advice I’m afraid. But I do wish you both well. All the very best.

Same story as the others. It will be cut out. They may go back and cut more out.

One brother and Mrs T have had skin cancer surgery. Mrs T's was a tiny mole that had suddenly changed. Malignant melanoma. Excision, let the would heal, then excise more to be safe. Job done. She may get a tattoo over it, but our views on tattoos have well aired.

Brother, however, has had lurid and flamboyant moles on his back for years. Eventually his missus insisted he get one of them checked. Yep - melanoma. It having been there for 'some time' he had a six inch incision. But several years later he's still right as rain.

Very best wishes to you (new job) and the missus. It should all end up well

A lot of people here suffer, mostly for not putting protection on skin when playing out as kids.
Regularly see them at the bar with plasters on, or wearing dressings where growths have been removed.

Really sorry to hear, but a couple of my friends have had them. Both simple removals and no re-occurrences a good few years on. Worst thing for them was giving up lying on beach on 'sunny' holidays (which may well have been the cause).

Westdene Seagull said:

So been a pretty shitty week at WS Towers. Lost my job on Tuesday but then to cap it, Mrs WS comes back from the doctor with suspected skin cancer diagnosed. The real kicker is of course I no longer have access to my, now ex-employer's, private medical services.

Anyway, despite the doctor's assurances, Mrs WS is shitting it as most of us would having heard the big 'C' word. Currently waiting for an appointment with a consultant.

Does anyone have any experience of having skin cancer ? What's the process ? What's the treatment like ?

Click to expand...

It really depends which type it is… BCC, SCC, malignant melanoma, T-cell, etc…

The treatment is dependant on which one, the first three would be treated locally, anything more complex will go to a tertiary centre in London.

I have had one, which was just removed……

Recently had a squamous carcinoma removed from my lip. all quite efficient as it took less than two months from seeing the GP and everyone said it wouldn’t be quicker using private health. The only way they could test for it was to remove it. Can say the surgery was pleasant due to the location but very relieved once the diagnosis came though.
i have regular follow ups - I can’t fault the care. Prognosis is very good now.

It’s one of the most common forms of cancer and treated early has a very high success rate.
I have had four instances over the past 20 years of Basal Carcinomas on my scalp, neck, back and nose fortunately all were spotted early and treated under the NHS.
They were all incised under local anaesthetic stitches come out a week later and within a couple of months you would be hard pressed to see anything had taken place, the whole procedure is painless.
I am sure your wife will find the same and good luck with the treatment

Westdene Seagull said:

So been a pretty shitty week at WS Towers. Lost my job on Tuesday but then to cap it, Mrs WS comes back from the doctor with suspected skin cancer diagnosed. The real kicker is of course I no longer have access to my, now ex-employer's, private medical services.


Does anyone have any experience of having skin cancer ? What's the process ? What's the treatment like ?

Click to expand...

Sorry to hear this, about your job too - that is a fcuked week.

I’ve had skin cancer 4 times - two different sorts, one more serious than the other. I’ll tell you what I know based on my own experience (it might be different for others) and hopefully it may be helpful to you (or others).

Back in 2019, I was given a two week referral to dermatology to look at a lesion that was growing very quickly.

Once I was seen by a dermatologist they asked me to go back for a biopsy - they knew immediately it was cancer (white melanoma it turned out) but didn’t confirm how deep or what type. This took another few weeks to get an appointment for a biopsy - normal timescale if a melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma is suspected (both high risk cancers that have the potential to invade surrounding tissue if not removed). Basal cell cancers are not removed as a matter of urgency usually as they are very slow growing and don’t metastasise - I met people in the clinic who had basal cell cancers for several years so timescale depends what on what type your wife has .

There are several types of biopsy, sometimes if the lesion is small and not deep, they will do a shave biopsy and remove most of the visible lesion (or a punch biopsy which doesn’t) - results of biopsy for me came back in 7 days - the Consultant phoned me while I was at work one afternoon - it was a very bad signal and I kept losing him (which made it a slightly bizarre ‘you have cancer call’ ) - I couldn’t hear much of what he was saying tbh and got cut off - His secretary phoned back later though and I was invited to go back 4 days later for minor surgery.

This was MOHS surgery that took all day and basically consists of the Consultant removing areas of the site of the skin tumour and each time taking it to a lab to check all the area was cancer free. It took about 3 goes to get clear margins. Most of the day was sitting around waiting for results and drinking cups of coffee. (They removed a basal cell cancer at the same time just because it was convenient to do so.)

This was repeated a few months later with another skin cancer lesion that had come up, this time a squamous cell carcinoma. I had my lymph nodes checked after that and subsequently a full body CT scan a few years later because my blood work and symptoms were showing abnormal results in my case, they found malignant tumours elsewhere but it was absolutely nothing to do with the skin cancer - I can’t stress that enough (either spreading or coming back) and those were also removed successfully.

I am now also currently being monitored for pancreatic pre-cancerous cysts (waiting for the latest result of my scan at the moment) so for me, skin cancer isn’t really a major concern in the greater scheme of things because in my case, so far, it is usually very easily dealt with and removed in an outpatient clinic - but obviously still worrying for someone who has never had any type of cancer before and does not yet know what they are dealing with. I had another skin cancer tumour removed just before Christmas this year and have regular appointments now with a dermatologist (one coming up on Monday). If it’s any comfort- Skin cancer tumours are very treatable if found early, even the more malignant types.

I hope everything goes well for your wife and that it is has been caught early whatever the type of cancer. With skin cancer, I have found the fear of the ‘big C’ is often worse than the actual disease itself in my case (even with melanomas caught early) so staying away from Dr Google getting on with life as normal while going through the process works well for me - I went to Spurs v Brighton while waiting for my last cancer test results this Christmas - that was the best distraction ever.

Westdene Seagull said:

So been a pretty shitty week at WS Towers. Lost my job on Tuesday but then to cap it, Mrs WS comes back from the doctor with suspected skin cancer diagnosed. The real kicker is of course I no longer have access to my, now ex-employer's, private medical services.

Anyway, despite the doctor's assurances, Mrs WS is shitting it as most of us would having heard the big 'C' word. Currently waiting for an appointment with a consultant.

Does anyone have any experience of having skin cancer ? What's the process ? What's the treatment like ?

Click to expand...

Had it bad 28 years ago. Major op. Sentinel node removal for testing. OK now but need checking as missed yearly appointments due to covid.

Daughter had a mole removed b4 Xmas and cells have spread to groin. Awaiting a major op for full node removal.
Lost my dad last September to his skin cancer returning after 40 years.

All I can say is get the oncologist to get things moving with PET scan, MRI scan. You need to see if the cells have moved to the lymph nodes.

I look forward to your telling us that you have a better job and your wife is fine @Westdene Seagull. All the best on both fronts.

Westdene Seagull said:

So been a pretty shitty week at WS Towers. Lost my job on Tuesday but then to cap it, Mrs WS comes back from the doctor with suspected skin cancer diagnosed. The real kicker is of course I no longer have access to my, now ex-employer's, private medical services.

Anyway, despite the doctor's assurances, Mrs WS is shitting it as most of us would having heard the big 'C' word. Currently waiting for an appointment with a consultant.

Does anyone have any experience of having skin cancer ? What's the process ? What's the treatment like ?

Click to expand...

Like many posts on here, our experience was scary but with a positive outcome. My Wife had a mole on her leg and that was tested positive for a melanoma. Within a month she had the full thing removed and a test on her lymph nodes in her groin to check if it had spread and thankfully it hadn´t. She did have an infection in the site of the groin test which required a week in Hospital for intravenous antibiotics which was unpleasant for her but all ok now and has to back for a follow up check in 6 months.

Hope you both have a similar outcome. (Without the infection of course)

PS Good luck on the job front too.

I didn’t mention but please dm me if you have any question. I’m sure that goes for anyone else who has gone through this process.
My wife has just had a suspected melanoma removed from her back - that was done only a few weeks after referral.