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Dad had a small itchy mole on his back that turned out to be melanoma, it was removed but still the cancer spread to his lymphatic system so he also had non-hodgkins lymphoma. From there it spread to his lungs and his spine.
He lived 2 and a half years after his initial diagnosis, he had some of the best cancer treatments in the world and even took part in early trials of gene therapy.
Make no doubt about it melanoma is deadly, once you have experienced your father going from a strapping 5'11" and 240lbs to a very very sick 75lbs with this disease you will never use a sun bed or sunbathe again. He died in February 2000, I miss him every day.
Actually it's debatable wither basal cell carcinoma should even be classified as a cancer, because while it is locally aggressive it virtually never metastasizes.
Maybe some of you would feel better getting on a skin cancer group and see the pictures and the stories and diagnoses of all the members and everything they go through.
Maybe some of you would feel better getting on a skin cancer group and see the pictures and the stories and diagnoses of all the members and everything they go through.
No, I am not wrong. I am actually a practicing pathologist, and have forgotten more about cancer biology than you have ever learned. Metastases from basal cell carcinoma are so incredibly rare that they make the medical literature as a case report when they happen. The American Cancer Society doesn't even track the death rate from basal cell carcinoma because it is so very low.
Should someone ignore a basal cell carcinoma? No, of course not. They can be very destructive tumors (I saw one grow into a patient's brain once; the ulcerated tumor on the man's forehead was the size of my fist, God only knows how long it had been growing, probably a decade at least). But it will not kill most people who pay even minimal attention to their health, and even if it's neglected for a while the chance of it metastasizing is extremely low. It's not even in the same league as squamous cell carcinoma, never mind melanoma.
I've had three BCC in the past four months, and I am going to a full body scan in a few weeks. I am terrified.
And that's the problem: you're excessively frightened of something that's generally not that dangerous (although it is definitely a problem that needs proper treatment, and the treatment can be unpleasant and in some cases disfiguring).
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The first one, they took a quarter-sized chunk out of the bridge of my nose with Mohs surgery. The second one I had to use chemo, it was at the base of my throat. The third one is at the corner of my lip, and she froze it off at the time we found it. It's been three weeks of having an ugly ulcer on my face. Two months before that of ugly black eyes and stitches, and a scar on my chest.
If by "the base of my throat" you mean that the tumor was inside your throat/mouth, you might be wise to be checked for basal-cell nevus syndrome: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevoid...inoma_syndrome It's an uncommon genetic disorder that predisposes a person to basal cell carcinomas as well as a few other rare tumors (primarily involving the teeth/jaw and heart).
Somewhat tangential to this thread, but still interesting: not all melanomas arise as skin cancer. Melanomas can start in back of the eye, the mouth, inside the nose, inside the nasal sinuses, the vagina and cervix, and the anus (as well as a few other places that never see sun exposure). And one of the skin types, acral lentigenous melanoma (which occurs on the digits), doesn't seem to have any strong ties to sun exposure.
And while melanoma can be horribly aggressive, it's also one of the very few cancers that sometimes undergoes spontaneous remission.
All in all, it's a very mysterious disease! And one we still have a lot to learn about.
I knew an attorney who got melanoma. Within 6 months, he was dead. I was shocked. I never thought you could get something that moved so fast inside you. I think everyone should take a good look in the mirror after a shower and see if something does not look right. I use a hand mirror to check my back.
My father in law died of melanoma or, rather, a brain tumor secondary to the melanoma on his nose. A friend's husband died of secondary lung cancer, due to a small melanoma on his arm. He was part of a medical trial for some sort of immune system booster, but it did not do any good. Very scary disease. I also know several people with basal cell and squamous cell who keep getting spots and having them removed and there is no concern about them causing metastatic lesions elsewhere. A couple have had MOHS (I think that's what it's called) surgery because the lesions were on their faces and scars were a cosmetic concern. All of them have had good outcomes and are still alive and well years later. Melanoma, on the other hand, will kill, unless it is caught very, very early.
Even basal and squamous cell cancers if not treated and be quite ugly and eventually kill. I had a mental patient once, locked ward, dementia, never got his squamous call carcinoma treated. Half of his face was rotting off and he had the most terrible odor. Even right after being bathed and cleaned, he smelled like rotting meat. He died not long after.
I'm sorry but I do not believe a basal cell can kill anyone. The only skin cancer I've heard about they call "deadly" is melanoma and an 83 year old male friend of mine had it twice and he still drives to New York City and pulls weeds. His wife treats them after removal. Both my mom and dad and I have/had multiple basal cells and Im fine. Mom died of a stroke at 83; dad at 89.
I feel the AMA wants to rack up business by starting these tales. For instance, decades ago the diastolic blood pressure, the 2nd number, was "perfect at 80." Around ten years ago someone came up with the idea to lower the value of the 2nd number to 75. The result? A BILLION MORE DOLLARS for the drug industry.
I'm sorry but I do not believe a basal cell can kill anyone. The only skin cancer I've heard about they call "deadly" is melanoma and an 83 year old male friend of mine had it twice and he still drives to New York City and pulls weeds. His wife treats them after removal. Both my mom and dad and I have/had multiple basal cells and Im fine. Mom died of a stroke at 83; dad at 89.
I feel the AMA wants to rack up business by starting these tales. For instance, decades ago the diastolic blood pressure, the 2nd number, was "perfect at 80." Around ten years ago someone came up with the idea to lower the value of the 2nd number to 75. The result? A BILLION MORE DOLLARS for the drug industry.
Excuse me!!! But how dare you make light of melanoma. Your 83 year old male friend who,had it twice was OBVIOUSLY LUCKY that it was caught early.
I just watched my dear husband die from melanoma. He battled it for three years and just lost the battle,on May 25th. To hear someone make light of this MONSTER makes my blood boil. How dare you!!!!
You obviously have never watched someone die of melanoma!!! Well I did. My BIL died of it also. It is a very very mean cancer, whether you believe it or not.
I don't know about if the other 2 skin cancers can kill if not treated, but please, your post upset me and is an insult to anyone battling this horrific cancer. You know nothing!!
I'm sorry but I do not believe a basal cell can kill anyone.
Basal cell carcinomas grow slowly, destroying the normal healthy tissue around it. They travel along nerves and destroy structures of the skin.
"...basal cell carcinomas can cover wide areas and grow deep—damaging skin and bone—and cause ulcerations that lead to chronic wounds, which can then become infected. If basal cell develops in the eye area, it can threaten vision."
-The Danger Behind Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers: https://www.healthafter50.com/cancer...a-skin-cancers
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