Hi all,

Has anyone any experience or knowledge of skin cancer?  My dad has been told he has skin cancer and of course I am worried sick.  He has to go to the hospital next week to have it removed.  Any positive experiences welcome.

:-)

My SIL had skin cancer probably 2 or 3 years ago now, she had to have it removed and I think it came back and so she had to have another operation, but she has now been given the all clear, I am pretty sure she has to keep going back for check ups, but so far so good! Sorry the details are sketchy, we aren't very close to be honest.

I am sorry to hear about your dad, and of course you all must be sick with worry, but I believe it is one of the easier cancers to treat, and the stats are quite high for a full recovery.

I hope someone else can come and give you some more in depth details.

Best wishes and big hugs

Nat xxx

Not many with positive experiences - thats encouraging.. :-)

Thanks Nat - from looking on net it is treatable in most cases so fingers crossed.  Think it was that dredded C word that freaked me out.

People do hear cancer and freak out, I know I would if I was in your position, but I think miracles can be worked with some people, and although I have lost a few family members and friends to the disease, I have had more given the all clear after some sort of treatment. The prognosis is a lot better now than even just 5 years ago with most cancers.

I will be thinking of you, and hoping your dad has a full and easy recovery.

Take care

Nat xxx

Hi, the majority of skin cancers in the UK are basal cell carcinomas. These are removed surgically and although they can come back in the same place if the excision is not complete they do not metastasize (spread from one part of the body to another). In other words basal cell carcinomas don't behave like cancer at all (they are also called 'Rodent ulcers') and the only problems they cause are in the area they arise.

Less common is squamous cell carcinoma. It grows faster then a basal cell carcinoma and can spread through the body, but rarely does unless it is not treated. Again treatment is by local excision or sometimes radiotherapy if it is in a difficult position for surgery.

There are less common skin cancers including, malignant melanoma, which can be nastier but they are rare.

Hopefully your dad has a basal cell carcinoma which are a nusiance but not something to get too worried about.

Hi All

He has the SCC.  Hopefully the hospital will pull their finger out and get a letter to him about the operation.  They seem to take ages. 

Thanks for all of your comments :-)

I think now I have got over the shock of the 'C' word things are looking up. 

Will keep you posted