Cancer Scare - Don't Think It Can't Happen To You

[VoodooChile78]

I'm only 29 and had a little red spot on my right arm, sort of like a pimple that would not go away, thought nothing off it for a while til it started getting itchy and looking flaky.

Had the thing cut out and it turned out to be a Basal Cell Carcinoma *Skin cancer*. Have a look at the scar I have...please let it serve as a warning to all of us to slip, slop, slap and take care in the sun, especially our kids cause that is where I gained the exposure that caused this cancer.

From now on I will be wearing my big brimmed hat, shimano UVF resistant shirt, sunscreen and sunglasses...may look like a right wally but I would rather look like that then a frankenstein from all the places where cancers have been removed.

Mike L.

[Noelm]

A BCC is sort of OK, not usually known to be life threatening, I have had 3 "cut out" now and you are right, it is not something to think only happens to someone else, I lost a good friend only last year to melanoma, he did not even know he had it, one of his kids saw a darky, sort of mole on his neck, he died just 4 months later, scarey stuff.

[-spiro-]

Man thats a few stitchs for a mole. Deep rooted hey?

[Chris Ryan]

I am only 34 and had a few remvoed already. My Mum has had a few scares as well. Add to that prostate cancer, cholesterol issues and diabetes to my family genetics and man I have it made.

However, nothing beats doing the right thing, being sensible and getting checked. Even at 34, I have had the bend over and cough a few times already. Just leave your pride at the door of the quack and get it done!

Chris

[outsiderskip]

i had a few problems too
i had them cut out on my arms but a had a bad one on my neck had me booked in for surgery in two days so far so good they got it all
we did some stupid things when we were young a chick did not want to know you if you never had a good tan
bit wiser now
pete

[VoodooChile78]

That's it...forget about stupid pride...if you are worried about something to do with your health...get it checked out, could save your life.

I know the BCC is not life-threatening but it's a damn good wake-up call. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world and if we are going to love the outdoors we have to acknowledge the risks and take precautions.

and yeah, nice scar...have to make sure they get it all...but chicks dig scars...don't they? *laughs*

[charleville]

The issue of skin cancer was raised in an earlier thread that I had posted about the risks for older guys.

What was very sobering from that thread was the number of young guys who said that they had had things cut off them. I was really surprised by the response.

This is the previous thread ...

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=78671&highlight=skin+cancer

[Marlin_Mike]

My old man was rushed to hospital last friday. he has had heaps cut off him after 50 odd years of going to the beach.

The bad ones break off and spread through your body. Like 4 did to him.

LAst friday they did scans and found 3 break away tumors in his brain and one in his lung. None operable, none treatable. All broken off the skin cancers he has had for years.

Dont be stupid, get it checked out, dont be a macho bullshit hero. Rather be scarred a bit than dead. And slip slop slap people.

Mike

[lxc]

working in hospitals, I see lots of people who die from Cancer and a high proportion of those had seen signs earlier but failed to get it checked out until it was too late!
If you are not sure get it checked out ASAP. The earlier it gets found the better the chances of survival, and the longer we survive the more we get to Fish!

[roydsy]

I had a raised birthmark on my head. At age 20 I decided I wanted to get my hair cut real short and went to the doc to have the birthmark checked out.... he said did you know that particular type of birthmark has a real high chance of being malignant, you should get it removed. something like 50-60%

I did have it removed and tested, by a plastic surgeon, a few hundred bucks later and no real visible scar and all is good. I get the phone call to come intot he docs, yes it was malignant and yes we believe we got it all. Bloody big wake up call to have things checked out. I felt the thing becoming more itchy and I felt that something just wasn't right. I was lucky, 10+years later no further problems.... all good.

[PinHead]

had several cut out..the last one on my temple..an invasive type..if left alone it would burrow into other tissue and bone.

[dagwood]

I am lucky enough to not have had any Melonomas as yet but have been getting BCCs cut out for about the last 25 years. I have check ups about 4 to 6 times a year at the RBH. Have had the cartlilage removed from my right ear, lower right eyelid done twice, top and bottom right eyelid, removed lobe from my left ear , grafted left nostril and probably another 20 odd grafts around the face as well as heaps of surgical removals where they just cut them out and stitch it. That's just my face. I am 58 and look after myself when out in the sun. People do not think to put on sunscreen when they are driving a car, truck etc..bad..All BCCs...don't ignore them they can do a lot of damage

Darryl

[manchild]

Im a roofer by trade,need to say anything else.At an age of 33 i had 2 cut off my left ears 3 off the right ,2 surgically removed from the back of my neck.Not to mention all the burn offs .I regurarly {every 3 months} go to check up to a skin cancer clinic were they have taken photos of all my spots so they can see any changes even if i miss something.Recommend it to anyone .
George
Sorry to hear that Mike.I lost my darling Mum to cancer and it wasnt nice.

[sid_fishes]

mike, i hope all goes well for your dad as mine is doing the same time as yours.its a ###### up time for any family, but we have to learn from others , so let it be a warning to all cheers ian

[Wahoo]

blocklayer by trade, being bullet proof ( fool ) between the age of 15 - 24, never had a shirt or hat on during the week and fishing on weekends, paying for it now thou, had a fair share of burnoffs and a few cut out, the lattest was a huge cutout just under the tearduck, have said for a few years now when i turn 40, tis time to hang up the ol trowl


Mike, hope all goes well with your dad



Daz

[choppa]

there is NOTHING that sits you on your rear end faster,,, than having some unknown person inform you that you have cancer,,, whether you believe it or not,,, it changes your whole perception,,,attitude,,, and outlook on life IMMEDIATLEY,,

october 2004 i had a headcold,,, november i was over it but had a sore throat and found it hard to swallow food,,, by the end of november i found it hard to swallow water,,, booked in to the local doctor,,, he had me for no more than 10 minutes and i was whisked away to the RBWH,,, they had me until august 2005,,

then you have the post treatment to get over,,, i still spend approx a week each month with hospital/doctors/specialists etc etc etc

and even though i stopped counting the amount of needles after 1100,,,, i still get em,,, whether its stuff going in or blood coming out

in hindsight,,, i am on the better side,, and improving,,,,BUT ITS THE FASTEST WAY OF LOSING WEIGHT THAT I KNOW OFF,,,,,

if in doubt,,, check it out,,, and don't for a minute think that it can't happen to you,,, ALL of the people i met in oncology had the same opinion including myself

choppa

[jimbo59]

Lost a school mate 4 weeks ago to cancer, he complained of a sore throat about 9 months ago i said see a doc so he did and they told him he had 6 months to live but he only got 4 months, on the wednesday night he was walking to the toilet by sunday he was gone.:'(

[sandyd]

A couple of years ago my son was visiting and laughed at how white I was as I use to be one of these sun worshipers who could have claimed land rights. I thought to be brown was to look healthy but after getting so far 4 moles cut out I have realised that is not the case.

about 5 years now 2 days before Christmas my brother also found out he had cancer all because he had a cough that would not go away, that I would have to say was the second worse Christmas our family has had to endure as with all the holidays no one could tell him what kind he had what the course of action was and what he was facing. After waiting 3 weeks after Christmas he finally rang his doctor to be told he was on holidays. To cut a long story short he ended up with chemo and radio for the next 7 months and now has a clean bill of health.

the thing is if something does not feel right or look right it more then likely won't be so go and see the doctors. I Find that men are the worse as for some reason they seem to want to ignore these things and won't go to doctors. Why is this.

Mike and Ian I hope you both have good results with your family members. Just try and stay positive for them, it really does help them in the long run.

[smee]

Sometimes these things are caused by more than just being in the sun cancers that is as you would be aware SANDYD this issue is being brought up around gladstone as we speak . Ive lost some very close friends and had others around them changed for life including myself this is a very emotional issue for all involved and our kids really need to be advised more even to the extent of adverts on tv as they do smokers. sorry to the smokers but its an addiction thats why you like it.

[Chris Ryan]

Having seen family and friends go through this, and one of my good friends' sister is an oncologist, the increases in cancer are mindboggling. Skin cancer is one, but did you know prostate cancer kills more people than breast cancer? No offence to the breast cancer sufferers or what has been done to promote awareness, but you never see advertising/sponsorship etc for the equivilance mens disease. Add to that the number of bowel cancer sufferers it seems a pick the nicer diseases to promote seems the way.

All cancer sux equally. Get yourselves checked and throw some spare coin in the tins when you see them for any version of the cancer killers.

To Mike, Ian and all other affected by this - prayers and throughts with you all.

Chris

[webby]

Had a few in my time, which enabled me to get the centre page of Playboy, after a lot of nips and tucks.
Though i was immuned in me younger days, but oh boy how time catches up.
regards

[cajunnsw]

I am 46 and have lost count of the number of BCC's and SCC's I have had removed, and how many different ways they have been done. However, I haven't lost count of the number of Melanomas - 2 - both 1 step on the scale away from chemo etc. The first was discovered when my MIL said, I think that mole on your leg has changed, the second when I had a small lump on my back smaller than a pimple. The GP said very unusual, probably nothing to worry about, but given my history excised it. A phone call from the GP in the middle of a Sunday afternoon bbq put a bit of a dampener on proceedings. Both melanomas were treated surgically with wide area excisions. Looks like a shark bit my leg! :)

My dad died of lung cancer, probably metastasised from a melanoma, in 1999. I miss him every day.

Like most of you I love the outdoors, fishin, cricket, football, camping etc etc. My kids are the same, but they were always protected when they were young. Each cricket team I coach has 5 minutes before each game to put on their sunscreen.

ANYONE who has had a sunburn or 2 anytime in the past owes it to their loved ones to have their skin checked at least yearly, or better, twice a year. If you are fair skinned, the chances are that you will have sun damage.

[Brett1907]

I had one cut out of my back at around 16. My sister too around the same age, she has had 2 more removed and is only 27. My father has been having the burn off ones for the past 20 years, had a BCC removed from his ear last year and one from his cheek last week. Others have been cut out over the last couple of years and he had a melanoma cut out of his back last year.

A close friend of ours checjed herself for lumps 2 weeks ago. Within a week she had a breast removed and went back in this week for more surgery and scans cause 3 of her lymph nodes came back positive. Don't know the results of the scans yet, she will need at least 6 months of chemo.

Don't wait until you think something might be wrong, check regularly. She checked every couple of months and the lump wasn't there at the beginning of the year! We get checked by the scin doctor every 12 months and keep an eye on each others moles and spots in between (My wife and I, not my sister).

Brett

[wiz]

Hi Guys

Wanted to reply to this post before this, as this subject is one that I am passionate about and did not want to offend anyone due to lack of tact in my explaination. This story I found whilst doing research on this subject and pretty much is the consensus that is becoming quite obvious. Keep an open mind as more than likely your life or someone close to you will benefit from this old knowledge. If you don't agree it is your choice and your life to do as you will.

http://health.centreforce.com/health/mystory.html

Cheers Dan

[PinHead]

wiz..some people will believe anything at times...some cancer cases they never find the primary cancer..no hope on that one. Bowel cancer is supposedly the most easily cured..that is if it is only in the bowel..if it has reached the small intestine and liver then once again no hope.