Basel Cell Carcinoma

[bungie]

I'm a Plumber by trade. So between my work and my love of fishing/boating, I spend a lot of time in the sun just like a few of you guys and girls. I had a small blemish appear about 10 years back on my shoulder, that slowly over the years got bigger. Typical bloke, I didn't worry about even tho my Mrs went on about I should see a skin specialist. A few years back my doctor at the time told me it was OK, just use vitamin E cream on it, it will go away. Well I had a few spare minutes last week and thought I might have it looked at. Doctor was concerned enough over what he saw to get me in today to have it cut out. The first photo show the BCC beside a coin to get an idea of the size, the second is outlined so you can flip back to the first and know what you are looking at. The scabbed area is the main section of the Carcinoma, if you look carefully you can see the outline and the difference in colour to the good skin (I have emphasized the colours in a small way in paintshop, only so that the BCC is slightly more visible). If you have anything like this on you its best to see your local doctor or book an appointment with one of the skin specialists shops that are popping up all over town now. The last shot .... that was taken by the doctor this morning when he cut out the BCC. Until the flesh that was removed has been fully checked out by the lab's we don't know if he go it all. Notice his gloves/fingers to get a size of the holes. What you see inside the cut is fat, ALL the skin in the area gets cut out.

(1)
http://img168.echo.cx/img168/4108/bccin11jn.jpg

(2)
http://img168.echo.cx/img168/9139/bccin1hq.jpg

(3)
http://img168.echo.cx/img168/749/bccout2aw.jpg

I'm hoping this will get people to think about the blemishes, moles, and none healing scabs on their body and get something done about it/them.


bungie

[PinHead]

been there...done that..had a squamous cell cut out about 10 years back...the area on the surface was about the size of 2 match heads...took 3 internal and 15 external stitches by the time they had finished cutting it all out...I get checked regularly now. It was malignant but fortunately the doc had got it all.

[DICER]

I have also had one like yours checked out on my leg. It's slightly smaller than a 10 cent piece and hasn't changed for 4-5 years. It occasionally has dried skin though, but no red breakthrough. Time to get it checked out by another doctor... :o

[Jeremy]

I have had a BCC cut out myself about two years ago. Has left a pretty big scar on my upper arm.

Fortunately, the BCCs are pretty harmless, SCC are more dangerous, and melanomas are killers.

Like Bungie said, if you have any unusual lumps, scabs that don't heal, moles that change colour etc, get them looked at asap.

Jeremy

[Bosunsmate]

Same here, recently had three lumps 'n' bumps checked, luckilly all three were not BCC's. Still get checked yearly at least, just gotta get that sunscreen habbit going though, now wear long sleeves and hat in boat.

Good luck Bungie.

[dazza]

hi bungie,
hope all goes well and they get it all.
i am a registered nurse by trade. one of my first jobs when i started in the game was to lay out an 18 year old shearer, he had died from a melanoma. it was on the bottom of his foot, by the time he found it, it was too late he was riddled with cancer.
we live in the sunshine state and as a result we are exposed to the sun's deadly rays on a daily basis.
hopefully people will take your advice and make an appointment to see their doctor for a skin check.
all the best mate, hope things go well
cheers
dazza

ps jeremy: bcc's (basal cell carcinoma) and scc's (squamous cell carcinoma) do kill, it just takes a bit longer.

[agnes_jack]

Yeah!!
It is so common to hear of people having lumps cut out these days :-/

Myself, my wife and my son have all had moles removed, as well as many friends and associates. It is something that everybody needs to keep a very close eye on.
Regular checks at one one of the new specialist clinics are the best way to go. To give you an idea how quickly they can develop, my wife (Sandi) had 2 very small spots on her upper arm. Within about 3 weeks they had quadrupled in size!!!!!!
As our sport means we spend a heap of time out in the sun we all need to be very carefull to do regular checks and we need to respond quickly to any visible changes to our skin.

Regards, Tony :-/ :-/

[gunna]

Do you guys have a "Cancer Council" type thing up there. In NSW we have lots of NSW Cancer Council shops that check you over for no cost. And it only takes a few minutes. Apparently the cost of the "shops" is a hell of a lot less than what it would cost the Government in medical facilities if people went unchecked till it was too late.

[agnes_jack]

Gunna
Yeah mate, we have the new shops popping up allover the place at the moment.
Shows just how common it is. :-/

Regards, Tony

[Jeremy]

ps jeremy: bcc's (basal cell carcinoma) and scc's (squamous cell carcinoma) do kill, it just takes a bit longer.

Dazza, my info is that BCCs are very rarely, if ever, lethal. I am a scientist and I work in cancer research, but not on skin cancer. You may know of some instances i which BCCs have been lethal?

Jeremy

[SeaHunt]

i am a registered nurse by trade. one of my first jobs when i started in the game was to lay out an 18 year old shearer, he had died from a melanoma. it was on the bottom of his foot, by the time he found it, it was too late he was riddled with cancer.

I have also heard of and seen photos of Melanomas on the bottom of peoples feet, now if they are related to sun exposure, you would think that is the second last place you would get them,. ???

[dazza]

sea hunt,
i think exposure to the sun triggers the melanoma formation sort of like a chemical reaction. if you are predisposed and have alot of sun exposure you are more at risk and unfortunatley they don't have to form where the skin is exposed to the sun. this is where scientists are working on a vaccine to stop melanoma formation/growth. someone might be able to give a bit more up to date info. i haven"t done much reading on this for a few years

hi jeremy,
sorry i will clarify myself
have seen a couple, mainly in the old and neglected, usually the tumor errodes into an underlying organ and causes secondary problems.

point i was trying to reinforce which you also made was that even how insignificant someone thinks a spot or a dry/flakey bit of skin is ALWAYS get it cheched.

unfortunatley men are the worst when it comes to preventable disease and early detection.

slip slop slap
cheers
dazza

[Dignity]

bungie, hope your biopsy comes back clean - I was lucky in that my GP was specialising in skin cancer and he always checked me over regular - owns a skin cancer clinic now and I had a lot of trouble finding a good GP after he left the practice

Sam

[Dug]

Slip, slop, slap, slurp! never to early, never to late,

Sunlight is a form of radiation, if you suntan it is like going out and soaking up atomic or nuclear radiation, same origin, same result! #

[smiley=angryfire.gif] burn now = [smiley=angel.gif] #repent later.

PS Great photos !

[DaneCross]

I had 2 cut out when I was 17, the guy also told me I had the bottom lip of a 40yo farmer... needless to say I do my best at slip, slop, slappn' these days ;)
There are 'Molescan' places popping up around the place, I'm pretty sure its free or bulk billed - worth the effort I rekon.
DC

[bungie]

Well, the removed section of the BCC was positive for cancer cells #:-/

So back on the 1st of Sept I had it opened up again, this time by a plastic surgeon. They got it all now, but I end up with a 90mm long scar.

Nice job though, glues the hole back together.

[James_V17L]

Hi Bungie...I can relate to that...I have 4 big scars & have had over 40 stitches to prove the value of "slip slop slap"....lucky all my BC's checked out OK...

[roz]

Bungie,

My grandfather died of a treatable form of skin cancer (not melanoma) he was 96.

Nobody was able to get him to go to the doctor until it was too late.

What a terrible shame. You are doing the right thing here.

Cheers
Roz.

[DICER]

Bungie glad that they got the lot after that ordeal. It's a lot of cutting for something around the 10 cent piece size. My missus has just had a potential melanoma removed from her back and is now awaiting the biopsy results.

[agnes_jill]

Bungie Hope all goes well for you mate. Stay positive ;)

As Tony said i have had my fair share 12 moles removed since I was 15. Three of those coming back as dysplastic. Unfortunately I grew up in the era where young teenage girls used to bake themselves in the sun for hours using tanning oil. I was one of those silly people. :P

Dicer hope all goes well for your wife mate. Send her my best wishes.

Regards Sandi

[Billo]

damn bungie ......nice way to get th epoint across ...graphic and straight to the point

funny i have been thinking it has been about 5 years since my last skin check ...bout time for a check up .

Everyone should get in regularly to a SKIN CANCER SCREENING CLINIC and get a check every few years .....don't go to a doctor , the specialists know best and have the best equipment to do so .....especially us fishos who spend many a waking hour in the sun

[FNQCairns]

Went for my first checkup just 2 weeks ago because there was this mark that had me ever more worried for the alst 2 years or so, going flakey amd changing size also I swear it #itches the area, anyway I got a molescan just 5 minutes with the gp and a hand held magnifying camera placed over each mark where the enlarged image is then placed on a monitior. It was just an age spot in his opinion.
The scan was simple and no problem even for someone like me who has to be shoved into a doctors waiting room, easy and well worth the peace of mind

Good news from now on Bungie - got any fishing storys lined up that can cover that scar ;D ;D
cheers fnq