Skin cancer

[no_hypocrisy]

Three years ago, I went to a dermatologist to have an unsightly growth removed from my chin. She asked if I wanted a global (full body) examination to check for skin cancer. She found a suspicious spot (small light brown freckle intersected with a small dark brown freckle), removed it, and it came back Stage I malignant melanoma.

I'm fine. I went to a surgeon who removed more cells which came back negative for cancer.

I caught a break. My cancer was caught early and skin cancer is one of the slowest types to reproduce and metastasize. I now visit twice a year and have had four more (benign) growths removed. The only way to survive skin cancer is to be monitored.

I urge all of you to visit your dermatologists to be examined for cancer and continue to go for follow-up examinations. It's fast and affordable even if you don't have insurance.

[Sancho]

1. ditto!

:dem:

[still_one]

2. and one should have a FULL body skin examination. Most doctors or dermatologists won't do that

unless you ask them

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Here's where my situation differs.

I'm a redhead and this group is the most susceptible to solar radiation and to developing cancer. I had a very painful third degree burn on my upper arm when I was 2-1/2 and two second degree burns (with two-inch blisters) on my chest when I was 5 and 6. When you get serious sunburns as a child, statistically you are more likely than not to develop melanoma. I can't get around that.

[Thirtieschild]

6. Our son has every indicator for melanoma except blue eyes

Scots-Irish, red hair, freckles, bad burn as a child, lives at a high altitude in the Southwest, even DNA, which says high chance of melanoma.

[Dorian Gray]

12. Yes

DON'T go to a doctor and have suspicious growths remove. Live with them. Great advice.

:eyes:

[monmouth]

5. We refer to my eldest son as the "slice and dice" kid...He's always

getting one thing or another removed, always somewhere on the head. He had one removed from under his eye, they removed skin from his thigh to patch. You could hardly notice it. He had reddish hair as a child, don't know if that is important but the doctor asked him and nodded in the affirm when son told him...(English/Irish..

[small_town_bob]

7. Skin Cancer

I've been reading this forum for about the past ten years, but
your post made me sign up to the forum.  I would also suggest
that you visit your dermatologist, but I would also suggest
that you look into orthomolecular nutrition and more so the
results of scientists like Dr. Linus Pauling.  

[EvolveOrConvolve]

8. Linus Pauling was a quack

And orthomolecular nutrition is quackery and potentially dangerous.

[astral]

14. 2 nobel prizes = hardly a quack.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_Pauling
The vitamin C studies did not go well. Pauling said they should have used intravenous vitamin C, not oral, and the control group TOOK VITAMIN C too. He also said the vitamin C was not to be administered temporarily but permanently, and they only did it for 2.5 months.

Whether that could have worked out better or not, we'll never know until we try it again. But looking at his life's legacy, I'd hardly call him a quack, but rather a genius of the mega-variety.

I'd guess your "link" to prove he is a "quack" would be the Quackwatch link, right?

Who makes it to the non-quack list in your book, pray tell?

[no_hypocrisy]

10. Welcome to DU.

BTW, my dermatologist said that keeping your weight within normal limits for your body frame helps to discourage the development of melanoma.

[BuddhaGirl]

11. I second the orthomolecular nutrition

:thumbsup:

[ellenrr]

17. do you have any other info or a link re Pauling and cancer? n/t

[trotsky]

9. My cousin works for a dermatologist.

Skin cancer is so easily treated if detected early, and it is easy for a trained eye to detect it. Get examined, folks. And use sunscreen, and wear a hat.

[Dorian Gray]

13. Yes

Yes and yes.

[DavidDvorkin]

15. And avoid the sun

Especially if you're light skinned.

If you can't avoid it, cover up when in it. Sunscreen doesn't do the trick.

Protect your eyes as well as your skin. Wear good sunglasses.

[ellenrr]

16. what do you call "affordable"?

I'm sure a visit to a dermatologist would not be affordable to me, altho I have a thing on my nose I'd love to have checked out.