Skin Cancer Support Group
If you or a loved one has skin cancer, this is the community to discuss your experience, find support, and meet others going through the same. Skin cancer is a malignant growth on the skin, which can have many causes, including repeated severe sunburns or long-term exposure to the sun. Skin cancer generally develops in the outermost layer of skin so a tumor is usually...
I am of the opinion that the diagnosing and treatment of skin cancer has reached a stage where more harm than good is done to the patient.
Various professional websites state that skin cancer is the "fastest-growing" cancer, but is that because it is diagnosed more often?
From the Skin Cancer Foundation website:
"Treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers increased by nearly 77 percent between 1992 and 2006."
Notice the word "treatment." I think in previous times, it was left untreated because doctors realized the cure was worse than disease. That is, cutting off a portion of someone's face and leaving them disfigured didn't make sense because the skin cancer MIGHT disfigure them.
What has occurred, and I believe we're on the tip of the iceberg, is human beings walking around disfigured by Mohs surgery and plastic surgery to "cure" a nonfatal nonmetasticing cancer. That is, a cancer that won't kill you or spread but MIGHT disfigure you. The Mohs surgeons and plastic surgeons, in fact, do leave you disfigured. Adnd they get paid to do it by the insurance companies no questions asked.
I think this problem will grow unless people say, hold on, you can't cut off part of my face and leave me disfigured because you THINK it may disfigure me.
People wren't walking around disfigured by skin cancer before, were they? Than why (from the Skin Cancer Foudnation):
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.
Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.
Treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers increased by nearly 77 percent between 1992 and 2006.1
Over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.3
One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
Really? Sounds like a money-maker to me, and be damned the consequences to the person. The consequnces from the treatment are VERY real and horribly depressing.
Various professional websites state that skin cancer is the "fastest-growing" cancer, but is that because it is diagnosed more often?
From the Skin Cancer Foundation website:
"Treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers increased by nearly 77 percent between 1992 and 2006."
Notice the word "treatment." I think in previous times, it was left untreated because doctors realized the cure was worse than disease. That is, cutting off a portion of someone's face and leaving them disfigured didn't make sense because the skin cancer MIGHT disfigure them.
What has occurred, and I believe we're on the tip of the iceberg, is human beings walking around disfigured by Mohs surgery and plastic surgery to "cure" a nonfatal nonmetasticing cancer. That is, a cancer that won't kill you or spread but MIGHT disfigure you. The Mohs surgeons and plastic surgeons, in fact, do leave you disfigured. Adnd they get paid to do it by the insurance companies no questions asked.
I think this problem will grow unless people say, hold on, you can't cut off part of my face and leave me disfigured because you THINK it may disfigure me.
People wren't walking around disfigured by skin cancer before, were they? Than why (from the Skin Cancer Foudnation):
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.
Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.
Treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers increased by nearly 77 percent between 1992 and 2006.1
Over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.3
One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
Really? Sounds like a money-maker to me, and be damned the consequences to the person. The consequnces from the treatment are VERY real and horribly depressing.
http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200907/200907tomas.pdf
Ignoring it looks like this.
One is free to tell the doctor I do not want surgery, it is not forced on one.
One thing is metastasis,that BCC does not, but yes it spreads to nearby tissue,and goes deep destroying tissue, cartilage etc.
I am glad I had Mohs asap,and I did not wait to have it done on my face.
I would never advise not to do surgery, Mohs has 99% success of removal in the site, that BCC can grow next to the scar, yes it can .
I have a large scar on my face, had breasr cancer and mastectomy,but I am still the same, I do not care if people stare at my face, usually I tell them that I had skin cancer. I work, go out. I was told I would have a scar, all was explained when I signed the consent. I had a list of questions, even that I am experienced dealing with cancer at work, I researched and knew exactly what I wanted done.
If surgery is not the answer, what is? It is up to the patient to ask, to get a second opinion.I do not see the importance of asking myself " what if" I never look back, what is done is done. I made the right choice.
If a BCC is left untreated in growns deep till it finds bone. Then is called advanced non treatable BCC.
there are many clincial trials ongoing. My Mohs surgoen told me that in ten years she will be out of business because of the drugs that will be available to fight it.
Skin cancer is NOT lung cancer, leukemia, ovarian cancer, etc. It doesn't kill you.
I was disfigured because of the surgery I had to remove the BCC. The BCC did not disfigure me. And it wasn't MY CHOICE.
I do informed consents all the time,patients ask questions,refuse them,or accept.
I,never take or have a procedure without reading and informing myself,it is my responsability to myself.
I do not know where you live,and if a surgery was preformed against your will,sue them.
You don't know everything. I'm advocating people talk to their doctor and get information. Not sorry that it offends you, because people get to make their own choices in life, not you.
We all want to make an informed decision but sometimes we are not given the full facts beforehand , you know how I feel about this.
My opinion for what its worth is to get it sorted as soon as you can with a good MOHS Surgeon ,as left unchecked they BCC'S and SCC'S can be destructive if allowed to put down roots so to speak .
Sissy I was told the same by my specialist ,and as such have to have a scans to make sure it had not metastasized anywhere else