Fourth cancer

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po18guy
po18guy Member Posts: 1,474 Member

Pathology report states squamous cell carcinoma. Not a blood cancer, but posted here as fellow blood cancer patients are my second family. Apparently confined to the skin. So an excision and topical chemo (my 21st!) for 2 weeks then watch and wait. At least I'm tapering off. 🙄

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  • whitepony
    whitepony Member Posts: 30 Member
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    Dear po18guy,

    i am really sorry to hear to hear the news. Did you already take the topical chemo? How are you feeling now? I hope all is well now and wish you lots of strenght

  • po18guy
    po18guy Member Posts: 1,474 Member
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    Thank you! It was excised and I used topical chemo for two weeks. I have a F/U appointment next month. It's all good and I have almost forgotten about it.

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,813 Member
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    Oh, Mr. Po !

    You are forever darting about, contracting rare, daunting new cancers ! (I guess that's why we've been friends for a decade now.) I know that Bleomycin is sometimes used as a topical. Was that your drug ? At least as a topical, it cannot harm the lungs, which is its worst and most common side-effect.

    I propose that we both achieve full-remission of all of our diseases, and remain that way for a long time. Game ?

    max

  • po18guy
    po18guy Member Posts: 1,474 Member
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    5 Fluorouracil is what I used. Normally used for colon, pancreatic, ovarian etc, but also useful for head and neck cancers. The 'good thing' is that they have no idea how it works - only that it does. 🤔 Have also tried it on my porokeratoses (skin lesions) from transplant, but after an initial period of grumpiness, they just sit there. 4th cancer, 7th remission, 21st drug - I'm just racking them up!

    BTW, I'll reach out regarding how treatment going.

  • tgyphilly
    tgyphilly Member Posts: 49 Member
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    Bummer, hope it all clears up and goes away forever. I think by now you've punched your ticket enough to get a free coffee.

  • po18guy
    po18guy Member Posts: 1,474 Member
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    Thank you very much! And, coffee it is! (slurp) Ahhhhhhhh....

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 904 Member
    edited June 2023 #8
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    Squamous cell skin cancer is considered a minor thing. Though concerning, small basal cell skin cancers are also very common, with my dermatologist/skin cancer doctor seeing a dozen or more every week. He says the best defense is to get a skin check every 6 months. Both types are really only dangerous if not treated early. Basal cell tumors are very dangerous if they appear on an internal organ. Basal cells form the outer layer on all our organs. My doc says the main cause is overexposure to the sun. It is not certain that chemo patients are more at risk. I have had 3 removed and now have a suspect spot on my left arm. Hey … something eventually gets us all.

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 904 Member
    edited June 2023 #9
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    I am otherwise very healthy - lymphoma doesn’t care

    I exercise and eat well - lymphoma doesn’t care

    I juice and eat only organic food - lymphoma doesn’t care

    There is no lymphoma in my family - lymphoma doesn’t care

    I am at my ideal bodyweight and run 10k - lymphoma doesn’t care

    I go to church/temple/mosque regularly - lymphoma doesn’t care

    I avoid contact with all solvents chemicals - lymphoma doesn’t care

    My Grandpa lived to 104 - lymphoma doesn’t care

    I have punched my ticket and should get a pass - lymphoma doesn’t care

    My point is to not blame yourself or how you live for having lymphoma. Absolutely anyone can get it.