3 months since chemo ended, now I have SCC

Patti1967
Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
in Breast Cancer #1

I am new to this site, don't know how I missed it seven months ago when I was diagnosed with bilateral IDC.  I found it a few days ago while researching SCC, which I have now been diagnosed with, just three short months after my last round of chemo. 

I had no idea, which makes me so mad at myself, that I could get another cancer while beeing treating for breast cancer.  I had a PET/CT scan in Sept 2012, after my surgery, it was clear. I was do for another next month for my breast cancer. Here's where I am at;  two weeks after finishing my last round of chemo, a bump apperars on my chin.  I really just think its a "blind" pimple that will go away slowly due to my immune system being down.  It stays the same for weeks, then out of no where it takes off.  It covers my entire chin, it hurts and looks horrible. 

Now during this time the chemo is losing its grip on me and besides the chemo brain and still feeling some fatigue, I am feeling pretty good.  Of course then I had to face that I have no breasts, no hair, eye lashes, eyebrows etc. The chin thing almost pushed me over the edge.  I was just so tired of not looking and feeling normal.  Silly me, after numerous trips to the deramtologist (during this time, its spreads to my lower lip) and two biopsies later, I am told it is SCC.

 Both my Oncologist and deramtologist tell me, "you need to go immediately" to the nearby university hospital. This was last Thursday, I got a call back from the  university hospital and have an appt with there head and neck dept on April 4, 2013.  I haven't even been given an all clear yet on the breast cancer, nor did my local oncologist want to start me on the tamoxifen when I was supposed to, two weeks ago, because of my chin and lip.  They didn't know what it was when I saw her last time.  So now I feel like I am in limbo with two cancers.

 Has anyone else had this experience?  I posted on the head and neck forum as well.  So very glad I found this site:)

Thank you,

Patti 

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Comments

  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #2
    Hi Patti and Welcome, though

    Hi Patti and Welcome, though I am sorry that you ever had to come to any cancer board.  Congrats on finishing chemo!  That is a huge milestone.

    I am so sorry that you now have SCC.  I have not had any experience with it, so, I am sorry that I am not much help.

    I do wish you good luck April 4th with your appointment.  Please come back and let us know what you find out.

    We are all here to support and help however we can.

    Sue :)

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #3
    Ritzy said:

    Hi Patti and Welcome, though

    Hi Patti and Welcome, though I am sorry that you ever had to come to any cancer board.  Congrats on finishing chemo!  That is a huge milestone.

    I am so sorry that you now have SCC.  I have not had any experience with it, so, I am sorry that I am not much help.

    I do wish you good luck April 4th with your appointment.  Please come back and let us know what you find out.

    We are all here to support and help however we can.

    Sue :)

    Thank you!

    Thanks!  I was so darn happy to be finished with chemo, boy that was rough.  Now this??? I guess I will know more next week. 

    Thank you, your picture is so cute, it made me laugh!

    Patti

  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #4
    Patti1967 said:

    Thank you!

    Thanks!  I was so darn happy to be finished with chemo, boy that was rough.  Now this??? I guess I will know more next week. 

    Thank you, your picture is so cute, it made me laugh!

    Patti

    You should be happy to finish

    You should be happy to finish chemo, so, congrats to you!  It's terrible that you now have to deal with this.  I will be praying for you Patti.

    Hugs, Diane

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #5
    DianeBC said:

    You should be happy to finish

    You should be happy to finish chemo, so, congrats to you!  It's terrible that you now have to deal with this.  I will be praying for you Patti.

    Hugs, Diane

    Thank you, it is much

    Thank you, it is much apprecitated:)

    Patti

  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #6
    Patti1967 said:

    Thank you, it is much

    Thank you, it is much apprecitated:)

    Patti

    Congrats Patti on finishing

    Congrats Patti on finishing your chemo treatments!  Good luck next week. 

    Hugs, Leeza

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #7
    jnl said:

    Congrats Patti on finishing

    Congrats Patti on finishing your chemo treatments!  Good luck next week. 

    Hugs, Leeza

    Thank you!
    Hugs back to

    Thank you!

    Hugs back to you!

    Patti

  • Josie21
    Josie21 Member Posts: 382 Member
    #8
    Hi Patti

    Hi Patti,

    Breast cancer treatments aren't bad enough and then you have to be diagnosed with SCC.  Really!! I feel so bad for you.  I hope you get all the answers on April 4th and they come up with a game plan on how to treat this.  I am so sorry you have so much to deal with, but you are in my prayers and I am sending you double hugs!!

    Let us know how it goes.

    Hugs,

    Ginny

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #9
    Josie21 said:

    Hi Patti

    Hi Patti,

    Breast cancer treatments aren't bad enough and then you have to be diagnosed with SCC.  Really!! I feel so bad for you.  I hope you get all the answers on April 4th and they come up with a game plan on how to treat this.  I am so sorry you have so much to deal with, but you are in my prayers and I am sending you double hugs!!

    Let us know how it goes.

    Hugs,

    Ginny

    Thank you, I just need to

    Thank you, I just need to know what I will be facing exactly.  This waiting, just like with breast cancer is hard.  

    Double hugs to you!

    Patti

  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #10
    Patti1967 said:

    Thank you, I just need to

    Thank you, I just need to know what I will be facing exactly.  This waiting, just like with breast cancer is hard.  

    Double hugs to you!

    Patti

    I feel awful that you're

    I feel awful that you're having to deal with this besides bc.  I hope someone can post some information for you, either on this board or the other board that you posted in. 

    Hugs, Lex

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #11
    Alexis F said:

    I feel awful that you're

    I feel awful that you're having to deal with this besides bc.  I hope someone can post some information for you, either on this board or the other board that you posted in. 

    Hugs, Lex

    Thank you very much:)
    Patti

    Thank you very much:)

    Patti

  • Kristin N
    Kristin N Member Posts: 1,968 Member
    #12
    Patti1967 said:

    Thank you very much:)
    Patti

    Thank you very much:)

    Patti

    Congrats on finishing chemo! Huge milestone for you!

    Patti, just want to say welcome and to also say how sorry I am about your news.  I certainly wish you all the best and hope your doctor's can help you.

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #13
    Kristin N said:

    Congrats on finishing chemo! Huge milestone for you!

    Patti, just want to say welcome and to also say how sorry I am about your news.  I certainly wish you all the best and hope your doctor's can help you.

    Thank you, all of the support

    Thank you, all of the support helps so much!

    Patti:)

  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #14
    Patti1967 said:

    Thank you!

    Thanks!  I was so darn happy to be finished with chemo, boy that was rough.  Now this??? I guess I will know more next week. 

    Thank you, your picture is so cute, it made me laugh!

    Patti

    I'm glad my pic made you

    I'm glad my pic made you laugh Patti!  :)  Be sure and post what you find out this week.  When are you going?   Positive thoughts and hugs to you!

     

    Sue :)

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #15
    Ritzy said:

    I'm glad my pic made you

    I'm glad my pic made you laugh Patti!  :)  Be sure and post what you find out this week.  When are you going?   Positive thoughts and hugs to you!

     

    Sue :)

    I go Thursday afternoon,

    I go Thursday afternoon, thank you so much and I will:)

    Patti

  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #16
    Patti1967 said:

    I go Thursday afternoon,

    I go Thursday afternoon, thank you so much and I will:)

    Patti

    Good luck Thursday

    We'll be with you in spirit Thursday Patti.  Did you get any responses from the other board that you posted on? 

    Leeza

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #17
    jnl said:

    Good luck Thursday

    We'll be with you in spirit Thursday Patti.  Did you get any responses from the other board that you posted on? 

    Leeza

    Thank you Leeza and no, I

    Thank you Leeza and no, I posted on the Head and Neck as well as the Skin Cancer board.  Not that I want there to be someone else in my shoes, it would just help if I didnt feel so alone.....

  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #18
    Patti1967 said:

    Thank you, all of the support

    Thank you, all of the support helps so much!

    Patti:)

    so sorry about the second

    so sorry about the second cancer, i am not sure what SCC is. this really stinks.  i always loved Alexis and Ritzys avatars. i remember them from my first days and they always made me smile.

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #19
    carkris said:

    so sorry about the second

    so sorry about the second cancer, i am not sure what SCC is. this really stinks.  i always loved Alexis and Ritzys avatars. i remember them from my first days and they always made me smile.

    Thank you:) They are both too

    Thank you:) They are both too cute!

    Patti

  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #20
    Patti1967 said:

    Thank you:) They are both too

    Thank you:) They are both too cute!

    Patti

    I had 2 cancers at the same time, too,

    and I know it's overwhelming, frightening, and very discouraging.  You can't help but thinking "where else am I growing cancer?" or "what's wrong with my body to allow this?"  I bet the SCC has been there for a while, but it is so upsetting that it took off while you were having chemo for breast cancer.  As you said probably because your immune system was compromised and the bc chemo was not effective for this other type of cancer.   I had breast cancer and endometrial cancer.  My endo cancer was early stage, low grade and warranted only followup after surgery because the recurrence risk is very low.   No chemo or radiation.  Whew.   I knew I had both cancers before any surgeries and/or treatments and remember clearly asking the gyn oncologist if I would be getting more "bang for my bucks" by having chemo for breast cancer just in case there were any remaining endo cancer cells.  His answer was an emphatic no, they use different chemo for endo cancer.   I thought chemo was chemo.  Oh, the things we learn along this journey.

    Best wishes to you on Thursday.  I hope this can be taken care of promptly and effectively.  I really do understand your horror.  I remember walking around worrying about getting both surgeries over with and recovering enough to start treatments for breast cancer.  It's just awful knowing something deadly is growing in you and wanting it gone yesterday.  I can't image being able to see it grow.  Please let us know how everything goes.  I'll be adding my prayers for a good outcome for you.

    Suzanne

  • Patti1967
    Patti1967 Member Posts: 186
    #21
    Double Whammy said:

    I had 2 cancers at the same time, too,

    and I know it's overwhelming, frightening, and very discouraging.  You can't help but thinking "where else am I growing cancer?" or "what's wrong with my body to allow this?"  I bet the SCC has been there for a while, but it is so upsetting that it took off while you were having chemo for breast cancer.  As you said probably because your immune system was compromised and the bc chemo was not effective for this other type of cancer.   I had breast cancer and endometrial cancer.  My endo cancer was early stage, low grade and warranted only followup after surgery because the recurrence risk is very low.   No chemo or radiation.  Whew.   I knew I had both cancers before any surgeries and/or treatments and remember clearly asking the gyn oncologist if I would be getting more "bang for my bucks" by having chemo for breast cancer just in case there were any remaining endo cancer cells.  His answer was an emphatic no, they use different chemo for endo cancer.   I thought chemo was chemo.  Oh, the things we learn along this journey.

    Best wishes to you on Thursday.  I hope this can be taken care of promptly and effectively.  I really do understand your horror.  I remember walking around worrying about getting both surgeries over with and recovering enough to start treatments for breast cancer.  It's just awful knowing something deadly is growing in you and wanting it gone yesterday.  I can't image being able to see it grow.  Please let us know how everything goes.  I'll be adding my prayers for a good outcome for you.

    Suzanne

    Thank you, it has been hard

    Thank you, it has been hard to deal with on many levels.  Watching it get worse and spread has been overwhelming at times:( 

    I do know that UIC has a great head/neck cancer dept and I'm sure I will receive great care.  I will let you know how Thursday goes:)

    Thank you again, all the support really means a lot!

    Patti

    I have to add that I am scared big time, I'm always the strong one in my family....This time I just am scared, perhaps partly due to feeling that I am somehow tempting fate?  Having cancer plays with your mind at times that's for sure!

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