Badly treated SCC

francoisal
francoisal Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Skin Cancer #1
My grandmother was diagnosed a SCC on her face in 2004, which was successively (6 times) treated by surgery at the same place, removing wider and wider, deeper and deeper pieces of skins, because at each time, the SCC restarted.

After the 6th intervention, the skin collapsed and an ulcer appeared. Our doctor treated it as an ulcer but it never healed in one year of treatment. The wound slowly restarted its expansion and the affected surface doubled. Now the SCC is close to the right eye and causes a terrible pain.

We are now wondering what is the best solution to treat this SCC and
any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your advises.

FYI, you can see pictures of the SCC evolution :
- in 2004 : after the 6th intervention (points of joining removed) and before the ulcer http://cousteline.net/2004-10-02.jpg
- in 2006 : today (shot 1) http://cousteline.net/2006-09-04a.jpg
- in 2006 : today (shot 2) http://cousteline.net/2006-09-04b.jpg

Comments

  • Sandis
    Sandis Member Posts: 85
    How difficult for you grandmother and you all. Have you gone to a second dermatologist? I had MOHs surgery and hopefully they got it all. I would definately get another opinion and doctor. I hope they can find her some relief soon. Sandi
  • francoisal
    francoisal Member Posts: 2
    Sandis said:

    How difficult for you grandmother and you all. Have you gone to a second dermatologist? I had MOHs surgery and hopefully they got it all. I would definately get another opinion and doctor. I hope they can find her some relief soon. Sandi

    We have visited a new dermatologist today : he declared that he cannot do any surgery on a so wide wound... He suggests a radiotherapy treatment to stop the SCC.

    But we fear that rays would reach the eye and we still wonder if this is the good solution.

  • Sandis
    Sandis Member Posts: 85

    We have visited a new dermatologist today : he declared that he cannot do any surgery on a so wide wound... He suggests a radiotherapy treatment to stop the SCC.

    But we fear that rays would reach the eye and we still wonder if this is the good solution.

    I'm so sorry to hear this. I don' tknow what radiotherapy treatment is. Maybe it would give her some relief. Sandi
  • aikanae
    aikanae Member Posts: 5

    We have visited a new dermatologist today : he declared that he cannot do any surgery on a so wide wound... He suggests a radiotherapy treatment to stop the SCC.

    But we fear that rays would reach the eye and we still wonder if this is the good solution.

    I don't know where you are located, but I'd suggest going to an NCCN facility (website nccn.org or .com) they specialize in the more difficult / recurant SCC. Your right to be concerned. Looks might be secondary since areas on the face can provide direct access to entering the brain. I went to M.D. Anderson after the first course of treatment failed and the suggestions from the dermatologist treating me didn't make sense. Radiology can be helpful with SCC, but I've always seen it used as an adjuctive treatment. One doctor here recomended it, but that's because they didn't feel they could do surgery for such a wide area. M.D. Anderson (an NCCN center) reccomended and had no problems with doing surgery. Surgery is still the primary treatment with good cure rates. Not much else out there for agressive SCC.