SKIN CANCER? (pic attached) please help very scared

[silver_shoes]

Please help, I am on the verge of going to A&E I am so scared.

I have had this thing on my left thumb for many many years , like over ten years probably. It is only small, but once every few months it becomes VERY itchy and I scratch it so it bleeds a small amount. Then a day or two later heals up and lies dormant until the next time.

I have never seen the GP about it because it only flared up occasionally. But this past week or so it has been constantly itchy. It doesn't bleed very much, just a little bit when I scratch it. It is a bit inflamed but not what I would call a lump. More like an small area which seems to always be open and doesn't heal properely.

I AM TERRIFIED. REALLY REALLY SCARED. I havent been well lately (have posted about that sepearately) have had a viral cough, but now I am wondering if in fact the cough is a result of the skin cancer, rapidly metastasizing through my body?! Please can anyone help. A photo is attached. My husband is upstairs in bed, I am here on my own googling photos of Squamous Cell Carcinoma and I am terrified that if that is what it is, it's now too late for me as I have had it for so long.:wacko:

[ServerError]

I don't have the expertise to tell you anything for certain, but it looks like a wart to me. Which would be nothing to worry about. Hopefully somebody else can come along and confirm it's nothing. If you've had it this long and it flares up and then dies down, it can't be cancerous as that would involve uncontrolled growth that only worsens. As far as I know.

[Josh1234]

10 years? No, its not cancer.

[Ryannn]

I highly doubt it's cancer if you've had it for 10 years, id wager you're not in any immediate danger but if you're worried about it mention it to the doc the next time you're in.

[Fishmanpa]

Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.

10 years off and on wouldn't indicate something sinister. If you're that concerned, see your doctor.

Positive thoughts

[Hypo]

Melanoma spreads.

The other two cancers can spread on your body but they don't metastasise in the sense that they cause cancer to go to your other parts of your body.

Mostly, if people have those two types of skin cancer they either leave it or cut it out, but not because it kills you.

Pop to your chemist and speak to the pharmacist if it worries you. It does not need A&E and it doesn't need an emergency GP appointment but if it is worrying you there is nothing wrong with asking the pharmacist or a GP at your next appointment.

It looks like no skin cancer I have ever seen

[MyNameIsTerry]

Warts come & go but never properly heal. They itch at times, often in what seem like flare ups. It's hard to see on my phone but if it has a cauliflower like appearance, it could be a wart.

My dad had one of the forms of skin cancer on his nose for several years before seeing his GP since he just thought it wasn't healing up. His looked more like a large sore with more than one colour, very different to a wart. The consultant said his was very easily treatable. It was, they removed it and over 5 years on there had been no reoccurrence.

It's not an issue for A&E (not even cancer would be either) and seeing a pharmacist would be the best initial thing to do as they will spot a wart and tell you what to use. The cold sprays are the best, I've treated several long standing ones with them. I didn't know what they were and they had been there longer than 10 years, I just thought they were hard skin due to rubbing until my mum noticed and mentioned it. It can take a few treatments with the cryo treatment. They say after 3 hoy should consult a GP but I've done it 4-5 on some and it did the trick. They can just take longer to fall off than it says.

[silver_shoes]

Thanks, I am not sure if it is a wart as I have google imaged some pics of them and it doesn't have that cauliflower appearance like you mention. Might see GP about it next week :( yet another thing to worry about!! Only just recovering from the anxiety of my husband's two week referral which turned out to NOT be cancer thankfully but absolutely tortured me while we were waiting for the scan. Terrified about going through a similar thing for this :wacko:

[Hypo]

Warts don't have to be cauliflower like at all.

I have one that looks similar to a blister.

My son had a wart on his forehead and he had to wear a plaster for a long time. It killed off the wart. You could always try that if it is a wart.

I very much doubt you would get an appointment of a two week wait for this. This is not going to kill you, or hurt you. It's been 10 years.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Warts don't have to be cauliflower like at all.

I have one that looks similar to a blister.

My son had a wart on his forehead and he had to wear a plaster for a long time. It killed off the wart. You could always try that if it is a wart.

I very much doubt you would get an appointment of a two week wait for this. This is not going to kill you, or hurt you. It's been 10 years.

That's true, they don't have to be. I couldn't quite make out on the pic with my phone if there visible break lines or if it was just me zooming in on a small screen. My larger, older ones were cauliflower like, the smaller ones could be flat or hard skin with dots in. Itchy though.

OP - unless you needed a referral, I would expect a GP to be diagnosing this themselves. I doubt you will be waiting and agree with everyone else. Those waits do that to everyone. Both my dad & brother have had them too and were concerned because it's only natural. With anxiety, it's bound to be hard.