View Full Version : Referral for BCC skin cancer
Last Friday my nightmare came true, a referral for a possible cancer! As someone who has suffered with health anxiety for a number of years this as sent me into a deep spiral of panic which I'm struggling to get on top of.
Strangely, I went to the GP on Friday because i was concerned about a small mark on my breast, doctor was not concerned about it after doing a very thorough check. I took the opportunity after to quickly show her a small skin/pinky coloured lesion on my arm that I had noticed 3 weeks before and didn't seem to be healing. After poking at it for a minute, she declared it could be a Basel cell carcinoma and would refer me to dermatology which unfortunately here in the UK is a 2-3 month wait. I can't afford to go private to get seen quicker.
I must admit she didn't even look at it with a dermoscope, just pressed at it a couple of times. I have noticed that it blanches when pressure is applied, so I don't know whether there is a chance it could be something benign?
I've fallen down the Dr Google rabbit hole, and raised fears of it possibly being a metastatic rare skin coloured melanoma that the doctor has mistaken for the more common BCC.
I'm not sure at the moment how to calm my anxiety.
I had a BCC on my nose that went ignored for three years by three GPs, and two dermatologists that ended up being a BCC. I had moh's surgery for it--which was terrifying prior--and you can barely tell where it was, in spite of how awful my face looked the day of.
The kind of skin cancer you are talking about in your google search is exceedingly rare. I am in a skin cancer group (I have some other skin cancer issues, but it is kind of just a chronic thing I have gotten used to) and while I know what you are talking about, to the best of my knowledge out of the tens of thousands of people globally in the group I am in, I don't think *anyone* has ever mentioned a run in with it.
Also, BCC on the limbs is the easiest of all skin cancers to cure with simple excision. Seriously, like essentially a 100%.
The truth is, the vast majority of skin cancers are treatable, and curable with surgery.
The positive take away here is you went to a GP and got a referral when normally GPs tend to dismiss most skin issues. Seriously, I have never had a GP accurately predict a skin issue with me.
ckelley116
20-06-23, 19:23
My mother had BCC on her arm several years ago. They froze it, basically scooped it out, and declared her cured. She goes for skin checks every 6 months now, but they’ve never found another, nor has the original shown any signs of returning.
Honestly, if you’re going to get cancer, this is the one you want.
Don't sweat it, I had one cut out of my forehead a few years back. I'm massively, hugely medically phobic and it was still nothing, I swear.
daisynukes
21-06-23, 11:20
Hey, I am in the same boat as you and waiting for a biopsy (though for possible melanoma).
It's hard and it's scary, right? Try and think of the several positives here
- BCC is a veeeeeryy easy skin cancer to treat and cure and basically sits there on your skin never going any further unless you leave it for a very, very long time (not years, more like decades). If you do have it, it's no more deadly to you than a wart would be.
- You may not even have it. Docs send people for referrals all the time and it turns out to be nothing. It could be a fungal infection, it could be any other number of skin conditions.
The waiting part is shit. You stare down the barrel of all that time not knowing and assuming the worst. Just try and keep yourself occupied and focus on those positives.
- BCC is a veeeeeryy easy skin cancer to treat and cure and basically sits there on your skin never going any further unless you leave it for a very, very long time (not years, more like decades).
Just to confirm this, I avoided getting mine treated for around 5 years because I was so afraid. Over that period it maybe grew a tiny bit, certainly not to the point where it couldn't be easily removed.
Hey, I am in the same boat as you and waiting for a biopsy (though for possible melanoma).
It's hard and it's scary, right? Try and think of the several positives here
- BCC is a veeeeeryy easy skin cancer to treat and cure and basically sits there on your skin never going any further unless you leave it for a very, very long time (not years, more like decades). If you do have it, it's no more deadly to you than a wart would be.
- You may not even have it. Docs send people for referrals all the time and it turns out to be nothing. It could be a fungal infection, it could be any other number of skin conditions.
The waiting part is shit. You stare down the barrel of all that time not knowing and assuming the worst. Just try and keep yourself occupied and focus on those positives.
Sorry to hear about your referral for possible melanoma, I can only imagine how scary that must feel. Like to say, the waiting is horrid! I actually thrive better when I know what's actually happening and have a plan. I hope you get a positive outcome and it's just some mole weirdness!
- BCC is a veeeeeryy easy skin cancer to treat and cure and basically sits there on your skin never going any further unless you leave it for a very, very long time (not years, more like decades).
Just to confirm this, I avoided getting mine treated for around 5 years because I was so afraid. Over that period it maybe grew a tiny bit, certainly not to the point where it couldn't be easily removed.
Thank you! The logical part of me (I do still have a small logical mindset amongst all the anxiety!) tells me the doctor was not concerned, it's not an urgent referral and she was super observant to to refer without any fuss. But the horrid anxiety tells me "that's it, it's game over for you!" Urgh...
Have had to put it aside a bit today though and be mum and put my worries aside as my daughter had her braces put on today! I did get to relax (though short lived) and read my magazine which has been sitting in my bag all week!
I would not freak out about this. As others have said, BCC is incredibly curable and really not a big deal. But, I think there's also a good chance that it's not even that. You haven't seen a dermatologist - they are the ones who can look at something and just know what it is. Your regular doctor is likely to cover all bases by referring you. There are many things wrong with the US health system, but one that I like is that we just go straight to the specialist. I'd never seen my GP for a skin thing because she wouldn't have the expertise to diagnose. She'd do exactly what your doctor did, which is tell me to go see my dermatologist. That would never worry me because I know it's not her place to definitively diagnose skin cancer. It seems like your referral system causes a lot of anxiety, but here it's so normal to be directed to a specialist for heart, skin, gynecology, urology, etc... I mean, we're all poor by the time we see them all, but it definitely creates a bit less stress in the diagnostic process I think. It sucks that you have to wait so long, but I bet either the thing will be healed and gone by then or you'll go and they'll say it's nothing.
semper solus
22-07-23, 14:49
I had a little dry patch on my scalp and went to the doctors who said it looks like skin damage and wanted to refer me to the dermatologist. I went for the consultation and it turned out to be sun damage Actinic Keratosis so they game me some cream (efudex) to put on for a month. I applied it for the month and went back for a checkup as the area was still not right. They decided to have me in for a biopsy. Waited for the results and it turned out to be Basel Cell Carcioma. I was refered to have MOH's surgery where they cut out the cancer layer by layer. This was in June They got it all out :=) It was quite a big area I had taken away but I'm in the healing stage now. I have great aftercare at the hospital going back once a week for a checkup.
semper solus
22-07-23, 14:50
Iv'e just had MOH's on my head quite a large area 4" x 4" Had to have 2 rounds for them to get it all
That's enormous! Was it a nodular BCC? How was the healing process - did you need surgical repair?
I had a BCC excised a few years back and chances are it won't be my last.
semper solus
28-07-23, 22:13
No it wasn't nodular. it covered a large area dotted about hence the large amount taken away. They closed the wound by 60% and the rest has to heal on it's own. I'm still healing after 7 weeks. change dressing every other day, washing wound applying vasaline and redressing.
That sounds grim, sorry you had to go through it.
semper solus
29-07-23, 13:21
Thank you. I was really shocked to see how much they took away it was pretty gruesome to start with but it's healing really quick. I would put a pic on here but I think it might be a bit much for some people ha ha ha. I'm going to have quite a big scar but I can alway say i was bitten by a shark :D
but they got all of the cancer which I am greatful for. The team at guys hospital in london are truely amazing /the surgeon/nurses/ and reception desk ladies.
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