Skin Cancers
 

I am going to see a Dermatologist next Thursday for this ongoing Rash and three possible skin cancers. One mole on my back turned black and another mole on my leg turned black. I also have had a lesion under my left eye since 2006 that needs to be biopsied.

My weekly smaller doses of Taxol to date have been ok, no neropathy yet.

Also receiving another year of herceptin, weekly.

Take Care
Tami

Re: Skin Cancers
 

It happens, but I hope not to you. A woman in my survivor support group had a melanoma on her leg. After hearing that, I went to my dermatologist for a head to toe exam. Happy to say I'm fine. Hope your moles are benign.

Re: Skin Cancers
 

Tami, I'm due to have a leg spot checked in Dec with my dermatologist too, hopefully yours is nothing serious but it's a good idea to have these things checked anyway! x

Re: Skin Cancers
 

We should go for a skin check up once a year. I go once or twice a year, because I have moles and basel cell, squamish cell carcinoma and melanoma run in my family.
I had a basel cell carcinoma removed a couple months ago. A mole changed and developed into basel cell carcinoma. The pathology report noted that it was from sun damage. Basel cell carcinoma is the least aggressive type, so I didn't need any chemo for it. The surgery was a piece of cake in the dermatologist's office with local anethesia. It healed quickly and I had no after effects.

Re: Skin Cancers
 

Reading ElaineM's post reminded me that my friend's melanoma was very shallow and after surgery, she didn't have chemo either. She consulted her breast cancer oncologist about it and he felt she would be fine.

Re: Skin Cancers
 

Last Friday I had a fast growing "age-spot" removed by my dermatologist. I've got age-spots on my hands and face, but never saw one grow as fast as this one. I'm waiting to hear back - but my dermatologist said it most likely is nothing. Still, many years ago, I had a skin cancer removed from the same side of my upper left chest - it was either a basal cell or squamous cell (I can't remember now). I did a quick Google search on skin cancer and breast cancer and found this article which discusses a study that proves a relationship between melanoma and breast cancer - so my advice is to run to the dermatologist whenever something suspicious shows up on your skin and get a biopsy:

"Melanoma and Breast Cancer: a New Warning"

Re: Skin Cancers
 

I think it is very important to get our skin checked out. In my case I have had a few spots "burned" off - they actually freeze the area.

A place on my back was scraped off and biopsied, but was not important - just annoying.

We found a basal cell spot on my chest that was treated. Then some large areas of my nose and upper lip responded to 5FU cream. So the suspicions were confirmed by a treatment response. (It was NOT pretty!)

Mostly the fast growing "moles" end up being actinic keratosis - a fancy name for sun damage that normally stay harmless.