Is there anything I should know about a Keratoses???

[tricia keegan]

I had a spot on my leg checked today and the Dermatologist is sure it's a Keratoses, a pre cancerous lesion.

She's suggesting a biopsy in Feb followed by light treatment therapy (PDT) I know very little about this and just wondering if anyone can give advice or has had this happen??

Thanks in advance for any info :)

[Hopeful]

Interesting question. I have one almost immediately under my affected breast (I think that whole side was genomically unstable to begin with). Obviously, all my doctors have seen it, and the surgeon told me what it was but did not recommend any biopsy or tx for it. It was in the radiation field when I had my rads tx; don't know if that matters, either. I will be interested to see other responses here.

Hopeful

[AlaskaAngel]

Hi Tricia and Hopeful,

A keratosis is a skin growth. We all get more of them as we get older and our genetic instructions go a little berserk.

A seborrheic keratosis is benign, but an actinic keratosis can be either one:

"Although the vast majority of actinic keratoses remain benign, some studies report that up to ten percent may advance to squamous cell carcinoma. This percentage does not sound very large, but it has a large impact. When it comes to squamous cell carcinomas, 40-60 percent begin as untreated actinic keratoses and may advance to invade the surrounding tissues. About 2 to 10 percent of these squamous cell carcinomas spread to the internal organs and are life-threatening."

http://www.skincancer.org/actinic-keratosis-and-other-precancers.html

A.A.

[Lien]

My dad had light therapy. Here's an explanation of how it works. My best friend is a dermatologist and she says it offers very good results. Her nurse practitioner does the procedure, as it's pretty straightforward. I don't remember my father having trouble with light for 6 weeks. I guess it depends on the dose of the photosensitizer as well.

It sounds to me as if she doesn't want to take chances with you. Which is nice, isn't it?

Jacqueline

[Lien]

Somehow the link didn't come through:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/photodynamic

There it is!


Jacqueline

[tricia keegan]

Thanks Hopeful, the type she is sure I have is actinic, I wonder why your onc did'nt did'nt go for some tx for this....?? and thank you AA for the link and your reply. I know at this stage it's not serious but as always we tend to want to research the best treatment and overall opinion for this just in case!!! :)