Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

Has anyone else gotten skin cancer BCC after the her2nu treatments were over? I got the neuropathy, the rhyblomyasis., the liver readings high , but now two years later I have bcc. Basal carcinoma skin cancer. I never wanted to hear " you have cancer" again and here we are. Any input or comments. Thanks guys. Love u all.

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

Sorry for typos. On cell

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

I think skin cancer is very common after breastcancer and saw a thread a while ago and was surprised to see so many members affected by it. I had Bowen's disease and was treated with PDT for that three years ago, I was told it would have gone on to become skin cancer though.

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

I've had many basal cell skin cancers over the years, (waaay before this breast cancer nightmare) and they are sometimes removed with Mohs surgery to check the margins (They keep checking while you are there so they get it all at once) and then you are done.

Basal cell carcinomas are NOT the same as a malignant skin melanoma. They are usually NOT life threatening.

Definitely something you'd rather not have, but very common if you grew up in the good ol' days like many of us did before sunscreen.

Carol Ann

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

I have melanoma. Just had a wide area excision last week. Freaked me out, to tell you the truth. Consider yourself lucky with basal cell, as Carol Ann said above. Since I discovered mine, I've done some research and it appears they are related and it doesn't matter which came first.

Just something else to worry about! Get a skin exam every year or however often your doctor wants to see you. And be aware of any changes with your skin. I found mine early and called my dermatologist immediately.

Best,

Janis

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

I see the dermatologist every 6 months to be checked ALL over. This spring he removed a "suspicious looking" tiny mole on the side of my knee that came back precancerous ... it would've continued into and become a melanoma. I had to go back and have additional surgery to get clear margins.

I go back in 2 weeks and my son also has an appointment to be checked. He is only 18 but has some large moles on his back; the doc looked at them a few months back -- they were nothing and he is fine.

It really pays to be vigilant because it is NOT always easy to tell what is actually nothing and what you need to have removed asap.

Janis, glad yours is GONE!!

Carol Ann

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

Thanks, Carol Ann! Found out today that the margins were clear so I can breathe again.

Janis

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

Janis, YAY! That's great news!

TGIF ... time for some wine and chocolate!

CA

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

Thanks for comments. Getting it removed Wednesday. Now I look and there are lots of little blemishes. Scary.

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

I sometimes think that all the skin cancer is because most of us are in our late forties on up where it is typical to find skin cancers from years of sun expose. Funny how getting old is such a welcomed thing when we have had a cancer diagnosis! It signifies we are still going strong! LOL!

Re: Her2nuturned into bcc skin cancer
 

Basal cell carcinoma doesn't metastasize. It just keeps growing if it's not removed. But if you didn't have it treated you'd just end up with a big ugly lump. It wouldn't kill you.

On the other hand, melanoma is a bitch. When I learned I had suspicious-looking lesions on my liver and lungs, my first thought was, "Oh, please don't let it be metastatic melanoma." I had melanoma in situ in 1999. So of course I wasn't happy to present at Stage IV bc, but I realized it could have been worse.

In between those two is squamous cell carcinoma. It's very slow-growing and treatable, but it can metastasize. The mother of a good friend of mine eventually died from it.

I had bcc this year. It sucks. But I've had worse.