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Getting GentleCure (IM-SRT) for my 2 Basal Cell Carcinomas
Melanoma & Skin Cancer | Last Active: 6 hours ago | Replies (31)Comment receiving replies
@grammato3 No one except a friend told me about Gentle Cure. There is only one place in my state where it is offered. But what concerns me now is the chance that it will leave a bleached mark on the side of my nose. The area of the cancer is about one inch long and about 1/4 wide. Reading these comments made me aware of this possibility as the Gentle Cure doctor never mentioned that. So to me, a white mark is still a scar. Maybe I'd be better off with MOHS and then plastic surgery??
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@cw17: I see what happened now - I'd meant to respond to YOU yesterday and somehow wound up replying to our old friend @pianist3, which turned out to be a good thing because she's provided some helpful information!
At any rate, please accept my delayed welcome and let's see if we can delve a bit deeper into some of your concerns.
As to which procedure to undergo, this choice is entirely up to you and you're doing the right thing by asking questions about the two: Mohs vs Gentle Cure. It helps to research the pros and cons and of course discuss with your medical provider. You may want to ask why was Mohs decided upon rather than the radiation option you've learned about. Is this a basal or squamous cell cancer that would require being absolutely sure of the depth and margins? Is it recurrent? In such cases, a provider may have a preference to do Mohs.
You noted the concern about skin discoloration. Was it on this forum that you'd read about the possibility of Gentle Cure leaving a bleached or white mark on the area that would be treated? I am honestly not familiar with that as most areas treated by such type of radiation typically have temporary changes in skin color (if at all) while undergoing treatment and perhaps for a few weeks afterwards. I have not read any conclusive evidence of a permanent bleached type of result.
You also noted there is only one location in your state that provides the Gentle Cure option so you'd need to be sure you're within a distance that would allow for several visits over a period of weeks, sometimes up to 3x for 7 weeks or so.
I can understand that with the location and size of the skin cancer being on your nose, there is a valid concern about what the cosmetic effect would be. When I'd had a wide local excision (WLE) for an advanced skin cancer (melanoma) I had required some reconstruction of adjacent skin that typically isn't the case with Mohs and the scar was initially quite alarming to me - but it has faded considerably over time, aided by 2 laser sessions. The Mohs procedures I've had, and there have been numerous ones I'm afraid, have honestly not left any noticeable scars as most dermatologists are quite adept at closure. This, again, is something you may want to discuss in greater detail with your provider, i.e. would plastic surgery or any other type of related interventions be necessary at a later date.
Has this background provided a basis to help you explore or make your decision any easier?