My original surgery for rectal cancer (when they closed the anus) was three years ago, following massive doses of chemo and radiation. A few months after that surgery I had 52 hyperbaric treatments in an attempt to get the surgery site to heal. The site did heal eventually (after a fashion) but never did feel "normal." Regular CT scans after that showed no sign of cancer. A couple of months ago the burning at the "old" surgery site became intense to the point where I couldn't stand it. I went back to surgeon who performed my surgery and he said, "I'm not going to touch that. It will never heal." Eventually I ended up with another surgeon who did a biopsy on the lesion which was labeled Squamous Cell Carcinoma. That surgeon sent me to a radiologist to get her opinion. The radiologist ordered a PET Scan which confirmed the Squamous Cell Carcinoma, but found no evidence of metasis. The radiologist and the surgeon then conferred and decided to try surgery on the skin cancer, hoping it will heal better this time because there has been no radiation to that area in over three years. I am meeting with the surgeon on Monday to finalize the plan for surgery.