1. < Cancer

Skin squamous cell carcinoma (recurring)

Posted by annabach @annabach, Jul 2, 2023

Anyone else battled on-going outbreaks of squamous cell cancers? I have had dozens on my legs in the last two years. One required a swim graft. Three were MOHS procedures. A dozen were excisions with sutures. The rest were small and frozen. I just had an aggressive one removed the had quickly extended all the way to muscle. Who did you see? Are there other treatment options besides continued surgeries? I have at least six more that have popped up in the last week. It feels as though this will never end!

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maggielynn | @maggielynn | Oct 22, 2023
In reply to @annabach "Forgot to mention that the docs also advised me to take Nicotinamide (B3) 500 mg twice..." + (show)
@annabach

Forgot to mention that the docs also advised me to take Nicotinamide (B3) 500 mg twice a day. I have been doing that for over a year now. I can’t say that for sure it has helped, but I have seen a reduction in numbers of new SCCs.

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My dermo had recommended the same.
I was just taking one time a day, will begin to do this twice a day.
We need all the help we can get!

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1 reply
annabach | @annabach | Oct 22, 2023
In reply to @maggielynn "My dermo had recommended the same. I was just taking one time a day, will begin..." + (show)
@maggielynn

My dermo had recommended the same.
I was just taking one time a day, will begin to do this twice a day.
We need all the help we can get!

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I take one morning and evening. Don’t know if that matters. I just thought it might absorb better that way.

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dandd | @dandd | Oct 30, 2023
In reply to @annabach "Thanks for reaching out and sharing your story. It is always comforting to feel we are..." + (show)
@annabach

Thanks for reaching out and sharing your story. It is always comforting to feel we are not alone in the struggle I totally get that most of the time the SCC is not at all life threatening if removed in a timely manner. However, I also had a friend who died from an aggressive SCCon the top of her head that attacked her brain.. One SCC I had removed by MOHS was also a very aggressive form and the doctor had to remove tissue all the way to my calf muscle to get it all - even though the lesion had only been visible a few weeks. His comment was that he had had patients who had worse results from this kind of SCC than from Melanoma (which I have also had). I am over 30 removals over the last two years - mostly on my lower legs, many of which have become infected. This last aggressive one required 3 different antibiotics before the infection finally relented. So I am VERY weary of this constant struggle even though I recognize that I am fortunate to have a very treatable challenge. Legs are just so slow to heal and so susceptible to infection. But I am doing everything I can to care for my wounds. And I am taking a thousand units of Nicotinamide ever day. I wrap my wounds in plastic when I shower. I am allergic to antibiotic creams, so I can use only Vaseline to soothe the wound site. I use a steroid cream to deal with my allergic reaction to the gauze, paper tape, etc. on the surrounding tissue. It’s been a true learning experience of what helps. Next week I get the next two MOHS procedures. Please send positive vibes that these may FINALLY be the last two - at least for awhile. We have a “trip of a lifetime” planned for November and I pray I can be wound free and have legs healthy enough for the challenge!

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So sorry to hear about your journey. I too have multiple sites that have been diagnosed as requiring surgery. I have had surgery on 3 areas in the past, one site at a time, my question is, can multiple sites ( forehead, shoulder, chest) be operated on at the same?

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2 replies
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Oct 30, 2023
In reply to @dandd "So sorry to hear about your journey. I too have multiple sites that have been diagnosed..." + (show)
@dandd

So sorry to hear about your journey. I too have multiple sites that have been diagnosed as requiring surgery. I have had surgery on 3 areas in the past, one site at a time, my question is, can multiple sites ( forehead, shoulder, chest) be operated on at the same?

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@dandd Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Like several others here, I have dealt with multiple skin cancers. In fact, in 2 weeks, I undergo more MOHS procedure for an area on my left nostril. I joked that since they took half of my left eyebrow last year, I may need to get a "phantom of the opera" mask!

You can ask your dermatologist if they will do multiple sites during one procedure. Personally, I have not had that done. Is that the situation you find yourself in, now?
Ginger

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jc76 | @jc76 | Oct 31, 2023

When I had my surgeries for basal and squanomous they gave me several options for treating it. You asked about other treatments than MOHS.

Did not your dermatologist give you options? Mine gave me several and I remember some were freezing, and other type of treatments. I think they also have medications that are put directly on the cancer.

You should ask what options you have for treating the cancer. I chose MOHS because it was described as not leaving office until the biopsies showed no cancer remaining.

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angiekasprzak | @angiekasprzak | Oct 31, 2023

I haven't had the experience of 'dozens' but I have had a handful of a mixture of squamous cell / basal cells on my lower legs [calves], and a couple of times they seem to be mirror images [in the same place] on both legs; and those are in addition to many other squamous cells in different places on my body.
I can pin-point a squamous cell carcinoma sore easily, and after a month or so, when I am sure of my 'self-diagnosis' I make an appt. with my dermatologist for a biopsy and the [a bit later] am scheduled for a removal of this.

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angiekasprzak | @angiekasprzak | Oct 31, 2023
In reply to @dandd "So sorry to hear about your journey. I too have multiple sites that have been diagnosed..." + (show)
@dandd

So sorry to hear about your journey. I too have multiple sites that have been diagnosed as requiring surgery. I have had surgery on 3 areas in the past, one site at a time, my question is, can multiple sites ( forehead, shoulder, chest) be operated on at the same?

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Yes, I had 2 squamous cells on different areas of my body removed during the same procedure, but I think it will depend on your doctor's view of things.

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annabach | @annabach | Oct 31, 2023

I have had multiple removals at a time legs, arm, shoulder. But the dermatologist will certainly guide your decisions. I am always of the mindset that sooner is better!

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dandd | @dandd | Oct 31, 2023
In reply to @gingerw "@dandd Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Like several others here, I have dealt with multiple skin..." + (show)
@gingerw

@dandd Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Like several others here, I have dealt with multiple skin cancers. In fact, in 2 weeks, I undergo more MOHS procedure for an area on my left nostril. I joked that since they took half of my left eyebrow last year, I may need to get a "phantom of the opera" mask!

You can ask your dermatologist if they will do multiple sites during one procedure. Personally, I have not had that done. Is that the situation you find yourself in, now?
Ginger

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Appears they will do a "burn and scrape" on the basil spot, Surgery on the squamous on the shoulder, and MOHS on the squamous on the forehead. Since done by different doctors, guess
it have to be different dates. Would ask if more than one spot if all the same treatment. But that is now off the table. Thanks for all the feedback.

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1 reply
angiekasprzak | @angiekasprzak | Nov 11, 2023
In reply to @dandd "Appears they will do a "burn and scrape" on the basil spot, Surgery on the squamous..." + (show)
@dandd

Appears they will do a "burn and scrape" on the basil spot, Surgery on the squamous on the shoulder, and MOHS on the squamous on the forehead. Since done by different doctors, guess
it have to be different dates. Would ask if more than one spot if all the same treatment. But that is now off the table. Thanks for all the feedback.

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I recently had a squamous cell, along with 2 basal cells, found on my right calf. And then a month later had a squamous cell on my left calf, Both squamous cells were removed by surgery. I have had a mixture of around 12, squamous cells and basal cell spots found on my body over the years, I am now 55 years old.

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