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Skin squamous cell carcinoma (recurring)
Cancer | Last Active: Jan 24 7:27am | Replies (103)Comment receiving replies
Hello, my husband recently was told that a spot that was removed on his face is squamous cell carcinoma. His doctor said that she wants to treat it with a medicine that's a lotion that he will need to use once the lesion scabs up and comes off.
We're definitely scared about this finding and are wondering why she would not just remove the SCC altogether. Is it normal to just try and treat it with a lotion medicine? We're concerned that maybe it's an insurance issue and that they are just putting off doing a procedure. Also, she said to use the lotion and that she will not be able to see him until February.
We're thinking she didn't want him to go to another doctor and is using the lotion as a "bandaid" until she can see him in February.
Should we get another opinion or is this normal since it's the first time he's been diagnosed with this.
FYI, his mother said that she's had a few of these and they had all been removed by her doctor. His father and grandfather also had these in the past, so maybe genetic?
Thank you!
Replies to "Hello, my husband recently was told that a spot that was removed on his face is..."
I've had many squamous cell cancers removed with the lotions. They typically have 2 you apply together a couple time daily. I've also had a few incised out including melanoma. In my cae the lotions worked fine.
@fhusereau Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. As you can see, several of us have had differing experiences.
One thing to consider is where the SCC is on his face? From Moffitt Cancer Center, here is an article that speaks about different types of SCC: https://www.moffitt.org/cancers/squamous-cell-carcinoma/diagnosis/types/
I have had MOHS for SCC, and also the lotion you speak of. I trust my dermatologist to know which is the best course of action based on what cancer I have. In fact, tomorrow I have MOHS scheduled for nodular basal cell cancer on the side of my nose.
Ginger
The cream they are talking about is most likely Efudex. Brand name is Fluorouracil. I used it a couple times to treat pre cancer areas 9n my face.
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I get my dermatology care from Mayo Clinic since 2006. Every time I have a biopsy and comes back skin cancer I am given several options for treating it along with the success of each and the complications of each.
Thus my dermatologist is very informative and I have chosen MOHS surgery every time. MOHS surgery is not painful after pain medication injected. What it does is take skin off around the biopsy and see if all has been removed as they go beyond the biopsy area. The removed skin is then sent to pathology who examines it.
If there are any signs of cancer the surgeon comes back and remove more of the skin and pathology examines again. The process continues until all the cancer is removed. It a curative surgery.
Mayo cancer surgeons are very specialized especially the MOHS surgeons. I would definitely get a second opinion and options for treated it. I was given the lotion, freezing, and other options along with MOHS both my dermatologist and I agreed on MOHS as you do NOT leave the operating room until all the cancer is removed and no other treatment is need other than (the last one I had had to have stitches) wound monitoring.