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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@hmlane

I had two earlier this year and two more this week and two more next week. The stitches are not a problem but the healing and scar dissipation takes a long time. I have not found an answer to the problem of what causes the squamous cells to appear in the first place. I understand the sun exposure but these cells just appear and usually after I have cut the skin like walking into the corner of the dishwasher or rock scrapes from hiking. TY for asking!

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Sorry we share a similar struggle. It’s the lengthy healing process as well as the on-going recurrences that wear me down. My doctors tell me that at some point the outcroppings will just stop as mysteriously as they started. Can’t happen soon enough at this point! I hope respit happens for you, too!

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I have had many Squamous Cells as well.
Many Basal Cells also.
Melanoma --- 2 times.
One Angiosarcoma, one GIST and about four other major cancers. Always surgeries, never the creams or chemos as mentioned here.
This is NOT simply just from the sun. Cancer researcher believes I have a "Bad Gene" that
predisposes me for cancer. But of course I would need to get involved in tests and researches into this.
I have no interest in spending my remaining years doing this. I just go with the flow and hope for the best!

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@hmlane

I had two earlier this year and two more this week and two more next week. The stitches are not a problem but the healing and scar dissipation takes a long time. I have not found an answer to the problem of what causes the squamous cells to appear in the first place. I understand the sun exposure but these cells just appear and usually after I have cut the skin like walking into the corner of the dishwasher or rock scrapes from hiking. TY for asking!

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Yes, very true about hurting ourselves and squamous appearing. Also, unnecessary biosopies. While playing tennis, my chipped nail while serving, hit my thigh, a few times, that turned into a squamous, while getting into my car, my car door hit my left shin bone, that turned into a squamous.
Truly, a bummer, don’t hurt ourselves!!!!

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Hi, am so sorry that you were going through this. My dermatologist in Naples uses radiation for different skin cancers.. I couldn’t have mine surgically removed because of an ongoing issue with my shoulder where the squamous is so I’m doing small does radiation, it’s only a minute each time and I’m doing 15 . I’m not sure if this might be available where you are or even if you would be interested. I had it done for a basal cell on my face. That way there was not a scar afterwards., Good luck to you , and keep us posted.

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@leigh17

Hi, am so sorry that you were going through this. My dermatologist in Naples uses radiation for different skin cancers.. I couldn’t have mine surgically removed because of an ongoing issue with my shoulder where the squamous is so I’m doing small does radiation, it’s only a minute each time and I’m doing 15 . I’m not sure if this might be available where you are or even if you would be interested. I had it done for a basal cell on my face. That way there was not a scar afterwards., Good luck to you , and keep us posted.

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I believe SRT radiation works on the upper trunk with limited side effects, the issue is that it is contraindicated for use on legs and Dermatologist are still using it for legs. The lack of vascular circulation in the lower extremities coupled with radiation can lead to a non-healing ulcer. My feedback from Wound Clinics treating ulcers caused by SRT was always dealing with leg ulcers. The adverse events reported to the FDA Maude database have other entries for leg injuries caused by SRT.

I am pleased you have had a good outcome, I am just sharing a voice of caution for this treatment for lower legs as I would not want to see others have to go through the long wound treatment healing process.

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Thank you for your wise words of caution for others.. I had not thought about the ramifications of that on lower legs. Thank you. That’s a shame that dermatologist would be using that on lower extremities. I’m sure that mine would not be doing that.

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@mermaid7272

I have had many Squamous Cells as well.
Many Basal Cells also.
Melanoma --- 2 times.
One Angiosarcoma, one GIST and about four other major cancers. Always surgeries, never the creams or chemos as mentioned here.
This is NOT simply just from the sun. Cancer researcher believes I have a "Bad Gene" that
predisposes me for cancer. But of course I would need to get involved in tests and researches into this.
I have no interest in spending my remaining years doing this. I just go with the flow and hope for the best!

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I’m curious, what cancer researcher did you speak to that said the squamous outbreaks could be due to a “bad gene”I would like to find out more information on this. Thank you.

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@leigh17

Hi, am so sorry that you were going through this. My dermatologist in Naples uses radiation for different skin cancers.. I couldn’t have mine surgically removed because of an ongoing issue with my shoulder where the squamous is so I’m doing small does radiation, it’s only a minute each time and I’m doing 15 . I’m not sure if this might be available where you are or even if you would be interested. I had it done for a basal cell on my face. That way there was not a scar afterwards., Good luck to you , and keep us posted.

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I also live in Naples, Florida, what dermatologist do you say? I go to riverchase Dermatology. What a coincidence that we were both in Naples. Perhaps if you’d like, we can share our names and contact info.

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@maggielynn

I also live in Naples, Florida, what dermatologist do you say? I go to riverchase Dermatology. What a coincidence that we were both in Naples. Perhaps if you’d like, we can share our names and contact info.

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I go to Dr Deborah Bailey. I was at the Woodruff Institute for years before her. Will send a message later….
Small world!

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@maggielynn

I’m curious, what cancer researcher did you speak to that said the squamous outbreaks could be due to a “bad gene”I would like to find out more information on this. Thank you.

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My friend and neighbor was a cancer researcher at the U. of Michigan. Highly versed in studying the causes of this disease. Jia wanted me to take part in a study in his department.
Unfortunately for me, he was offered a position with a research company back in his native China and decided it was too good to turn down. We had many talks about my unusual number of cancers. Many of which were not skin cancers, but they were some rare sarcomas and other types involved. He wanted more information about why I had so many & thought it had to be a gene problem. I would have done this for him, but since he left, I was a bit relieved that I wouldn't have to go thru all those tests!

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