skin cancer

Former Member

Does anyone know anything about skin cancer other than that it is normally caused by excessive exposure to the sun's harmful rays or the UV rays in sunbeds? I am having a couple of moles looked at by a specialist as there is a possiblity that I have developed skin cancer. The thing is that i have never sunbathed or used a sunbed and always wear at least spf 15 suncream when I go outside when it is sunny. I have never really burnt and hardly tan so I can't understand how I could have got it if I have. Also how is it removed and what is the likelihood of it returning if i have got it? I am really worried so any help or advice would be appreciated. Cheers

Former Member

skin cancer has the highest cure rate of all cancers really.... there's a really high incidence, but very very low fatality rate.

but, it is true that melanomas are very aggressive and metastasise, but they can be seen early (as opposed to bowel cancer or something where you don't have a clue till its the size of a tennis ball lol), and once removed you'll be fine. I doubt that it is 'cancerous' yet as that refers to a state very far down the malignant pathway... it is probably a benign tumour, and lots of events need to happen before its too serious.... but yeah, get it removed if there is any doubt, and try not to worry x

Former Member

Thanks very much that has put my mind at rest a little. I'm just annoyed that I have to wait so long for my appointment when the doctor and consultant seemed really concerned about it and my two moles are hurting quite a lot and so irritatingly itchy. Thanks very much I didn't realise that it takes more to happen before it turns cancerous.

Former Member

I have a mark on my hand that my girlfriend's urging me to go get checked. When I first noticed it I thought I'd injured myself, scrtached it, it bled, took ages to heal then disappeared, it then came back as a raised dark mole like lump, and is now like a flat, slightly transparent, pinky freckle. I don't know if it's just a scar, if I've injured myself or what. I hate wasting the doctor's time. What does anyone think?

Former Member

yeah, sarah there are quite a lot of mutations that need to accumulate, all in the same cell, before anything too bad can happen. definitely pays to be cautious though, and with those symptoms you're right to get it removed. Don't worry about having to wait a while, I'm sure you've got time

ginner... erm, sounds like a scar. Don't know how a 'mole' (mass of melanocytes) could go from dark to pink and transparent. Get it checked out if it changes, or starts to itch or something though.

(please don't sue me if anything happens to either of you... which I sincerely hope won't).