Skin Cancer and staying ahead of it with onging treatments

Staying ahead of your skin cancer treatment is a hard lesson to learn for some of us.  Myself included.  I was first diagnosed with skin cancer more than 10 years ago with squamous cell carcinoma. and at the same time numerous Basal cell carcinoma all over my back, neck, face, and head.  As an active scuba diver and runner at the time I was out in the sun a lot and never really took precautions.  I underwent the first of what was to become numerous treatments: painful and time consuming mohs surgery for each.  I believe it took nearly a year to get them under control, and I felt like a scarred mess.  Fortunately my dermatologist was also a plastic surgeon and the scarring was kept to a minimum.   Until the next fearful 6month return for a body check, and more Basel cells..

Here again,  they found numerous pre-cancerous Keratosis and sprayed what seemed to be every inch of my body.  As with the next ten years, while doing my body check they continue to locate pre-cancerous, Keratosis, and a few more Basal cells and the occasional stubborn squamous cell carcinoma, but I had these taken care of as well. During this time I also began to worry more about melanoma, I had more than 30 surgeries some minor and some major. However, each puts a scare in you.  

When will the melanoma show up?  I get a surgery nearly every time I go to the doctors' office for my check up.  I began to resent my doctor, and my body for betraying me.  I determined that I had developed a form of surgery fatigue related to the body checks and chronic Keratosis. I spoke to my then doctor, and told him I needed to take a break for a while but would follow up in a year.  After all, I have numerous scars on my chest back face, arms and scull from the major surgeries, and had come to a place of what I called surgical depression. from treatment exhaustion, and took a break for a year and worked with a terrific plastic surgeon.  

Currently I take precautions in the sun, and still scuba dive with water proof sun block. I don't run outdoors, yet I still develop pre-cancerous Keratosis, but much less basal or squamous cell carcinomas these days.  I go for bi-annual checkups with Dr Goldenberg at Mount Sinai and feel on top of this chronic condition.

So be sure to follow up with your dermatologist for a body scan to check for these little buggers before they get out of hand, and to help put your mind a ease.   It is a part of my total body health care now consider making it yours.

As always I hope you found this helpful and informative.  feel free to contact me for a consultation.  

All the Best,

Dr Kevin
www.DrKevinOBrien.com