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Squamous cell carcinoma

Smudge 1999
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Husband had squamous cell carcinoma on forehead very large.  Had it removed with skin graft.  Waited 1 month to see plastic surgeon who said that it had been removed but had gone into nerve ending  which some had been removed and probably why he was numb in that section.  But the other specialist said no further treatment. She asked of this was right but may take another month just for an answer. What should we do to speed this up. Will it spread more? We were told before it would not and waited but it did.

  • Dear Smudge 1999,

    Thank you for getting in touch with us and welcome to our Online Community. I’m Alison, one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists who works on the support line here at Macmillan.

    I’m sorry to hear of your husband’s diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma and that he’s experiencing some numbness following his surgery. It’s understandable you’re concerned about the cancer spreading to the nerve and having to wait another month to find out if further treatment is required.

    When tissue is removed, it is sent to a laboratory to undergo tests. These tests look closely at the cells and will ensure that there is enough healthy tissue surrounding the cancer to be satisfied of having ‘clear margins'. Sometimes these tests take around 4 to 6 weeks to complete. The consultant will then review the results together with his team to discuss if further treatment is necessary. Unfortunately, this process can take time.

    It might help to reach out to the specialist nurse or consultant to voice your concerns and to get some clarity and reassurance about what to expect going forward. It’s not unusual to need further surgery because clear margins haven’t been achieved, but it’s unlikely that any cancer would spread further in this timeframe.

    You may want to talk through your concerns and be able to ask questions, so please don’t hesitate to call our support line to speak with one of our nurses. It can also help to reach out for peer support and I see you’ve already joined our skin cancer forum. There are also other organisations which can offer support and guidance for you both.

    I hope this is helpful and if you need to ask further questions please don’t hesitate to get back in touch.

    Take care,

     

    Alison,

    Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

     

    You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. 

    Ref/ LJ/AP

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