New diagnosis - starting Aldara treatment

Hi there, and sorry to hear you’re feeling fed up. What you’ve got sounds much like what I had removed yesterday. My GP referred me to the Dermatology clinic and they think it’s a BCC. When I looked them up I saw that they tend to be very slow growing and often present as something looking a bit like a spot that just doesn’t heal. That’s what mine looked like, but when I look at a photo taken from a couple of feet away (they asked me to do this when sending in photos) I can also see that it’s surrounded by a rough circle of reddened skin. Mine also bled (not the ‘spot’ but the skin surrounding it) for no apparent reason a few weeks ago — I’ve read that’s typical of a BCC too.

My sister has had a slightly different thing - keratocytic something, I think. It’s a kind of pre-cancerous lesion, and for that she was prescribed cream. My understanding (which may be wrong - others will know better) is that BCCs would not normally be treated with cream, and ISTM that they do warrant referral to a Dermatology clinic. I’d ask your GP to think again, if I were you, or possibly speak to a different GP at the practice. Fortunately my practice has a GP who specialises in dermatology, and he’s the one I spoke to.

Try not to worry, because even if it is a BCC they almost never spread (I’ve been told by the Dermatologist), and it should be fairly simple to remove whilst it’s still small.

You may want to consider going private if you can afford it. I did this as my GP didn’t want to refer me due to waiting times despite my lesion being on my face! Glad I did as it turned out to be SCC. The cost was £480 all in. That included the operation, 2 visits to the nurse, a follow up with the consultant and the testing at the lab. I have never had private treatment before for anything but the cost was less than I would have expected. I have a follow up consultation in 6 months where I will have to pay another £175. I could have opted to have the follow up with my GP on the NHS but after my experience, I don’t really trust the GP to know what he is doing! 

Thanks for the reply. I've made an appointment with a private dermatologist for the 14th October, so not too long to wait. They've  told me not to use the Altavar cream until then because of the inflammation. Feeling hopeful that I'll get the BCC fixed sooner by doing this.

Hi - thanks for the reply, it is comforting to hear from people who have been through a similar situation. I've made an appointment with a private dermatologist, just to get a clear diagnosis. I've got to try and stay off the internet until then, I just worry myself too much!

Hope your appointment goes well, let me know how you get on.

I think that’s a very good idea, and it’s great that you won’t have long to wait. Please let us know how you get on.

Best, BP

Thanks for that, I'll let you know how I get on. I have to stop looking at all the distressing pictures on the internet, it really isn't helping me at all! Not long to wait.

Yes, definitely stop looking at the scary pictures 

I’ve been reading around this skin cancer forum over the last few days (you prolly have too) and most people who’ve spoken about it seem to be very happy with their cosmetic outcome. The guy who did my face on Friday went to a lot of trouble to do as neat a job as possible, and I’m sure that’s the typical experience. I understand that it’s difficult not to worry, but I keep reminding myself that almost no BCCs require any further treatment because they almost never spread. So, vastly more likely than not, neither you nor I will have more to put up with than a month or so of worry followed by good news. Stay strong x 

I had my consultant appointment this morning and am so glad I did. He said my BCC was nodular and the Aldira cream is only recommended for superficial cases. He also said I have another small BCC on my eyebrow, and a patch of solar keratosis on my other cheek. 

I've got to have biopsies of the two BCCs, and he's recommended surgical removal of the small one on my eyebrow and radiation therapy for the one on my cheek. He thinks cosmetically this will give the best outcome, and it's as effective as surgery. I can use the Aldira cream on the little patch of solar keratosis on my cheek.

My poor face, so much sun damage. In my adult life I've been so careful about using suncream and staying out of midday sun, but when I was a child I was always getting peeling sunburn. I lived by the beach, it was routine for all my friends, showed you were getting a nice tan. 

My worry now is getting the treatment done before any lockdown comes along. Don't want it to get too much bigger. I've got to wait for the appointment for the biopsy, hopefully it won't be too long.

Main lesson from this is always get a consultants opinion and always wear sunscreen!

This is great news Didi60, in the sense that you now know where you stand and can have the correct treatment. I'm very glad you've had the appointment.

Fingers crossed now for a quick appointment for treatment.

BTW, you mentioned that you have a small BCC on your eyebrow. Do you mind if I ask whether you can actually see that, or just feel it? I've noticed that I've had a sort of roughness on the outer edge of my R eyebrow for several years now, and I've wondered what it is but because of my eyebrow hairs I can't see it. It's crossed my mind to wonder, since what I thought was a perpetual spot turned out to be a BCC, that maybe this could be too.

Very happy for you!

Best,

BP

Hi - heads a bit in a whirl, part of me was hoping the consultant would just say it was nothing, but he was very kind and reassuring.

The spot on my eyebrow is a small, pale, slightly raised area. He said the biopsy will probably be enough to remove it. Yours sounds more like the solar keratosis I have on my other cheek, which  is sort of red and scaly. Yours is probably nothing but it might be worth having it checked out because it's really easy to treat.