Hi - I am new to the forums and am seeking help on understanding treatment for poorly differentiated squamous cell caner.
My husband was diagnosed with SCC in July this year. The tumour was on his scalp. He had an operation in August to remove the tumour and the surgeon advised that everything cancerous had been extracted however the cancer had spread into fatty tisue.
The tumour site healed well, I changed dressings at home with visits to hospital nurse in between.
My husband saw a doctor at the end of September for biospy results. The doctor advised that he had well defined SCC but would need an ultra sound as a precaution due to the depth of the tumour. He was then advised via letter that he had poorly differentiated SCC, of course we realise this is much more serieous. The ultra sound was undertaken, a week after the consultation, and no issues were found in his lymph nodes underarm and neck.
No further treatment has been mentioned or planned.
My husband has since been back to hospital for a check up and again no further treatment advised.
We are very worried and just wanted to check others' experience.
I appreciate that everyones experience of cancer is different.
Thank you for helping - we so appreciate any advice anyone can offer.
Hi and welcome to the skin cancer group
I 'spoke' to you in the New to the Community area and suggested that you joined this group as here you'll find others who have been treated for SCC.
I don't know if you've had a look through the group yet for people who specifically mention poorly differentiated SCC but, in case not, I've found that the most recent person is who posted in May 2020. I've 'tagged' them into my reply in the hope that they can pop on and tell you about their treatment.
In the meantime you make want to take a look at this leaflet from BAD (British Association of Dermatologists) which explains what a SCC is and how it is treated. You will see that surgery to remove it is the normal recommended treatment and you've said that your husband had this in July.
That's great news that the ultrasound has shown no spread so it looks like, from what you've said, that your husband is now on regular check-ups with no further treatment needed.
I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma 5 years ago and after my melanoma was removed, and no further spread was seen, I was on 3 monthly check-ups for 3 years and am just coming to the end of 6 monthly check-ups for 2 years.
Has your husband been assigned a SCNS (skin cancer nurse specialist) or key worker? I'm not sure if this is done for SCC but, if so, he can always give her a call to clarify if further treatment is required.
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi
I'm glad to hear that your husband has managed to speak to his consultant's secretary and she's going to find out more for him.
You are right when you say that we just have to learn how to live with it and get on with our lives. I've been living with a melanoma diagnosis for nearly 5 years now and it does get easier. I'm still really careful when out in the sun but have become more relaxed about it all now.
Let me know what the secretary says
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
That sounds like progress 
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
Hi
I'm sorry to read that you haven't been happy with the follow-ups your husband has had since he had a SCC removed from his scalp 6 months ago.
The last time we 'spoke' he was having a telephone consultation where you were hoping to get answers regarding the type of skin cancer your husband had and what follow-up treatments, if any, were required. How did that go?
During the 5 years of follow-ups I've had I haven't always seen the consultant. Sometimes it's been her registrar and sometimes a trainee doctor accompanied by either the consultant or her registrar but never just a trainee on their own.
Discovering a potential new skin cancer must be very worrying for you both and I hope the appointment comes through quickly.
I saw a consultant privately when I first found a lesion on my arm. It meant that I didn't have to wait weeks to be seen on the NHS and cost about £150. The consultant decided that the lump needed removing to find out what it was so wrote to my GP instructing him to refer me to his NHS clinic so that I didn't have to pay for it to be removed. I didn't ask how much removal and biopsy would be so can't help there.
Do let me know what your husband decides to do
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
