Basal Cell Carcinoma--MINE!

by Danna Shirley

 Dear Family and Friends,

I want to share something very important with you. 

My sister, Paula, noticed a light colored spot on my nose about three months ago that didn't go away. It was not a bump or a raised area, just a smooth, slightly pink discoloration. She said I better get it checked out. I went to a dermatologist in Napa, California and she gave me some ointment to apply at night. I was supposed to go back in two weeks but never made it b/c she was injured in a car accident. 

I knew I was coming to Tennessee in a few months so I made an appointment to see my doctor there. A biopsy was done and the result was that I have basal cell carcinoma. Another visit required more extensive surgery to remove the cancer cells that were already at stage 2.

Now to give you a little family history...

My niece, Rhonda, has also had surgery for skin cancer. They found a very deep melanoma on her back when she was 30.

She was a very avid ball player and was on the field IN THE SUN from the time she was five until she was 45. Now she's on the golf course several times a week. 

She was on a rafting trip when a friend who was sitting behind her said she didn't like the way a spot looked on her back. She wasn't much concerned but went to a dermatologist the next week anyway and he did a biopsy. He called back immediately and told her to come in right away. She had a deep melanoma. They had to remove a big plug of skin from the back of her shoulder and do a skin graft over the spot.

She went back every six months for a total body examination for any new cancer spots. The doctor told her the skin cancer on her shoulder was from the sun going  straight thru her clothes.  He told her to wear sun protective clothing as well. She now wears that clothing and sprays her whole body down with sunscreen and sprays the back of her shirt as well. Rhonda said the doctor told her if she hadn’t come in when she did, she would have been dead within a year.

The same doctor I’m seeing now also found a cancer spot on my daughter, Kristen's chest, about a year ago. She’s never done outdoor sports but does swim in the summer. She also wears SPF makeup on her face but never knew she should wear it on her chest. She now has a slight scar and goes back for regular exams.

I, Danna, have had a few severe burns in my younger years so I’ve tried to stay out of the sun as an adult. I guess my first very bad burn was when I went to the lake (CA) with my girlfriend and we lay out on the beach “to get a tan” ha, ha. I burned my back so badly that when I got home all I could do was lay on my stomach in bed and mom put cold wet towels on me over and over again.

After that experience I tried to protect myself from the sun. The next bad burn was when I went fishing in a boat with my new husband, Ron (CA). Thinking I was being careful I wore a large-brimmed hat, long pants, and long sleeves. A small strip of my ankle between my pants leg and the top of my sock was exposed and got sunburned. ALSO the reflection off the water severely burned my face to the point that my eyes swelled shut.

One more story: I was with family at the lake (CA) and everyone was skiing and swimming and having a great time but b/c of my two sunburn experiences I stayed on the bank under the trees and even kept a towel over my head. I had my shoes off, though, so my feet weren't covered. I burned the tops so badly that I couldn’t walk for a week. Oh, the pain!!!

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003227.htm

Unprotected sun exposure causes early aging of the skin. Sun exposure can cause first and second degree burns. Skin cancer usually appears in adulthood but it is caused by sun exposure and sunburns that began as early as childhood. You can help prevent skin cancer by protecting your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

Overexposure to sunlamps and/or tanning beds can cause eye and skin injury as well; repeated exposure may also cause premature aging of skin and skin cancer.

I’m sharing this b/c I’m very concerned about my three granddaughters playing in sports activities that are all outside--soccer, cross country, softball.  Wearing

sunscreen is so very important and even that doesn’t protect 100% of the time. 

http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sun-protection/prevention-guidelines/preventing-skin-cancer

Basal Cell Carcinoma can develop on the scalp, neck, hands, face, nose, cheeks, ears, forehead . . . anywhere. People with a higher risk of BCC have:

a.  pale, light-colored, or freckled skin

b.  blond or red hair

c.  blue, green, or gray eyes

d.  a family history of skin cancer

e.  a weakened immune system

They now sell Ultraviolet Protection Fabric (UPF) clothing, the numerical rating given to indicate how effectively the fabric blocks ultraviolet (UV) rays. The breathable fabric is the worst in letting in UV rays. Solid cotton is somewhat better. 

Please be mindful of when you're in the sun, how long you're in the sun, and if you've covered up with sunscreen or UPF clothing. Also use SPF lip balm, wear sunglasses, and don’t forget the hat. It just may save your life or the life of someone you love!