Skin cancer

Karin

I have another skin cancer... This is probably the 10th since my transplant in 2009, and the reason is clearly the immune suppression regimen I am on...

Luckily, these kind of cancers don't kill, but they do require Moh's surgery (can take hrs), and often reconstruction, since they do disfigure.

I am grateful for my 4/year skin screening since one of these cancers could turn bad and lead to invasive cancer, and that is of course even worse!

lescp3

Personally, I can say I am SO GRATEFUL that you found this.

DILIGENCE in keeping up with your screening - well done.

And, of course, good luck. May the Moh's be simple....

Sorossini

That is unbelievably frustrating! It feels like we signed up to fight one battle and no one told us we needed to stand guard all the time afterwards.

I'm so glad you spoke about the connection between immuno-suppressant drugs and the risk of skin cancer. I know I could be more proactive about my preventative health measures.

Thank you so much for sharing your updates with us. I know my doctor never spoke about enhanced preventative health screenings as a patient entering survivorship--that's why I love this community so much.

Stupid cancer. I hate that you have to do this again. I wish you ALL the good luck for surgery and and your recovery!

Camille

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It’s wild the impact that what is supposed to help us can really hurt us down the line. I hope your care team has been supportive and are truly listening to you.

Karin

Thank you so much! I am a little fearful each time they start to cut - you never know how many times they have to come back. Once they had to return to the cutting four times and spent the day in that room, just waiting for the analysis and then dreading when the door opened and the surgeon returned...

This time it is on the leg, and not my nose, so of course not as cosmetically damaging.

The Transplant care team has literally not even contacted me, so being supportive is very much a joke...