It’s a four-peat! Add topical chemo to my therapy list
I thought I had been through it all; oral chemo (Revlimid and pomalidomide), infusion chemo (high dose melphalan and Velcade IV) and most recently, Velcade via sub-q injection. Three different ways to administer chemo. Who knew there was a fourth?
Three months ago my dermatologist at Mayo Clinic biopsied and removed three suspicious spots. Since I had a near miss with melanoma following my stem cell transplant back in 2011, I was reminded to be vigilant.
Skin cancer makes a return visit
Details about my skin cancer follow-up appointment today
Several docs investigated and decided to remove a discolored rough spot on my left ankle, remove a bump off my butt and biopsy a suspicious, discolored area on my left cheek that had been originally diagnosed as squamous cell sarcoma and frozen twice over a three year period.
Turned out the blotch on my ankle wasn’t a recurrence of melanoma, but a harmless growth. Now it’s just a hole that’s never fully healed.
My “cheek” (pun intended) has healed nicely. The nice, young intern will diligently check it again in three months.
On to my other cheek, I was given two options. They could remove it surgically, most likely leaving a scar. Or I could use a topical, oral chemotherapy cream, Fluorouracil 5%, applying it for six weeks. All thought that should do the trick.
I love it! You can now add topical chemo to the never ending onslaught of of oral, IV and sub-q chemotherapy my body has reluctantly endured.
It’s a four-peat!
So far, so good. I’ve finished the six week protocol, the scab fell off unceremoniously yesterday, and all I’m left with is a rough, red blotch–like I had when the process started.
Feel good and keep smiling! Pat