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