Please help. Just found this on my dad's back.

[sprigatito]

My dad's partner died of cancer a few days ago, he and I were with her when she died, and I've brought him home with me until the funeral (and probably permanently). He's got Alzheimer's and his partner was his carer. He's been looking pained and twisting his shoulder, he said it's just a spot, but I made him show me his back and found this. It looks just like the squamous cell carcinoma he's had removed before, only it's enormous. He's lost weight and is pale and more vague and breathless than usual, but I thought it was just grief

This is really fucking bad, isn't it? He survived stage 4 lymphoma in 2017 and has a heart condition. I have a doctor calling me back from 111, but should I just take him to A&E?

No advice, just hoping it isn’t what you think it is and a virtual hug. You’ve got a lot on your plate right now.

I wonder if it's something that has become infected as it's so red around it? I'm not a doctor though, so hope you get some help from your GP this morning

If that were to be an infected cyst rather than something more serious - you do need to take him to A&E as it would need to be drained and GPs can’t do that.

The infection can spread so you need to do that asap.

If A&E think it’s not, and they’re concerned - they can put in a referral themselves.

As someone who has had melanoma try not to worry but definitely get a GP referral asap. I have a client who had something removed very similar and it wasn't cancer even though it developed very quickly and looked awful.
best wishes for your family.

They often can't make referrals from A&E and will send you back to your GP. We've experienced this first hand recently on two seperate occasions. Very frustrating.

Fingers crossed for your poor Dad and you today OP and I'm really sorry for everything you've all been going through.

I think I'd also go to A&E and ask them to assess if it is an infected cyst or similar too.

This isn’t correct.

Many GPs can and will perform minor surgeries such as an incision and drainage of infected tissue, or they will give antibiotics to cover while a referral to dermatology is made.

OP I hope your GP is helpful and you get the information you need quickly.

Technically they tell the GP to refer, but if it comes from A&E they will do it straight away without having to make a GL appt ime.

Ah this looks bad OP. I'm sorry. Is it the same location where his previous SCC was removed? If so, its likely a recurrence. Thinking of you xx

The GP can definitely drain a cyst. I had one on my back which actually looked a bit like your dad’s. It was a sebaceous cyst and I got antibiotics which brought it right down and then the GP performed minor surgery to remove the sac.
Even if it is basal cell carcinoma, that is usually curable - it is extremely rare that it spreads. But it does look like a cyst so try not to panic.

Nothing helpful to add OP but hoping that you can get some help today, sending strength at a really difficult time

There may be a GP at the practice who is qualified to do minor surgery, but it depends on the practice - some don’t have one. Even if there is you have to book an appointment, it won’t be done immediately.

I had a cyst that got infected and grew to 8 cm - antibiotics didn’t touch it - invariably they don’t - and I was sent to A&E by the GP.

A dermatology referral could take months unless it’s done under the 2 week rule, in which case they don’t think it’s a cyst.

They can drain a cyst to relieve pressure - all GPs will be able to do that even if they don’t do minor surgery. If he’s in loads of pain he could go to a&e but a walk in clinic or GP is probably better.

Indeed. In a perfect world a practice with full attendance of GPs (ie not working part time, or from home via zoom), there is likely to be someone on the staff with the surgical specialism to do this procedure. However, it’s the luck of the draw if they’re on the roster the day you need them.

One of our GPs is also a qualified paediatrician, but she works one Friday afternoon a fortnight, so when we need to see her re meds for my ND 16yo that GPs cannot prescribe but she can, we have to book a month or more in advance. And that’s just for a telephone consult.

Hang in there OP. Hopefully you will see/speak to someone in the next few hours and be on the path to some form of treatment.

Given your father’s dementia, it might be the case that he has already seen his GP about this and has already been referred but can’t remember.

I’d try and speak to his GP first before speaking to your own locally just to check.

As I say, this is absolutely not the experience we have had recently. No option to refer from A&E at all, we had to make appointments with the GP to start the process from there.

I totally agree with therapeutics lies. When MiL was going through a lucid phrase she'd say Mum goes to the shops a lot doesn't she 😎

I’ve done it twice, the most recent was a couple of months ago. It’s possible that it depends on the trust, but equally it may depend on circumstance. In both cases A&E advised urgent cancer referral. I don’t know what the hospital conclusion was in your case, the report may not have advised that. Which may be why you had start again with the GP. Some cancer is actually diagnosed in A&E.

Oh OP I hope you got some sleep, and I hope your Dad gets seen today, what an awful time I am so sorry.

Doctor here… he needs to be seen but don’t panic! They will biopsy. It looks like a basal cell cancer and they can get HUGE but don’t usually spread to other parts body .

It looks very much like a cyst that my grandmother had recently. My FIL recently had skin lymphoma which didn’t look at all like this, but was able to have it removed and is fine now. Good luck OP, I hope it turns out OK and you have your mind put at rest.

No useful medical knowledge here I'm afraid, but wanted to add mine to all the good wishes. I'm so sorry you have all this on your shoulders atm. Incredibly hard to deal with and whatever it is I do hope your lovely dad can be made much more comfortable once the experts can get a look at him. Please do keep us updated. X

I hope everything’s ok x

Just sending you my best, OP. What a lot to go on all at once.