I have just found out that my mum has cancer 😢

[Pleasedontbebad]

My mum has had a spot on her face for at least 3 years and it has got more noticeable/worse since around November last year. At the hospital today for a different issue they have said that is skin cancer and she will need a skin graft. It has a black crusty look so from looking at Google images it looks likely to be Basal cell carcinoma. How worrying is this?? Googling seems to show that it’s very unlikely that she will die/it will spread but it’s cancer and isn’t that the worst thing you can get?? I just don’t know what to think/how to feel… She now has to wait up to 6 weeks to be seen again and I assume they will be trying to operate to remove it then 😣

I’m so sorry OP, what a stress for you.

There is so much variety with cancers - many of them are extremely treatable and have good long term outcomes. I know it’s so hard but try not to imagine the worst until you have more information.

FWIW, my mum had a cancerous skin growth, it was removed with a simple operation and she didn’t need further treatment.

I hope you and your mum stay well and get good news ♥️

I had suspected Basel cell carcinoma (turned out not to be after being removed) and it made me very anxious being a cancer.
However, the consultant said it can just be “unsightly” when it grows, it’s not a cancer that spreads around the body.

It was a 1 hour op under local anaesthetic to remove the skin lesion and then a check up a month later to see the wound healing and that was it.

Basal cell carcinoma is actually pretty common and easily treatable. Once the cancer is removed she's unlikely to need any further treatment.

If it's a BCC you honestly don't need to worry at all! Seriously - in terms of cancers to get, it's a 'nice' one.

All the best to your mum but really - don't worry

When I was training many years ago and we would postulate about which was the least worst cancer to contract, then a BCC was the one we all plumped for. Yes, it is scary but the recovery rate is really, really good. It will likely be an excisional biopsy with a good margin of clear skin, done under a local.

I won't tell you not to worry but I will tell you to stop googling, you will do you and your mum no good, and waste a lot of energy worrying, just focus on your mum and what you both will be up to this time next year.

I had a BCC on my nose, they whipped it out and it was all done and dusted in 30mins. That was about 6yrs ago now and everything is all good....Honestly nothing to worry about x