What are your experiences with BCC biopsy

[Fightingtobepositive]

I don’t know what I’m asking really. But my partner has just came back from the dermatologist about a spot on his face. He’s mentioned BCC and wants a biopsy. He’s booked for August then another apt to discuss in Sept. These appointment seem so long when the C word has been mentioned, I understand it can be removed but it’s not nice to think about. My partner is a very positive person but even he seems so low at the minute.

I’m so anxious about health anyway that my thoughts are already spiralling!! Google hasn’t helped, as usual!

I guess I’m just asking what’s everyone’s experiences or thoughts. Has anyone had a red spot for months and it’s just turned out to be nothing? Has anyone had biopsy’s after being told that it’s likely to be bcc and it wasn’t? If it was was a it simple, how long did you wait etc

thanks x

Yes, and all was fine. All mine turned out to be BCC, they were cut out together with a margin of unaffected skin under local anaesthetic, the area was stitched and a dressing put on it. I had to go back about 10 days later to have the stitches removed. The BCC was sent off for a biopsy. I received a letter in due course confirming that all the BCC had been removed. I wear SPF 50 every day of the year now and I avoid being in direct sunlight.

The procedure was uncomfortable rather than painful and it was tender for a while once the anaesthetic had worn off.

Thank you for replying. Did you have a few at the same time? How old were you when you had them. My partner is 41

Me too had one on my face frozen twice to shrink it as much as possible and then removed with extra skin as described above stitched and letter shortly after saying ok.
BCC is very common.

I was in my 50s. They were not at the same time. Sadly BCC are very common. I know many people who have had them, they have all had good outcomes and now follow the advice re. covering up and SPF 50 use.

My doctor doesn’t bother with a biopsy; she just decides that she doesn’t like the look of something and cuts it out, treating it as if it were a BCC. The excised skin gets sent off to cytology, and I hear back a couple of weeks later what it was. I had two BCC in my 40’s, and a further non-normal growth in my early 50’s. I guess there will be more, but I keep a close eye on my skin and if they can be cut out and that’s the end of it, then I can cope with that very well.

I’ve had a biopsy and it was BCC. It’s very treatable and I’m having light treatment. I’ve quite a few friends and family who’ve had it, one friend who has had several on her face and hers were treated by the same method I’m having. Try not to worry too much.

Had this a couple of years ago. The biopsy was very very quick, and they use numbing injections so it’s not painful and then had it removed via mohs

i wondered why they were biopsy but he said it’s because it’s on his face and wouldn’t want to cut it if there’s no need. But also said he wouldn’t be doing the biopsy if he didn’t think it was that. There’s such a wait I thought they may have just took it off. His follow up from biopsy is September so won’t be treated for a while and that’s privately 😢

Thank you for replying all. It’s looking like it probably is that then. He’s usually so positive but his mum died of pancreatic cancer not long ago so think that’s just making things seem scarier also.

My husband had one removed from the top of his ear 13 years ago- he would’ve been the same age as your husband. No probs and no recurrence. It hardly ever spreads anywhere, hence the longer appointment waiting times.

BCCs are very common. I've one removed. My GP said basically it's not going to spread but we'll just get it off. It was on my inner thigh and tbh the scar is approx 1.5 inches whereas the diameter of the thing was 0.7cm...

I've also had a suspected melanoma removed, that one was a big worry.

It's scary any time the C word is mentioned. Also 2 week pathway. I'm currently on my 3rd 2 week pathway now awaiting hysteroscopy and biopsy. I look at it like, brilliant, they're on it, get it sorted ASAP.

Thank you for sharing. I hope all goes well for you xx

Thank you for sharing this. It’s really good to hear. Can I ask, Did he have a biopsy also?

BCC rarely spread enough to cause damage and if they do it’s not quick hence no two week, mine was misdiagnosed for a number of years, about 8! Going forward just regular skin checks and make sure he covers up in the sun etc

Yes he did- that was a couple of months before it was removed

I had one taken out on my leg as it was quite big, no biopsy, another one on my leg I had a biopsy on, had local anaesthetic and biopsy taken, couple of dissolving stitches and it came back as BCC and I was given Efudix cream for that one. I was told I may get others but all good so far.

Timespan on mine was 3-4 months until one biopsy and one removal then a further 6-8 weeks for results and then I got cream prescription.

Thanks for all your reply’s. It’s not nice to hear for someone who I love so much but reading everyone’s experiences has helped.
can I ask has anyone had the cream for their face?

I live in Australia and I’m not exaggerating when I say that almost everyone I know (and I’m 47) has had at least one BCC frozen off, and most people have had a number removed. They don’t even refer to it as cancer here, it’s so common.
Over here they kind of dissolve them normally and you get minimal scarring - equally ours tend to be caught early as we have yearly skin checks.

I had a small shiny red lump on my face for a few years and I was really worried about it. The dermatologist decided to just remove right there rather than take a biopsy. It turned out to be benign.

The cream is sometimes prescribed if it is the very flat BCC, mine was like a small dry skin patch that itched occasionally, not lumpy at all.

Yes, have had 4 altogether - 3 of them all treated at the same time. No biopsy for the biggest one, just whipped it straight out. If I remember correctly they did the same for my very first one. The other 2 were diagnosed as Bowens, and were treated with the Efudix cream. Which in all honesty was worse than the actual minor op. (As in itching and how raw it looked) But all clear, and as ppl have said, very very common but also extremely slow growing

Thank you for this reply x

Thank you all for your reply’s. It’s really helped look at things more logically x

I've had two removed, one on my back and one on the end of my nose which wasn't a great place to have one. After seeing the dermatologist I was sent to the Plastic Surgery to have it removed, I had six stitches which were removed a couple of weeks later. It has left a scar but I used Bio Oil religiously and although visible in certain lights it's translucent and not red.