Sarah, Duchess of York has cancer again

[BirthdayRainbow]

She has had treatment for breast cancer and now has skin cancer. I feel so sorry for her.

My Nana had breast cancer and then years later cancer in her lungs and she died. Was that secondary cancer? Was she always going to die from it?

Im trying to understand if you can have cancer twice and it be coincidence rather than connected and be okay.

God bless. I've always liked Fergie.

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope she recovers.

Skin cancer is brutal. Hope she’ll be ok and is around for her family for many years.

Yes it can be separate (dm has had three related cancers). Being a redhead and fair skinned may make her more susceptible sadly.

Really sorry to read this. Get well, Fergie.

How awful for Sarah - she's been through it recently hasn't she.

@BirthdayRainbow yes, it is possible to have two 'primary cancers' rather than it always being a primary that has spread.

Poor Sarah. She’s beaten it once, I’m sure she will do it again!

Her skin cancer is unlikely to be related to her breast cancer, although some cancer treatments can increase your chances of other types of cancer. Skin cancer is also an extremely broad spectrum, from a simple lesion treated with cream to melanoma with metastases, which is incurable but sometimes manageable.
All types of cancer increase as we age. Skin cancer is also more common in people who spend time outdoors, in very fair skin, and she is a natural red head (which goes with fair skin often). She is also of a generation where a tan was very fashionable and sun protection uncommon in her younger years.

*unrelated

I like Fergie too. Fingers crossed for a full recovery xxx

My dad, pale with reddish-brown hair, had this in the 1992 when he was Sarah’s age. He then got prostate cancer in 2003 but the two were unlinked. He was being investigated for a kidney tumour in 2021 when he was 88 but he died of something else (heart attack) before the tests were finished.

So he definitely had two unlinked cancers, maybe three. It’s likely that Sarah’s are unconnected too, but someone more knowledgeable will opine.

HER2 in right breast, cancer in left breast and skin cancer of my ear. So yes you can have different cancers.

Yes, you can certainly have unconnected cancers, and this is likely to be the case here. Fergie has colouring that puts her at higher risk of skin cancer, and she has spent lots of time in sunny climates - she was always at risk of skin cancer regardless of other health issues, and with any luck it has been caught early and treatment will be successful. I've always liked Fergie and I hope she makes a full recovery.

Skin cancer sounds like it could be a secondary primary and not connected to the breast cancer. Sarah has the typical skin and hair coloring that makes her particularly susceptible to skin cancer. Wishing her all the best that it has been caught early and treatable.

Thank you for your explanations. I understand now. TBH I don't think anything could have saved my Nana.

I’m sorry to hear that she has skin cancer. If it’s not melanoma, then it’s likely very treatable.

I know loads of people who get their skin cancers burnt off practically every year!

Melanoma a whole different kettle of fish though.

It is a melanoma.

Oh that is sad news. Best wishes to Sarah .

@Lizzieregina the article I read says it's a malignant melanoma and she's having tests to establish whether it's spread - they're hoping it's been caught early though (obviously)

@urrrgh46 yes I googled after I posted and saw it’s melanoma.

Melanoma certainly changes the concern, but if it’s caught early, and it WAS found during routine screenings, then hopefully just some removal will do the trick.

I wish her the best. 2 cancer diagnoses so close together is certainly quite awful.

I am sorry to hear this.I have always had a soft spot for Sarah Ferguson despite her many critics.

Me too, and I wish her all the best.

It must be really traumatic having cancer and going into hospital to get it treated then just when you thought you could relax again you get more cancer. I hope Andrew looks after her and she makes a full recovery.

Me again. My dads melanoma was caught early in 1992 and he made a recovery. Died of something else in 2021. It’s possible that she will be all right. I do hope so.

I heard on the news that the dodgy mole was spotted by chance by the medics performing her mastectomy. What a bit of luck. Reminds me of the story of Katie Price (I think) whose cancerous lump on her finger was spotted by her manicurist. And the Corrie actress Sue Nicholls whose weird mole was noticed by a dermatology nurse who was watching the programme - the nurse contacted the tv station I think, Sue went to her GP and melanoma was eventually confirmed.

Just makes me angry that around here skin lesions are no longer dealt by GP, have to be removed privately.