Hi, Have a complicated question but I'll try to keep it brief. My mother has a large, pink, warty-like asymetrical growth on her head that has been steadily growing in size over the past 10 (yes, 10) years. It is currently the size of a plum, which she has hidden beneath bangs but it is becoming too large for her to hide anymore. This bleeds daily and has an acrid, noxious smell to it. The odor is really pungent, it smells like dead tissue. I don't know what category of cancer this falls into, I am really concerned that it is melanoma and that it may have spread to her brain. She has been refusing medical treatment, mostly I guess because she is afraid, but I really need to know what I can do to get her some help. I really don't know what to do. My other family members ignore it, but I live with her and I see the day to day toll it is taking on her. Any, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[This message has been edited by villagemouse (edited 06-19-2002).]

I'm sorry this is so delayed from your original post, and I hope you still look here. I saw it for the first time just now. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

It is imperative that your mother go to the doctor. I know it's embarrassing, but she could be very ill or dead with this thing. My Mom won't go to the doctor for ANYTHING, so I empathize with you.

Does she read? She must be informed. She must see the wisdom of at least a biopsy. Would she go on an all raw diet? (A well known MD had an ugly, external breast cancer that grew out of her chest like a 3 inch rounded horn, and cured it with a natural diet).

I can't believe everybody is just ignoring this thing. The fact that it smells like something dead isn't good. Bleeding can be a danger signal. And does she treat it in any way? Washing, antibiotic creams, etc?

I wish you luck. If she won't go to the doctor, then you must do research on how to treat it yourself. And if it is melanoma, chances are high that it has spread already. If is squamous cell, the chances aren't as high, but not impossible. I'm about to ask for information on anyone using Skin Answer, an ointment that gets rid of growths like squamous cells, moles and others.

[This message has been edited by all things (edited 08-02-2002).]

hello there. I was just checking out areas of the board when I ran across this. I can relate to what you are going through. In 1996 I developed a bump on my face. I believed it to be just a pimple. I squeezed it and thought it would heal. Stupidly,possibly out of fear, just not wanting to know, whatever, I tried to treat it myself (for the next 2 years). Everyone was concerned and kept telling me to have it looked at but I kept telling myself I had found the right medicine and it was going to heal. Then the nurse at my MD doctor's office told me about her husband and scared me. I thank god she did. I went to the doctors a day later. CANCER, I lost it... What I had dreaded in the back of my mind became reality. Needlessly the cancer had become extensive because I had waited so long to have it looked at.I was admitted a day later and they took it out. I was lucky, it was basal cell carcinoma and it had spred like fingers instead of inward. As it was, it started in the corner of my eye, spread above the eye, under the eye, they had to pull my cheek up to fill in the area they cut out and took out part of the side of my nose. My grandfather years before had a sore in about the same spot, he was given a lot of suggestions of medicine to put on it but none of them helped. Please, go to a skin specialist, if you are looking for something to put on it topically but letting a doctor look at it ASAP. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I hope your mom has reconsidered......