Is this too long to wait? - Cancer: Skin Message Board

BioAdoptMom3 · 08-25-2006, 10:16 PM

Just last week my husband asked me to look at his lower back. He has what appears to be a sore there which is crusty, has a little black spot, almost like a blackhead in it. The rest is a combo of red and pink and it is a bit raised. The best way to describe it is that it looks like a pimple which has been squeezed and has scabbed over, but still has a blackhead. I am worried and have been researching on the internet all evening. From what I can tell it looks a lot like the pics of basal cell carcinoma, but I know you can't be sure by looking at pictures. I told him that he needed to get it checked out. He has his regular check up scheduled for mid November and said he would have the doctor look at it then. I am afraid that is too long to wait. Is it? We ae not debating whether or not to have it checked, just about when. He thinks that is soon enough. Anyone else have something that looks like what I am describing? What was it?

TIA!

Nancy

cherman · 08-25-2006, 10:38 PM

Hi I would have him go to a dermagolist. You can look them up on internet they are the best to go see for Moles and they will probably take a biospy. Its better to go now early detection is better to cure. Hope this helps

Warren123 · 08-26-2006, 06:21 AM

I agree. Family doctors are not experts in moles and skin cancer diagnosis. The family doctor would send him to a dermatologist anyway. If your insurance carrier requires your family doctor to write a refferal for a specialist like a dermatologist, I would call the family doctor, explain the situation and see if you can get a referral.

Ladypepper · 08-26-2006, 02:50 PM

If you are uncomfortable and worried about it, get it checked. Sometimes you just 'know'. When I had my family doctor look at mine, he said it looked like it was just a callous. He wanted to leave it at that. But I knew a callous didn't bleed and hurt like that and something just wasn't right. I am glad I insisted, it was 3.5mm level V. A little longer wait and who knows what would have happened.
All melanomas do not look the same and most family doctors do not have the knowledge about melanoma.

BioAdoptMom3 · 08-27-2006, 08:55 PM

Thanks to ALL of you for your excellent and appreciated advice! I guess I jumped the gun. Today he squeezed a bunch of pus out it (gory I know) and it is just a flat spot. So, we'll keep an eye on it and I will insist on a derm if there are anymore changes. This may have been good because I think its a wake up all that we should both have our skin checked. We live in central FL very close to a beach, spend a lot of time in our pool and grew up at a time when sunscreen was not popular, so I would assume we're both high risk.

Thanks again!

Nancy