I had two small dots on my forehead that poked out. They were as tiny as a dot a ball point pen would make. When I tried to scratch them off, they would not scratch off. After about 6 months, I went to the dermatologist. He asked me what I was doing there, they were so tiny they were nothing. I said, "Fine, since they are nothing, just remove them." He did. Three days later he called and told me how they turned out to be basal cell carcinoma but he removed it all, and I had nothing at all to worry about. About one year later it returned. I went back to the same doctor and he said it was the one in a million chance that it would return, but he removed it and said now I had nothing to worry about. It returned about 6 months later, and I went back again to the same doctor. He said it was once again one in a million chance, and he removed it again and said if it came back again, I would have to see a plastic surgeon. It came back again about 3 months later. It actually never really healed. All of these times, it was pink and peeled a lot. Always seemed that the scar would never quite heal and would peel, sometimes enough to bleed. I went to a plastic surgeon. He scheduled a one hour surgery in the hospital so he could send the skin samples to the pathologist right then. I was in surgery 6 1/2 hours, and he removed more and more and more and sent it to the pathologist 23 times! It was morphea like basal cell. Morphea like grows like an octopus IN the skin, not on the skin, so it was much larger than it appeared on my skin. He had to remove 1/3 of my forehead. He gave me skin grafting. Every time the dermatologist removed it in the past, he only removed what he saw and and left the octopus legs in my skin. When the pathologist said there was no more, the doctor did my skin grafting. Afterwards, he said that morphea like is so aggressive that he would send it off for further testing. And they did find the cancer in two more places in the edge of the scar. So I had to have more surgery. So that is what it looks like pink and peels a lot, and don't trust the doctor's word!!! (Website deleted by EmpowHer moderator)
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I just read your blog and I am a little nervous. I had a growth taken off my back 3 months ago. It was done with the MOHS procedure. It healed. Now I have a sore in exactly the same spot. I am scheduled to go to the dermatologist tomorrow. It was diagnosed as Basal cell but we shall see. Thanks for the information. Now I know what questions to ask. It makes me really nervous be cause it is near my spine.
October 19, 2014 - 5:17pmWish me luck.
Jane A.
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I had basal cell morphea basil cell carcinoma removed from my nose in 2002. I had a smart dermatologist that sent me to another city to have it removed in the MOHS procedure. It didn't return. Although a while back I also had a red spot on my right upper cheek that started acting up, itching and bleeding. I had the biopsy done last week. During the biopsy he said that the problem was diffuse under the skin and that it was larger than it looks. I now know that it will probably be the same as what you had but won't know for sure until next week. The area is just below my right eye and is having a time in healing. Thank you for your blog, it really enlightens me. I have Lupus and was told that it was common for Lupus patients to have this type of carcinoma.
September 19, 2014 - 1:22pmThis Comment
Carol - Thanks for writing, sharing your story, and sharing the link to the article from the Baylor College of Medicine. I found it very difficult to locate information on Basel Cell Morphea-Like Cancer or Morphea Basel Cell Cancer. Even the Skin Cancer Foundation didn't have specific information, although they do have several pages on Basel Cell Carcinoma. I'm sorry you went through this, and I really appreciate your taking the time to write about it and share your story with others. You may just help another person avoid going through what you've experienced.
I hope you're now healing and on the way to full recovery. Take good care.
April 12, 2010 - 6:27pmPat
This Comment
Yes Pat, it is hard to find information! This type is sort of rare. My plastic surgeon said that every time he goes to the hospital now to remove Morphea-Like Basal Cell Cancer, the hospital freaks out and asks if it is going to be like my surgery where I was in surgery for 6 1/2 hrs instead of the one hour I was scheduled for. He said I am "infamous" there. My surgery messed up their schedule so bad that day! My two tiny dots were so small when I originally went into the doctor's office, I could not see them when I looked into a regular mirror. And now my scar is about 2 inches by 1 1/2 inches. I read that Morphea-Like can spread to the eye. Usually basal cell does not leave the skin. My scar is about 1/2 inch away from my eye. The doctor had to remove skin from behind my ears to use for skin graft. He removed the back of my ears and skin from my head behind my ears, 4 different pieces of skin. Then he had to sew my ears to my head, from the top of my ear to the bottom of my earlobe. I have a hard time will the headsets that go with the Ipod and a blue tooth! Nothing fits in my ears or over my ears. My plastic surgeon was great!! I had no money. He looked at me and said, "You have a need, and I can take care of your need." My bill was $26,000, and he made it that every part of my bill was free; I actually never even saw a bill, it was just all taken care of. Now as I look back, I really wish I would have paid attention to dates, kept all receipts, paid attention to what exactly happened, and to what exactly the first doctor said to me, and I wish I would have taken lots of pictures. I trusted that doctor and believed everything he said, and I shouldn't have! After the dermatologist removed my cancer the first time, he did a pathology test himself. Later I found out that in his test, my cancer did still go to the edges; but he said that is normal, because of the way he removed it. He burned the edges, and he said that removes any cancer in the edges. Sure maybe that is true, but what about the octopus legs?? I also later learned that burning the edges method (I don't know what it is really called), is "prehistoric." He should have never done that, and definitely should have not have done it the second time. He has been a dermatologist for about 40 years. He is "grandfathered in" and needs no further education. Since he graduated 40 years ago, he has never had any further education! So it is also a really good idea to look at the doctors records! He is a big, reputable doctor here with a very busy office. But now I know that doesn't mean anything!
April 12, 2010 - 8:52pmThis Comment
Carol - I too wish you had captured your story, but you can always go back and recreate it. There's quite a contrast in the two physicians - one who does not seem to have stayed on top of his profession and another compassionate individual who donated his services to help you recover from this horrible cancer. And you're right, it's imperative to check out the background on any physician you see, especially if you have a condition like cancer in which new treatments and discoveries are continually developed. There are many avenues that people can take, including physician review websites and licensing websites, but it's also important that patients do their own homework too and get second opinions when necessary, even if they have to pay out of their own pockets to do so. We only get one go at this life, and the best advocate for our health is going to be us. I'm glad you're on your way to better days and appreciate so much all that you've shared.
April 13, 2010 - 6:23pmBest, Pat
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Carol W,
What a rollercoaster you have been on for the last couple of years, and what a frightening condition to learn about.
For those who want or need to learn even more about morphea, here is the Mayo Clinic's page on it. There are links down the side to click on that tell you when you should see a doctor, risk factors and treatments:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/morphea/DS00718
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Carol. And best wishes that it's smooth sailing from here on.
April 12, 2010 - 11:16amThis Comment
Morphea and Basal Cell Morphea-Like Cancer are two different things. You can read about Basal Cell Morphea-Like Cancer at www.bcm.edu/oto/grand/101991.html
April 12, 2010 - 2:37pmThis Comment