Does anyone know anything about skin cancer?

[Hepburn]

I saw someone I know today. He is early 60s fair skin color and very bald. He had a skin graft done that did not take and then had a very special skin graft operation last March. His head looked OK right after the operation...considering he had just had the surgery. Today, his head looks like it is rotting off and it does not look right. Is there any such thing as a terminal form of skin cancer ~~ one that has not started like Melanoma.

Thanks for any info ~~ I have tried the Google, but I cannot find any info that appears to fit.

[taterguy]

1. The librarians at the nearest med school would know more than we do

[Hepburn]

2. Thanks...

...good idea. I am going to be in the area of UCLA on Friday.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

3. "Do not post threads seeking medical advice"...

...and I'm only posting this as a courtesy, not because I'm trying to tell you what to post (I really dislike DUers who do that).

Every time someone posts a thread seeking medical advice, the mods lock it and remind them of the rule about not posting threads seeking medical advice:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules_detailed.html

[Chan790]

5. But does it apply in this case?

I mean she's not seeking advice, she's seeking information...and the purpose of that information seems to not be advisory but curiosity.

It'd be like if I posted a poll about what sort of birth control people preferred.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

6. Predicting the behavior of the mods is like predicting the behavior of cats.

I've seen wild-ass threads go untouched and seemingly innocent threads get locked in a heartbeat.

There's a fine line between information and advice...if I were to go to WebMD and post any of their content on skin cancer which included recommended treatments, I'd be giving "medical advice," even though the O.P. did not specifically request "advice."

And in your example, I hear you...but that is exactly the kind of "innocent" thread I've seen shut down over and over again.

I could be all wet on this...it wouldn't be the first time. Like I said, I posted as a courtesy, not a criticism or the desire to control what gets posted here.

[hedgehog]

4. Can he see the spot you're talking about? If not, it may be a courtesy

to tell him to get it checked. If so, he probably knows all about it.

[petronius]

7. Was the graft part of a cancer treatment?

If the "rotting off" bit is in the same area as the graft, it seems like the graft is failing to take again - I would assume after only three months that he's still in contact with his doctor, but if it's an area he can't see (and even then I bet he gets a mirror onto it once in a while) he wouldn't hurt to discreetly ask...

[Hepburn]

9. Yeah, it's a HUGE area now...

...and I am sure he is in contact with his MD. It's awful looking. The first graft did not take and now the second one looks like rotting meat. I am wondering if there is more to this than a simple case of skin cancer. I know someone whose dad died of cancer like this ~~ bald, fair skinned and it started with a spot that looked like sunburn blister. Ate him alive from the outside in. It was awful. I cannot find the person who lost her dad this way. I am more curious than anything ~~ if anyone has ever heard of skin cancer like this.

[petronius]

11. It's possible that his cancer is recurring, but it seems like they would have checked pretty

carefully to make sure it was all remove the first time - and done appropriate tests for metastases if there was a hint of that. From what you describe, it sounds more like a graft problem than a cancer problem.

I've had a melanoma removed, and I still go in every 6 months for a check. Nothing they've described to me or warned me about sounds like what I'm picturing from your post. Also, when my cancer was removed, the doctor had me back frequently for follow-up on the scar and to check for a recurrence - if that's what it is, I'd be confident his doctor has seen it...

Still, there's no harm in asking him about it, if you can think of a way to bring it up tactfully.

[pitohui]

8. yes but just because it looks bad it doesn't mean it's terminal

it's possible for any skin cancer to spread, such as squamous, this is why they have to be removed even if you're too old for it to make any cosmetic difference, for interest, i have a relative in his 80s and they still have to keep removing his squamous skin cancers even though he's past the point where his skin is ever gonna look beautiful again

however, there is nothing to say that your friend has a terminal illness, it may be that this skin graft didn't take though which is distressing enough if it's on his head

[Hepburn]

10. Thanks for the info....

...I am not close to this guy to ask questions. It's a legal matter and I am wondering what is going on with they guy and if this is something really bad.

[HopeHoops]

12. Avoid it.

On Edit: (Oh, and IBTL).