Has anyone been diagnosed with skin cancer? Is it common? Do most people get it? How serious is it?
Skin cancer FAQs:
cancersource.com/8_FAQ.cfm
If you have any changes in a mole, get your ass to the docs immediately and have the sucker removed. Even if the doc says it’s probably OK, if you have any doubts, just insist on having it removed. It’s a very simple procedure.
Malignant skin cancer is very deadly but has a very high survival rate if caught early.
I had to have a couple of precancerous spots removed recently. Apparently it is easy to do at home, too, although of course you can’t get them biopsied or otherwise professionally evaluated – just use a chunk of dry ice (frozen CO2) to freeze them off.
I just had a couple of them removed surgically. The surgeon told me that I was lucky because they were caught early, but the last foreigner wasn’t so lucky.
He thought he was really cool and that there was no way he could get cancer. After some while, the cancer went into underlying tissues and later into the lymphatic system. After that, it was a race for his life. And eventually, he lost. He was 31.
The doctor told me that a few foreigners have been diagnosed in Taiwan with cancer and have ‘passed away’ from it. I hope I don’t. But on the lighter side, I wish dry ice would work. It would be a lot easier and cheaper than going to the doctor.
cipos
I suppose it depends on what is being removed. In my case, the vet sprayed some liquid nitrogen on the spot and told me that it should fall off in about ten days.
The same thing can be done by holding dry ice against the spot (use thick leather gloves to hold it so you don’t frostbite your fingers, too). Actually, I’m surprised that they use liquid nitrogen, since it tended to spray around a bit; a chip of dry ice would be more controllable.
If I had something which was suspicious, I would go in to get it evaluated. If I were just removing a mole (works on warts, too) that I didn’t want, then IMHO self-treatment would be reasonable.
Stay out of the sun! (From a Florida resident)
Did you get the vet to sort out your family planning issues while you were there?
Whenever I go back to Australia I check in to one of the plethora of skin cancer clinics they have there. Inevitably they lop off a spot or two, Freaky. Skin cancers (I mean BCCs) only have to be 3mm deep and you’ve pretty well bought the farm. I’ve had quite a few friends that’ve had very close calls.
HG
Did you get the vet to sort out your family planning issues while you were there?
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No, but I got my toenails clipped. 
How good are Taiwanese doctors in diagnosing skin cancer?
I have been thinking about doing a check, but I am not sure if I should do it here or pay big money for the check in Europe. Any recommendations for skin doctors in the south?
Hmmm, my little girl has a cute little “choco-mole” on her cheek. This topic’s got me concerned. Any recommendations for a doctor here in Taipei? I usually go to Chung Shan.
i recently find myself growing many spots all over my body and one especially has a curly hair grown out of the lump.
i wonder what i will become after 3 years…
A MOLE GIRL COMES TO TOWN
ho ho ho :loco:
[quote=“tongolele”]i recently find myself growing many spots all over my body and one especially has a curly hair grown out of the lump.
i wonder what I will become after 3 years…
A MOLE GIRL COMES TO TOWN
ho ho ho :loco:[/quote]
Get yourself checked, pronto. New moles, moles that change shape or moles that start to bleed are all classic danger signs.
I still remember many years ago, when I lived in San Diego, a nice old guy that lived down the street from me giving me a ride to work one day and I noticed he had bandaids on his face and he told me, “make sure you wear a hat, son; when I was your age I had fair skin like you, and now I have to go to the doctor to get these cancers removed.” For some reason that has stuck with me. . . although I still don’t wear a hat very often.
oh yea! and i constantly feel very tired without doing much. perhaps that’s something with my moleness.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
You and your moles need to see a skin doctor TODAY. You don’t mess about when it comes to malignant melanomas.
Friend of a friend story here. 30 years old. Itchy mole. Ignored it thinking it would just go away. Died of malignant melanoma 9 months later.
[quote]How good are Taiwanese doctors in diagnosing skin cancer?
I have been thinking about doing a check, but I am not sure if I should do it here or pay big money for the check in Europe. Any recommendations for skin doctors in the south?[/quote]
Diagnosing is easy, think U should do it here. I would go to Tai Da (NTUH) in Taipei and ChangGung Hospital in Kaoshiong.They have reputable skin department , but don’t expect good service though.
Does anyone know of bad effects from removing moles that aren’t (yet) cancerous?
I have a few that I’d like to get rid of, but the doc back home said they weren’t an issue, and we didn’t really have time to do it that day anyway.
I’d like to freeze a few spots off myself, but am hesitant in case that might provoke the evil monsters.
[quote=“lime*monkey”]How good are Taiwanese doctors in diagnosing skin cancer?
I have been thinking about doing a check, but I am not sure if I should do it here or pay big money for the check in Europe. Any recommendations for skin doctors in the south?[/quote]
I went to Chang Gung hospital in Kaohsiung, saw the doc and had the sucker cut out within an hour. It was biopsied within a week. Cancer is a big killer in Taiwan, so my take is that the health infrastructure is very good a diagnosing it. Have it done here.
Skin cancer is 99% curable when caught early, but if it metastasizes to surrounding tissue, it’ll most likely kill you. Don’t wait.
The problem is the surrounding tissue on the surface, such as Basal Cell Carcinoma. It’s the invasive type like Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Both go to surrounding tissue, which is a surface problem, but squamous cell goes deep. This is the problem. It goes into the lymphatic system and then it’s usually all over except for the wait. I’ve only had Bascal Cell (BCC) nodal type, but even that’s scary.
These skin cancers are nothing to play with or laugh at. According to my doctor, there was a foreigner in Taiwan who did just that. When he finally got worried and ran to the hospital, it was all over his body. It was too late. One year later, they shipped his body home to his relatives.
No laughing matter!
Last night I noticed a new spot on the top of my hand. It doesn’t appear to be a freckle but may be a mole. I’ve had a Basal Cell Cancer removed from my neck just a couple of years ago. I realise the advice is going to be rush to the doctor however I have Celtic skin that freckles in no time after exposure to the sun.
In the past I have rarely put sun block on the top of my hands but since I'm occasionally out on the scooter in the sun I'm realizing I should and presently do. I had a basal cell cancer growth on the back of my neck removed two years. I had a suspected new mole of freckle removed here in Taiwan which turned out to be non-malignant. I suspected that after watching it during the waiting time before the surgery. Unfortunately I come from a background where ther is a family history of skin cancer. . I'm honestly not sure whether to rush and get it checked. (I really don't want an unneccessary biopsy again).
Back to the subject of sunblock: Because it really stings is there anyway to put it on so it doesn't get into the eyes when you sweat? I've noticed just getting sweat in the eyes stings too. I definitely don't want to and definitely shouldn't use weaker sunblock if the high SPV factor in the stinging.
I’ve just googled information about countries and skin cancer rates. It makes for interesting reading.