Experiences with radiation therapy - basal cell carcinoma

DH has a skin cancer that has gone much deeper/more invasively than first thought - original surgery didn't get it all, graft failed, so at some point in the next month, he'll be back in for more surgery. in the interim we just have to manage the existing (large) open wound

when in with the doctor yesterday talking about the new surgery, he said there is a high chance DH will need radiation due to the invasive nature of the cancer.

so what can we expect with radiation? the cancer is in his ear/side of his face - current excised area is about 5cm high, 8-10cm wide, and quite deep (deemed full thickness) - and they are going to go wider and deeper...

Hun no experience as have not worked in oncology but couldn't read and and not reply.

Thinking of you, hope all goes well xoxo

No experience either hun, sounds horrible. I didn't think bccs were that invasive!

sent from my watzamajig so may not make sense....

Sorry, nothing to add either, but a huuuuuuge hug to you and DH. Hope they get it all next surgery and that if he needs radiation that the side effects are minimal. Much love to you. And a big kick for basal cell carcinoma. Cancer is a b*~€h.

Hi Briggy's girl, I have been in the same situation. I was told my options were skin graft (from the thigh to the décolleté, where the cancer was) or local radiation. My surgeon said the graft would not look as pretty but that in the long term, skin affected by radiation eventually breaks down in a sense so down the track may look dodgy too. He also said radiation is very invasive because it is just that- radiation- and can have other consequences in the long term. So I chose the graft. If I were you I'd look carefully into radiation for carcinomas- I'm not at all trying to make up your mind for you but it's worth knowing all the pros and all the cons so ask LOTS of questions. And take care!

Oh gosh I'm so sorry I didn't read your post properly. So the graft didn't work? Huge bugger :( look, as I said the radiation is just that but it's also a small area treated so you won't get any of the big physical ramifications as you would with bigger lots of radiation. Oh I'm so sorry - and I didn't mean to scare you with my other post.

Yep BCCs are really invasive if not caught in time. They grow quickly and aggressively - they are not lethal but can eat up the skin.

The first graft from his neck didn't take. The next will come from his leg due to the size. The radiation is possible on top of the graft.

The bcc appears to have done a lot more invasive damage under the surface. I'm thankful it is very very rare for it to metastasize but yes, my reading has come up with the same info about it spreading aggressively. It can (and has here) take off after a period of doing very little. I guess the damage was happening underneath. Very unhappy with the first gp that essentially dismissed it. Gave DH false confidence that it was innocuous so it took ages for me to get him to another doctor (and he only got checked when he did cos he was there about something else and I ambushed him!)

With mine it was removed (with surgery and stitches) but a few years later grew back but I ignored it for a couple of years thinking it was just the scar from the original incision changing or keloiding. So in the meantime it too went wide and deep.

thanks for the replies everyone

hoping it doesn't come to this, but it may - and i deal better with "stuff" if i am armed with knowledge

Eeeep! My DH has one now too, going in for second surgery probably next week.

My only experience with radiation is my mum's, for breast cancer, so pretty different I imagine. Still bloody scary. :hug:

much love to you all lee x

Oh Audax! not you too!!

Oh gals, so sorry your DHs are going through this. No experience but thinking of you both xx