Secondary Cancers: A Reminder

In August, I wrote about secondary cancers in Follicular Lymphoma. It's worth bringing up again.

Last week, I had a growth removed from my forehead. The biopsy came back negative -- pre-cancerous. Not yet cancerous. But it could have been if I had let it go longer.

As I wrote in that post, Follicular Lymphoma patients are at higher risk for developing a secondary cancer -- a new cancer besides the FL. That's true for lots of reasons, including having "imperfect" immune systems due to our B-cell cancers, and sometimes because of treatments we receive, which can cause changes to our DNA that can get out of hand. It's good to be aware of that, and do all of the kinds of screenings that are recommended. I had a colonoscopy earlier in the year, ten years after my first one. The doc found a benign polyp -- no problem, but now I'll do the next one in 7 years, just to be sure.

And I see my dermatologist at least once a year, more often if I have a concern. My oncologist has been especially insistent about this, and I'm glad of it. I've had some weird skin patches removed over the last few years. The doctor says, "Oh that's a fliggamujangaping, nothing to worry about" as she freezes it off. I don't remember the names of the things. If she doesn't say "cancer," I pretty much stop listening and let her do her thing.

But this time, she came into the exam room and looked at my forehead and immediately said "I want a biopsy." The nurse prepared one as the doctor looked over the rest of my body, even the bottom of my feet, and said, "It all looks fine. Except that spot on your forehead. It could be squamous cell carcinoma. If it is, we caught it early. If it isn't, it's pre-cancerous, and we caught it before it became cancerous. Either way, don't worry about it."

And, strangely, I didn't worry. Maybe because I've already been through the shock of hearing "You have cancer" the first time, and it only shocks the first time. Or maybe the oncologist has been preparing me for this for a few years by telling me to get checked, so I kind of expect it every time. Or maybe I just took her at her word when she said "Don't worry." 

So this is your reminder to pay attention to potential secondary cancers. Being at higher risk doesn't mean we're guaranteed to get one. But it does mean we need to pay closer attention, and if we're concerned, to make sure we're listened to.

And if you're like me, and you can blame your Scottish/Irish/French Canadian ancestors for your fair skin and history of bad sunburns, then get your skin checked frequently. 

Take care of yourselves, everyone.