# I have cancer **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 2, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-cancer/687481 "2014-05-02T02:12:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-cancer/687481/21 "2014-05-09T16:00:25Z")
Once it’s gone, you get to call it can’tcer! ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-cancer/687481/22 "2014-05-09T16:12:10Z")
Good for you: bullet dodged! I’ve had several basal cell carcinomas, which fortunately are not dangerous (especially fortunate since I let the first one go for years, and the doctor who removed it made me promise not to make such a mistake again.) As a fair-skinned sun worshipper, no doubt I’ll see my skin doc’s kids through college. Thanks for reminding me of squamous cell carcinomas, one of the versions I’d forgotten about. I need to keep an eye out for these things. I do try to keep an eye out for melanomas and think I know what to look for; those are scary! They advance so fast, and once it’s too late, well, it’s too late. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-cancer/687481/23 "2014-05-09T17:32:28Z")
You’ll never be the same after such a close brush with death. You’ll get adventurous, like dipping garlic fries in mayonnaise. Best wishes on your new adventure. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-cancer/687481/24 "2014-05-09T21:17:19Z")
> [@MissSwitac](#): > > Hate to be a one upper and all that, but I was diagnosed in February with melanoma. > I couldn’t believe the huge chunk of flesh they took out of me. I got pictures if anyone wants to see. Now I have a nice 5 inch scar on my chest. I was lucky, caught it early and they supposedly got it all. This was me in 2005 - my dermatologist found it, and the surgeon got it all. Been getting checked-out by the dermo every 6 months since, and for the duration. I encourage everyone reading this thread to go to a real dermatologist and not let your PCP or GP try to diagnose skin cancer of any kind and tell everyone you know to do the same - for anything unusual on the skin. An aggressive dermatologist saved me! ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2014, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-cancer/687481/25 "2014-05-11T08:30:49Z")
> [@Learjeff](#): > > I’ve had several basal cell carcinomas, which fortunately are not dangerous (especially fortunate since I let the first one go for years, and the doctor who removed it made me promise not to make such a mistake again.) I had nine removed earlier this year, at least a couple were decades old, and a couple appeared in between consultation and surgery. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-cancer/687481.md?page=1)