So Dick has gone thru 4 or so recurrences of SCC oral cancer. He just this week had a biopsy of his nose come back positive for basal cell cancer and he will have some Mohs surgery soon. He has had several cancers on his face and elsewhere, both SCC and basal cell cancers. Is this hereditary or just something in his immune system or WHAT?! I never hear anyone talk about exterior skin cancers in here and was wondering if anyone else who has had oral cancers have had exterior skin cancers too? Thanks. Jane

Hi Jane, Steve's father has battled with skin cancer on his face for many years. We always thought that he just had these skin cancers but when Steve was diagnosed with SCC his dad told us that he too had been treated for oral cancer (not sure if he had SCC, he hasn't told us). He has had surgery to have part of his tongue removed and he told us they scraped his jaw bone as well(?). He has since had surgery a 2nd time for the skin cancer but has to go back for more as they missed some on his nose. Steve's Dad said his doctor told him that it's highly likely that Steve having SCC is hereditory from him. Don't know how much truth there is in this but it's something to think about.

Noone knows anything, it seems that dispells or confirms these causes it seem. Life offers us no guarantees but it sure would be nice.

I have had a few basal cell and 2 squamous cell skin cancers removed over the years from face and upper chest. Mostly due to being raised in California and being a competetive swimmer/water polo player for 20 years before "SPF" was a term that was used!

Thanks, Wendy, Jim, and Jeff for your comments. I just was so curious if there was a "connection" but my guess it's more like a "susceptibility" to these cancers. Wendy, my husband had his jaw shaved too, plus losing a couple teeth during that surgery, but there was no cancer in those tissues. Yes, it is indeed something to think about, but not dwell on. We just have to watch like hawks for any changes, interior OR exterior. Dick is probably exposed to too much sun down here in Florida too, even with "SPF". Someday, science will answer these questions. Thanks again all! : )

Jane, Interestingly enough I asked some of these questions to Brandy's H&N surgeon when she was initially diagnosed and then had her reoccurence. Mainly because her fathers grandmother whom I was caretaker too had SCC on her face and head a lot in her last years.

Even though Oral Cancer is diagnosed as SCC and skin cancer is SCC the surgeon told me that you cannot die from SCC skin cancer but you can die from Oral Cancer as we have read. I remember clearly that Grandma told me that her sister had died from it and lost more half of her nose. Because that was so many years ago it made me ask and I now believe she may have had oral cancer vs. just skin cancer and back then which was over 30-40 years ago when she passed away we just did not have the medical knowledge about oral cancer that we have today.

I remember the MOHS surgery well as the surgery to remove the skin SCC was quite intense the last time. But it is absolutely amazing how our bodies can regenerate and heal from so much.

My daughter has not had the skin cancer but due to other skin issues she does not go out in the sun much without coverage. From my experience they are not related and as far as we have tested are not genetic.

Bonnie

I have had solar keratosis on my feet and hands for years. Some of these eventually turn into SCC and need to either be frozen or surigcally removed. I have spent most of my summers in the sun but do not burn. I too was told that SCC skin cancer is very different from SCC oral cancer. I was given a chemo cream to use which worked very well for about 6 months and now seem to have developed a reaction to it and can't use. Back to freeze and cut.

Take care,
Eileen