Causes Of Long Term Fatigue
Fatigue for people having treatment for cancer is different from the fatigue some people feel long after finishing their treatment. Or those living with cancer. This is also called chronic fatigue. The symptoms last for at least 6 months or more.
Things that can cause long term fatigue include:
- bone marrow transplants
What Will Happen After Treatment
Youll be glad when treatment is over. Your doctor will want you to check your skin at least once a month. It will be very important to protect yourself from getting too much sun.
For years after treatment ends, you will see your skin cancer doctor. At first, your visits may be every few months. Then, the longer youre cancer-free, the less often the visits are needed. Be sure to go to all of these follow-up visits. Your doctor will ask about symptoms and check you for signs of the cancer coming back or a new skin cancer. Other exams and tests may also be done.
Having cancer and dealing with treatment can be hard, but it can also be a time to look at your life in new ways. You might be thinking about how to improve your health. Call us at 1-800-227-2345 or talk to your cancer care team to find out what you can do to feel better.
You cant change the fact that you have cancer. What you can change is how you live the rest of your life making healthy choices and feeling as good as you can.
Can Basal Cell Carcinomas Be Cured
Yes, BCCs can be cured in almost every case, although treatment can be more complicated if the BCC has been neglected for a long time, or if it occurs in an awkward place, such as close to the eye or on the nose or ear.
BCCs rarely spread to other parts of the body. Therefore, although it is a type of skin cancer it is almost never a danger to life.
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Basal Cell And Squamous Cell Carcinomatreatments
Numerous treatment options are available for basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. Your therapy will depend upon the type of skin cancer you have and its stage.
- Surgery Many skin cancers can be cut from the skin quickly and easily. In fact, the cancer is sometimes completely removed at the time of the biopsy, and no further treatment is needed.
- Curettage and Electrodesiccation Doctors commonly use a type of surgery called curettage. After a local anesthetic numbs the area, the cancer is scooped out with a curette, an instrument with a sharp, spoon-shaped end. The area is also treated by electrodesiccation. An electric current from a special machine is used to control bleeding and kill any cancer cells remaining around the edge of the wound. Most patients develop a flat, white scar.
What Else Can Cause Fatigue
Many other factors can make you feel tired and fatigued if you have cancer. Some of these include:
- not sleeping well at night or sleeping too much during the day
- treatment may be harder for you to cope with especially if you’re elderly
- your tiredness may make it harder for you to concentrate so everything seems more difficult making you feel even more tired
- travelling to and from the hospital for treatment
- having a lot of visitors when you are staying in hospital
- looking after children
- other health problems such as diabetes, problems with your lungs, heart problems and being overweight
You can ask your nurses to tell your visitors that they can only stay with you for a short time. Don’t feel bad if you have to do this. You need a lot of rest and your friends and family will understand.
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What Skin Cancer Looks Like
Skin cancer appears on the body in many different ways. It can look like a:
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Changing mole or mole that looks different from your others
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Dome-shaped growth
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Non-healing sore or sore that heals and returns
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Brown or black streak under a nail
It can also show up in other ways.
To find skin cancer on your body, you dont have to remember a long list. Dermatologists sum it up this way. Its time to see a dermatologist if you notice a spot on your skin that:
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Differs from the others
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Itches
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Bleeds
To make it easy for you to check your skin, the AAD created the Body Mole Map. Youll find everything you need to know on a single page. Illustrations show you how to examine your skin and what to look for. Theres even place to record what your spots look like. Youll find this page, which you can print, at Body Mole Map.
Basal Cell Carcinoma Warning Signs
Basal cell carcinoma typically develops on parts of your body exposed to sunlight, but it does occasionally occur in other places. often include:
- an open sore that doesnt heal or heals and returns it may ooze or crust over
- a pink growth with raised edges and a depressed center, sometimes with abnormal blood vessels that resemble the spokes of a wheel
- a small pink or red bump thats shiny, pearly, or translucent it may have areas that are black, blue, or brown
- a raised red patch that itches
- a flat and firm area that resemble a pale or yellow scar
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Treating Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinomas must be removed. Methods include
- surgery
- electrosurgery
- and curettage
A painstaking procedure called Mohs surgery minimizes the amount of tissue removed. It is often performed when the cancer is located in the skin folds around the nose, at the corners of the eyes, and around the ears.
If you have had one basal cell carcinoma, you are at higher risk of developing others. Regular checkups are recommended for five years after removal of a basal cell carcinoma to make sure the cancer has not returned, and no new ones have appeared.
Rarer Types Of Non Melanoma Skin Cancer
There are other less common types of skin cancer. These include:
- Merkel cell carcinoma
These are all treated differently from basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers.
Merkel cell carcinoma
Merkel cell carcinoma is very rare. Treatment is with surgery or radiotherapy, or both. This usually works well, but sometimes the cancer can come back in the same place. And sometimes it spreads to nearby lymph nodes.
Sebaceous gland cancer
Sebaceous gland cancer is another rare type of skin cancer affecting the glands that produce the skinâs natural oils. Treatment is usually surgery for this type of cancer.
Kaposiâs sarcoma
Kaposis sarcoma is a rare condition. Itâs often associated with HIV but also occurs in people who donât have HIV. Itâs a cancer that starts in the cells that form the lining of lymph nodes and the lining of blood vessels in the skin. Treatment is surgery or radiotherapy, and sometimes chemotherapy.
T cell lymphoma of the skin
T cell lymphoma of the skin can also be called primary cutaneous lymphoma. Itâs a type of non Hodgkin lymphoma. There are a number of different types of treatment for this type of cancer.
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What Is Difference Between Adenoma And Carcinoma
Adenocarcinoma may occur almost anywhere in the body, starting in glands that line the insides of the organs. Adenocarcinoma forms in glandular epithelial cells, which secrete mucus, digestive juices or other fluids. It is a subtype of carcinoma, the most common form of cancer, and typically forms solid tumors.
Causes Of Cancer Fatigue
Someone with cancer may experience fatigue for several reasons.
With leukemia and lymphoma, cancer cells in the bone marrow can interfere with the normal production of blood cells. This can lead to anemia, and anemia can then lead to fatigue.
Colon cancer and stomach cancer can cause anemia through blood loss in the bowels, likewise leading to fatigue.
The metabolic processes of tumors can also contribute to fatigue. Cancer cells aggressively compete for nourishment with normal cells.
Some cancers lead to fatigue by disrupting normal hormone functioning. Others secrete substances known as cytokines, which in turn can cause fatigue.
Fatigue has many causes besides cancer, though. In that respect, fatigue accompanied by unintentional weight loss is more concerning than fatigue alone.
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How Does Nutrition Impact Energy Level
Cancer-related fatigue is often made worse if you are not eating enough or if you are not eating the right foods. Maintaining good nutrition can help you feel better and have more energy. The following are strategies to help improve nutritional intake:
What Increases Your Risk For Non
The single greatest risk is from ultraviolet radiation. This comes from exposure to the sun, especially during the middle of the day. It also comes from exposure to artificial sources of UV, such as indoor tanning.
If you have light skin that sunburns easily, you are more likely to get skin cancer.
Your risk is higher if you are male or if you are over 40. Your risk is higher if others in your family have had it or if you have had it before.
You may also be more likely to get it if you have been exposed often to strong X-rays, to certain chemicals , or to radioactive substances .
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When Should You Call Your Doctor
- Firm, pearly bump with tiny blood vessels that look spidery .
- Red, tender, flat spot that bleeds easily.
- Small, fleshy bump with a smooth, pearly appearance, often with a depressed centre.
- Smooth, shiny bump that may look like a mole or cyst.
- Patch of skin, especially on the face, that looks like a scar and is firm to the touch.
- Bump that itches, bleeds, crusts over, and then repeats the cycle and has not healed in 3 weeks.
- Change in a mole or a skin growth, including a change in size, shape, or colour.
- Area of normal skin that quickly changes shape or appearance.
Be sure to show your doctor any skin growths that concern you so that they can be evaluated and treated if needed.
Start By Taking A Walk
The first thing that I advise people that are dealing with this, is to take a nice walk outside in the morning. Waking up with some fresh air and exercise will drive up the energy levels in the body. People will feel better throughout the day. It also contributes to how well the biorhythm is working.
When the sun is out, it will also give them a nice boost of vitamin D which we need to feel healthy. Of course, I urge them to wear a hat and apply sunscreen before going out.
Dr. Haley advises this because the UV exposure from the sun is the most common cause of skin cancer. So this tip does not only apply to people that are being treated for skin cancer, but also for people that are healthy. Make sure to be aware of the risks of the sun so you can enjoy it, without taking a risk.
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Warning Signs Of Basal Cell Carcinoma That You Could Mistake As Harmless
Warning sign: A pink or reddish growth that dips in the centerCan be mistaken for: A skin injury or acne scar
A pink or reddish growth that dips in the center
The BCC on this patients cheek could be mistaken for a minor skin injury.
Warning sign: A growth or scaly patch of skin on or near the earCan be mistaken for: Scaly, dry skin, minor injury, or scar
A growth or scaly patch of skin on or near the ear
BCC often develops on or near an ear, and this one could be mistaken for a minor skin injury.
Warning sign: A sore that doesn’t heal and may bleed, ooze, or crust overCan be mistaken for: Sore or pimple
A sore that doesn’t heal, or heals and returns
This patient mistook the BCC on his nose for a non-healing pimple.
Warning sign: A scaly, slightly raised patch of irritated skin, which could be red, pink, or another colorCan be mistaken for: Dry, irritated skin, especially if it’s red or pink
A scaly, slightly raised patch of irritated skin
This BCC could be mistaken for a patch of dry, irritated skin.
Warning sign: A round growth that may be pink, red, brown, black, tan, or the same color as your skinCan be mistaken for: A mole, wart, or other harmless growth.
A round growth that may be same color as your skin
Would you recognize this as a skin cancer, or would you dismiss it as a harmless growth on your face?
Can A Person With Basal Cell Carcinoma Have Surgery
Yes, Mohs is a widely used method of removing the most common types of nonmelanoma skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell . Cancer recurs because small areas of cancer cells may remain undetected in. For most people with skin cancer, surgery removes only a small part of the skin.
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What Is The Best Treatment For Basal Cell Carcinoma
When basal cell carcinoma is detected early, patients have many treatment options. The best treatment for basal cell carcinoma depends on several factors:
- the patients characteristics
- the subtype of basal cell carcinoma
- the area in which it is detected
If you have a spot that wont heal, or any spot that seems suspicious, dont wait to call your dermatologist. The earlier a spot is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat and the better your chances are for a full recovery. Give us a call to schedule your appointment so we can see what youre dealing with and get you started on the right treatment right away.
Basal Cell Carcinoma Staging
Staging is the process of determining whether cancer has spread and, if so, how far. The stage of the disease may affect the treatment plan.
The stage is based on the size of the tumor, how deeply into the skin it has grown, and whether cancer has spread beyond the tumor to the lymph nodes. Your doctor will look at the results of the biopsy to determine the stage. In rare cases, your doctor may recommend imaging such as CT or PET-CT scan to see if the cancer has spread beyond the skin
Stages are numbered in Roman numerals between 0 and IV.
Most non-melanoma skin cancers are Stage 0 or Stage 1. Stage 3 and 4 are relatively rare. Based on the type of cancer, the stage of cancer, your overall health, and other factors, your doctor works with you to develop a treatment plan.
High risk features for primary tumor staging
- Depth/invasion: > 2 mm thickness , Clark level IV, Perineural invasion
- Anatomic: Primary site ear
- Location: Primary site hair-bearing lip
- Differentiation: Poorly differentiated or undifferentiated
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Surgical Procedures For Basal & Squamous Cell Skin Cancers
Basal or squamous cell skin cancers may need to be removed with procedures such as electrodessication and curettage, surgical excision, or Mohs surgery, with possible reconstruction of the skin and surrounding tissue.
Squamous cell cancer can be aggressive, and our surgeons may need to remove more tissue. They may also recommend additional treatments for advanced squamous cell cancer, such as medications or radiation therapyenergy beams that penetrate the skin, killing cancer cells in the body.
Basal cell cancer is less likely to become aggressive, but if it does, our doctors may use surgery and other therapies to treat it.
How Long Should I Take Off Work After Mohs Surgery
People are generally able to return to work immediately the day after Mohs surgery. While the surgery makes sure to leave as much healthy tissue as possible, full wound recovery still takes roughly 4 to 6 weeks, throughout which you may feel mild discomfort. After 5 to 10 days, the doctor removes the sutures, but this does not directly affect your daily work and activities.
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