Hi All, I am new here... so sad to be here ... I am crying as I type. In fact, I have been crying almost non-stop for three days. My 21 year old son has just been diagnosed as having an SCC skin cancer on his ear. More tests scheduled for later in the week so that they can tell us whether it has invaded his lymph glands.
Although he is young, I am remarkably negative (usually positive!) The reason I feel this way is that, from everything I have read SCCs have a high success rate in treatment if caught early. My son has had this horrid, festering sore on his ear for AT LEAST 6 or 7 months. During this time, it has continued to grow and distend. It is now at a point where it is continually weeping and festering (sorry if this sounds gross)...It takes up most of the ear opening. From my perspective, this tends to indicate that the SCC is fairly well advanced... or am I incorrect? (HAPPY if I am wrong here!!) The doctors have done a couple of test already and said that the tumour is pretty loose and hasn't attached itself to anything, and also confirmed that it isn't in the brain. They felt his lymph glands then stuck something up his nose and down his throat - said that they didn't detect any swelling of the lymph glands. The positive side of me says that this is all good news and that everything will be fine (..we know that he is going to lose most of his ear - but who cares - as long as my boy lives!!!!) ... the negative side of me cries constantly because "early detection" is of paramount importance with SCCs on the ear - and I don't think we can call this early - especially when I look at how festery and gross the tumour has become. If that is what it has done on the outside, what is going on on the inside? ..... PLEASE HELP ME... I would be so grateful if someone can assist here. I need the truth - even if it isn't great news. At least it will help me start to cope!!!