Doctor Explains Rare Skin Cancer

[@mimimoon6082]

Thanks so much for reviewing Dr. Portela! I worked with an orbital plastic surgeon many years ago and we saw a patient in the clinic with a suspicious lesion on one of her eyelids. We did a biopsy and came back merkel cell- the type of skin cancer very few people know about. It was a devastating diagnosis to deliver and even worse the prognosis. My heart broke for this patient! I cannot thank you enough for reviewing this in your channel! ❤

[@hilnlou]

Thank you for this! I'm a long skin cancer patient (Basal Cell and Squamous Cell) for years and I never heard of this type of skin cancer. I am a Florida girl born and raised before we knew the effects the sun has on your skin. And even when I knew, tans were in and I didn't listen. I now go every 6 months for check-ups and also watch for any new bumps, etc. Again, thank you for this!!! Signed, "I'm so sick of MOH's surgery." 😊

[@matt08sydney]

I’d like to show or explain to people how rapidly this can grow and advance in stages. My Dad has Merkel cell carcinoma. We live in Australia. Today’s date is 24/July 2023 My Dad presented at his doctor because a tiny pimple sized blood red mark appeared on his neck near the base on his left side. Over the course of only one week it had grown rapidly in size as he was waiting to get an appointment with his doctor. The doctor said I don’t know what it is I’ve never seen this before. just to add ( it’s a common response as most doctors have never ever seen one in their whole adult working life time, so they often misdiagnose the patient and send them home with antibiotics) ( big mistake) Okay so getting back to my fathers case, he was referred to a dermatologist ( there was a time another delay) the dermatologist then sent him for a biopsy ( again another time delay) the dermatologist called him and sent him to an oncologist whom told him it was a Merkel cell carcinoma and in the weeks of waiting to get answers it has already spread from the bottom of his neck on the left side metastasised down under his collarbone, and started to spread towards his chest. So now being 4 weeks of trying to get a diagnosis he is already at stage 4 cancer before the 5th week. So next problem they can’t give dad radiotherapy because it will damage and effect his pacemaker. More wasted time, Dads books into hospital to have his pacemaker taken out and a brand new pacemaker put in on his right side of his body. The huge hole 🕳️ that was left from the left side pacemaker becomes infected and dad spends another 3 weeks in hospital on an intravenous antibiotics drip to kill the infection. We are up to about 7 weeks now and still no treatment to kill Merkel. Dad comes home on the Friday his body is weak and his immune system is ailing. It’s my first phone call with him in 5 weeks. On Monday he starts radiotherapy, it is supposed to go for 6 weeks but because it had metastasised in his body so quickly, they decided to do it over a four week period but turn up the strength of the radiation. After Dad finishes his radiation treatment ☢️ he is left with horrific burns all down his chest and his stomach. He is up day and night putting special burn gel on his body. It has burnt so much that the pain was immense. His last day of radiation was on the 9/6/23 ( Dads birthday) He is in and out of hospital then finally has a nurse to come and help him with adjusting. The new pacemaker on the right side is having trouble because his immune system is totally destroyed. End of treatment date 9/6/23. I get a phone call from Dad on 20/7/23 to tell me he has had a PET/CT SCAN and the Merkel cell carcinoma had spread to his liver ( it has also spread to other organs ( his words were it has spread to other areas and they are many) I recorded that phone call when he said goodbye he said I have 2 days , I may have a week. He told me there is nothing anyone can do. Today is 24/7/23 I get a message saying palliative care has moved into dad’s house. He decided that he wanted to pass in his home instead of going to hospital , today is Monday and although I was able to have a conversation with my father over the phone last Thursday I was one of his last telephone calls and he will never be able to make another telephone call again because of his breathing also told me that last week he was unable to eat. He was unable to drink, and he was travelling trouble breathing.Last Thursday he told me his organs are shutting down because it has spread everywhere. Tonight being 24/July 23 my father was unable to be able to receive an email. I am expecting a phone call any hour to say my father has died. This has all happened in 3 months from initial tiny pimple mark on his neck till today. My father can’t acknowledge me because of the morphine. Okay so here is the big shock that I don’t think there is any information on, my Dads older brother died from a Merkel cell carcinoma on his leg about 7 years ago he only lived 6 months from diagnosis. I am 55 years old I am wondering if there is any kind of hereditary information out there ( I know Merkel is a form of skin cancer) but what if certain genetics are more susceptible 🧬 Anyway I wanted to share my story about my Dad, because after this week I won’t have him anymore 😢❤.

[@CynthiaWord-iq7in]

Your Dad! Yours is the saddest cancer story I have ever heard, so fast, phenomenal. God bless you. I am so sorry--no one I gave talked to had ever heard if it before Jimmy Buffett, the other day. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[@matt08sydney]

@@CynthiaWord-iq7in Your welcome I hope it helps bring some more awareness of the dangers of skin cancer and another perspective of another form of cancer. Thanks for your reply. 🙏🏼

[@timmcauliffe2573]

So sorry for your losses! I am in the US in Florida. 5 months ago I was diagnosed with stage 4 merkel cell. I started immunotherapy using Keytruda and my scan after only 3 months showed that the cancers around my body were gone. I have to have a half hour infusion every 3 to six weeks for up to 2 years but so far so good. Hope this helps and all the best.

[@donnaquagliana4429]

My condolences on losing your dad. It seems many things were stacked against him from the beginning. Thank you for your honest post. My dad was diagnosed in September 2023. He had surgery to remove the tumor and 2 lymph nodes showed that it progressed in only one node. He stopped radiation this week - one week short of the prescribed treatment. His burns were to bad for him to continue so he made the decision to stop the treatment. He also has a new pacemaker, courtesy of Covid. He’s weak, out of breath, and struggling. We go on Thursday to talk about any clinical trials or immunotherapy. I don’t even know if he’s interested. As his daughter, I am trying to prepare myself as well as my family as to what the end of his journey will look like. My mother passed 4 years ago from Glioblastoma and I immersed myself in all the details of what her end journey would look like. With Merkle, there just isn’t enough info. Thank you for sharing your dad’s journey as I’m preparing for my dad’s.

[@matt08sydney]

@@donnaquagliana4429 Yes it’s not nice, so later found out in that short amount of time it spread to his liver, pelvis, spine, rib cage and his Sternum, this all happened in just a matter of weeks, it’s the most rarest aggressive cancer of them all, he was on morphine at the end being administered at home but after a few days that was not good enough and the end of life nurses came to the house put him on a morphine drip and then it was over in 3 days🥲 you can’t counter act where it will spread but it travels at an amazing speed almost over 24 hours it’s in another area of the body and of all the places it’s the liver that is the one that you can’t come back from. Yes my Dads burns were horrific they gave him 6 weeks worth of radiation in only 4 weeks to get control of it but after treatment finished and they said everything was good they did a PET Scan which they can see from the top of your head to your toes and it revealed he was riddled with cancer and growing exceptionally fast each day. If I were you I would make your Dads doctors to do a PET SCAN it’s the only way you can tell where it is each day or two 🥲

[@pickersgrip]

My best friend just passed away from MCC. It came on superfast. It only took six weeks and he was gone.

[@donnanickerson1531]

Doctor: Jimmy Buffet just died of Merkel Cell Carcinoma. I believe he also had Lymphoma. He sang the song "Magaritaville" RIP Jimmy.

[@brianjtatro]

I've had melanoma, squamous cell and basil cell. I am 69 years old but besides my skin issues am in good health. I now wear hats and protect my skin. Am I more prone to merkel cell carcinoma?

[@carolmartin8781]

I think I may have Merkel cell Carcinoma. I can't get a visit with my PCP until September. They suggested that I go to urgent care, and was told they can't do a biopsy, and referred me to the ER. The ER doctor said if it gets worse, go to your PCP for a dermatologist referral. I had a dermatologist who can't see me now because my referral expired. Once I get another referral from my PCP, I'll have to wait three weeks for approval from my insurance. I have Medicare and Molina. I'm going to call the clinic on Monday and request another doctor. The lesion is about 1 1/2 cm. I've had it for less than a week. It looks like the photos I've seen. It's red with a light-colored dot in the middle.

[@randomhominid9816]

What a nightmare. Immediate care physicians can give referrals where I'm at but there will be a wait for a dermatologist. That's a pretty big lesion.

[@conniewhall3109]

I am to understand that T.B. has also been diagnosed with shingles. What do you believe re:their connection with this carcinoma? What else could be expected to occur with T.B.'s health?

[@whynot828]

I'd be interested also. I've had shingles 4 times. Still deal with the nerve damage.

[@Ceerads]

I had heard about Merkel Cell Carcinoma (I’m not a medical professional or scientist, just someone interested in cancers). Your video is very informative. Thank you.

[@barbgardiner5719]

I’ve been trying to see someone about this thing that went weird about 3 months ago. It started out as a zit about 10 years ago.

[@rollogallion534]

Had stage 4 Merkel Cell ,5-1/2 years ago

[@rollogallion534]

Had stage 4 five and half years ago. Took Keytruda for 4 years have been off treatment now for about year 5 months. Going in and having PET scan tomorrow morning. Had a CT scan about 2 months ago and had a nodule on my lung.