Hi Hwl, and thank you for your post.

I am sorry to learn that you are having symptoms that are causing you concern.

Your referral is called an urgent suspected cancer referral. You may have previously heard it be called a ‘two-week wait referral’ (2ww). This referral is to investigate your symptoms and find out what is wrong, and if it could be cancer.  Many of these referrals turn out not to be cancer.

I can understand you feeling anxious waiting to find the cause of your symptoms.   Anxiety UK has a good website with helpful tips on how to deal with anxiety in these situations. 

I hope this information helps and that everything will be okay for you. This from our website on referral to skin cancer specialists might be useful.

Please get back to us if you need any more information or support. You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline. The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040, and the lines are open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday.

Kind regards

Tina

Hi , I symapthise with you ....  I have also recently been fast tracked for lesions on my right cheek which do not seem to be healing.  My skin is extremely dry in anycase but this can be itchy and flaking and sometimes red and sore.  

I have got my appointment on Tuesday with a dermatologist, so fingers crossed it is nothing serious to worry about,  but I am STILL WORRIED !! 

Hello,

I can appreciate your concern about this. Many skin issues that dermatologists see are not due to cancer, but other skin conditions that may still need some form of treatment to help. Try and keep an open mind, and keep yourself busy and occupied until the appointment.

Hopefully you will get to find out more soon then.

Kind regards,

Vanda

Hello,

I can appreciate your concern about this. Many skin issues that dermatologists see are not due to cancer, but other skin conditions that may still need some form of treatment to help. Try and keep an open mind, and keep yourself busy and occupied until the appointment.

Hopefully you will get to find out more soon then.

Kind regards,

Vanda

I now have the first correspondence from the dermatologist who says he suspects either sebaceous gland hyperplasia or an early basal cell carcinoma   I am panicking so much even though he follows this by saying he does not consider the lesion to look sinister . BUT TO ME IT IS SCARY !!! . Can these conditions be treated please? He also says I have Rosacea and as I am on prednisone steroids when I think this all started . He had prescribed Rosex cream for this only at night but I can’t understand why I can only use it once a day ? 
any help much appreciated thank you  

Hello, and thank you for posting.

I am sorry that you are worried about these changes to your skin, but good to hear the doctor involved does not think it is anything sinister.

The dermatologist will go through treatments, if needed, when they know what the skin changes are.

The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) has an information leaflet on Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) if helpful.

Here is an information leaflet on the Rosex cream. Do ask your doctor about the application times as they have prescribed it.

Take care, and hopefully you will know more soon.

Sarah.

Hello and thank you for your further post,

I can appreciate this has been a worrying time for you.

Actinic Keratosis usually is a noncancerous skin condition, but there is a small chance it can turn into cancer, which is why it needs to be treated.

The exam you had involved using a dermatoscope, this is a handheld instrument that uses a magnifying glass to look at abnormal areas closely. It sounds like there was no cancer was seen and that the area was actinic in appearance.

It is best to follow the doctor's instructions for the cream. Everyone is treated individually, and there will be a reason why the dermatologist prescribed for you to have it once a day.

If you are finding that the cream is not effective then the doctor can review your situation and can change the prescription if necessary.

I hope this is helpful, please feel free to come back to us with further questions,

Jemma

thank you for replying,  I think I am more reassured now hearing from you.  I was tempted to want to use the cream twice a day, but hopefully once a day application will work. tbh, the lesion is barely visible and had the GP not picked it up and seen that it was not healing I doubt anything further would have happened.  

I am also using vaseline as I find this helps to soothe the are, hope that is ok and then I will use the prescribed cream once at night time . 

thank you again for your help, much appreciated.