Spot on my neck, possible skin cancer?

[Furioso]

And this spot won't go away. Looks a lot like basal cell carcinoma. My friend says it's prob okay as long as it's not getting bigger. He also says almost any clinic can remove these spots. However, I'm light skinned and I'm not taking any chances. I made an Appt. with dermatology Dr. Anna Jaruwarn at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital next week.  

[Liverpool Lou]

There may be something to post about if you waited until after you've seen the quack, surely?

Edited June 21 by Liverpool Lou

[Mike Lister]

Most people see such things and panic. 99% of the time they do as you've done and make an appointment to get it checked, spend 15 seconds and 600 baht for the Dermatologist to tell you it's nothing and then leave. I've done it myself once this year already and several times in the past. Better safe than sorry.

[0ffshore360]

37 minutes ago, Furioso said:

And this spot won't go away. Looks a lot like basal cell carcinoma. My friend says it's prob okay as long as it's not getting bigger. He also says almost any clinic can remove these spots. However, I'm light skinned and I'm not taking any chances. I made an Appt. with dermatology Dr. Anna Jaruwarn at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital next week.  

Not sure where you are from or what age you are but basal cell spots are frequent for people who have spent considerable time in direct sun. Pale skinned people are often more susceptible. But while it is a at basal cell stage it is not really a "cancer" that can spread which means getting it removed quite easily in clinics at small cost in time or cash is a no drama event.

Little different to  warts !

[Sheryl]

Basal cell carcinomas are cancer. Just of a type that grows slowly  and only rarely metastasizes.

 

 

[newbee2022]

18 hours ago, Furioso said:

And this spot won't go away. Looks a lot like basal cell carcinoma. My friend says it's prob okay as long as it's not getting bigger. He also says almost any clinic can remove these spots. However, I'm light skinned and I'm not taking any chances. I made an Appt. with dermatology Dr. Anna Jaruwarn at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital next week.  

Good to see a dermatologist.👍

Good decision👍Advices from this forum or Facebook or Google might not be the right treatment.

[digger70]

possible skin cancer? 

 

Why do you ask here if you already made an appointment with the doc?

[Chosenfew]

I have the same problem near my ankle. Went to Dr Dermatologist, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, took a biopsy, 10,000 bt .Went back for results a week later, found basal cell. She cut it out, went deep. Now I have 5 stitches. That was 13,000 bt. My advice, if you’re doctor does biopsy, request that they go deep and cut it out first time so you don’t have to go through it twice like I did, reducing your costs.

[harryviking]

Why mention these things here?? This is NOT a medical advice place! See a doctor/hospital so they can take a sample. That will give you the answere. 

[HalAndLois]

19 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

Most people see such things and panic. 99% of the time they do as you've done and make an appointment to get it checked, spend 15 seconds and 600 baht for the Dermatologist to tell you it's nothing and then leave. I've done it myself once this year already and several times in the past. Better safe than sorry.

Is it really only 600 baht?  I went to Pattaya Memorial Hospital 2 days ago for an eye infection and the doctor fee (not a specialist) was 800 baht plus 350 baht in other charges.

[biggles45]

I grew up in Qld in Australia, the place for skin cancers. Had lots removed over the years, mostly BCC but a few Squamous. No Melanoma fortuately. I now get them lasered at a clinic here in Angeles, done in the docs surgery, costs around 5-6000 pesos ($85-100) and takes around 15-20 mins

[Liverpool Lou]

7 minutes ago, harryviking said:

Why mention these things here?? This is NOT a medical advice place! See a doctor/hospital so they can take a sample. That will give you the answere. 

Exactly, there are no qualified doctors commenting here and, even if there were, the only advice that they should give (in the context of the OP) should be to see a doctor in person.

[newbee2022]

9 minutes ago, harryviking said:

Why mention these things here?? This is NOT a medical advice place! See a doctor/hospital so they can take a sample. That will give you the answere. 

Obviously it's fun to ask all those "wannabe doctors" here or on Facebook/Google.?😂

[newbee2022]

10 minutes ago, HalAndLois said:

Is it really only 600 baht?  I went to Pattaya Memorial Hospital 2 days ago for an eye infection and the doctor fee (not a specialist) was 800 baht plus 350 baht in other charges.

It was about your "evil eye", wasn't it?😂

[Liverpool Lou]

4 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

15 minutes ago, harryviking said:

Why mention these things here?? This is NOT a medical advice place! See a doctor/hospital so they can take a sample. That will give you the answere. 

Obviously it's fun to ask all those "wannabe doctors" here or on Facebook/Google.?😂

The potentially dangerous thing is, though, that some posters would actually take the unqualified advice that most of the "docs" just got from Google.

[unblocktheplanet]

1 hour ago, Chosenfew said:

I have the same problem near my ankle. Went to Dr Dermatologist, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, took a biopsy, 10,000 bt .Went back for results a week later, found basal cell. She cut it out, went deep. Now I have 5 stitches. That was 13,000 bt. My advice, if you’re doctor does biopsy, request that they go deep and cut it out first time so you don’t have to go through it twice like I did, reducing your costs.

Twice for me, too. To remove the margins. 20 sutures.

[Sheryl]

Bickering/flaming posts have been removed.

[Almer]

1 hour ago, HalAndLois said:

Is it really only 600 baht?  I went to Pattaya Memorial Hospital 2 days ago for an eye infection and the doctor fee (not a specialist) was 800 baht plus 350 baht in other charges.

   I had an eye infection, diagnosed possibly due to crap government water, 50 baht plus a tube of ointment, why do you all wish to spend your money as fast as you can

[BusyB]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

possible skin cancer? 

 

Why do you ask here if you already made an appointment with the doc?

 

Looking for reassurance.

[bradiston]

[BusyB]

1 hour ago, Chosenfew said:

I have the same problem near my ankle. Went to Dr Dermatologist, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, took a biopsy, 10,000 bt .Went back for results a week later, found basal cell. She cut it out, went deep. Now I have 5 stitches. That was 13,000 bt. My advice, if you’re doctor does biopsy, request that they go deep and cut it out first time so you don’t have to go through it twice like I did, reducing your costs.

 

As far as I've been personally affected by skin cancer biopsies (2x) it's standard procedure to cut deep and wide to remove all the suspicious material if possible. It's something that gets confirmed or otherwise in the report. 

[topt]

1 hour ago, HalAndLois said:

Is it really only 600 baht?  I went to Pattaya Memorial Hospital 2 days ago for an eye infection and the doctor fee (not a specialist) was 800 baht plus 350 baht in other charges.

No.

Dr Anna at BPH for a check up cost me 1,830 last month. Doctor charge part was 1500

[Chosenfew]

BusyB

Posted 1 hour ago

  2 hours ago,  Chosenfew said:

I have the same problem near my ankle. Went to Dr Dermatologist, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, took a biopsy, 10,000 bt .Went back for results a week later, found basal cell. She cut it out, went deep. Now I have 5 stitches. That was 13,000 bt. My advice, if you’re doctor does biopsy, request that they go deep and cut it out first time so you don’t have to go through it twice like I did, reducing your costs.

 

As far as I've been personally affected by skin cancer biopsies (2x) it's standard procedure to cut deep and wide to remove all the suspicious material if possible. It's something that gets confirmed or otherwise in the report. 
 

I agree with you and it really p@ssed me off that she didn’t remove all the suspicious tissue during the biopsy. Felt like I was charged double… 

[Furioso]

3 hours ago, Chosenfew said:

I have the same problem near my ankle. Went to Dr Dermatologist, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, took a biopsy, 10,000 bt .Went back for results a week later, found basal cell. She cut it out, went deep. Now I have 5 stitches. That was 13,000 bt. My advice, if you’re doctor does biopsy, request that they go deep and cut it out first time so you don’t have to go through it twice like I did, reducing your costs.

23,000 baht. That's pretty messed up they cut you/charged you twice. I don't think there's any other place to go in the Pattaya area though. 

[Mike Lister]

3 hours ago, HalAndLois said:

Is it really only 600 baht?  I went to Pattaya Memorial Hospital 2 days ago for an eye infection and the doctor fee (not a specialist) was 800 baht plus 350 baht in other charges.

600 is the doctor charge, the hospital bits and pieces are the other 600 baht.

[digger70]

2 hours ago, BusyB said:

 

Looking for reassurance.

There are No Specialists on here that can give you any reassurance on this matter without a consultation.  🙏

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Furioso said:

23,000 baht. That's pretty messed up they cut you/charged you twice. I don't think there's any other place to go in the Pattaya area though. 

The first charge will have included pathology exam (biopsy).

 

It is standard that, if the biopsy shows cancer and the margins of the sample are not clear, further excision to get clear margins must be done and this will typically be a much deeper and wider incision than the biopsy was. In some cases it may need to be done by a plastic surgeon.

 

If you have strong reason to suspect it is cancer (e.g. history of same), you can try asking the doctor to take the biopsy with a wide and deep incision to start with in hopes of not needing further excision, but there is still no guarantee.

 

If cost is a big concern, can save quite a bit by going to the government derm hospital in Bangkok.

 

https://www.iod.go.th/en/

 

 

But this, obviously, means a trip to Bangkok. Also, being a government hospital, things take longer and may involve more visits that a private hospital would. For example, after consultation they will  book the biopsy on a different day, possible a week or more hence  (I have found that pleading the case that I don't live in Bangkok  helped get a next day appointment ).

 

Biopsy cost there under 1000 baht.  Subsequent further excision there, also under 1000 baht. I forget initial consultation charge and hospital add-ons but whole thing came in not much more than 3000 baht....with 3 separate visits involved.  Obviously a better deal for anyone living in Bangkok. But living elsewhere, you may need to factor in travel costs, hotel  and meal costs etc

 

 

[HalAndLois]

2 hours ago, topt said:

No.

Dr Anna at BPH for a check up cost me 1,830 last month. Doctor charge part was 1500

Thanks.  I thought 600 sounded too cheap.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, BusyB said:

 

As far as I've been personally affected by skin cancer biopsies (2x) it's standard procedure to cut deep and wide to remove all the suspicious material if possible. It's something that gets confirmed or otherwise in the report. 

They will certainly remove the full lesion, often with what is called a "punch biopsy".  But this will not always  leave clear margins. Sometimes will, sometimes won't.

[HalAndLois]

2 hours ago, Almer said:

   I had an eye infection, diagnosed possibly due to crap government water, 50 baht plus a tube of ointment, why do you all wish to spend your money as fast as you can

I actually did go to Pattaya City Hospital first.  I arrived at 8:15am and took a number, B-20.  The screen showed they were on B-89.  Note that this isn't a queue to see a doctor -- it's just the queue to get in the door and talk to the information desk at which point, no doubt, you'll get to take another number.  Anyway, I could see it was going to be a while so I went and had breakfast and came back around 9am.  They were on B-40.  It was going to be another 2 1/2 hours just to get in the door.  I could tell it was going to be an all day affair which is when I decided to go to Pattaya Memorial.  I was in and out in about 45 minutes and had a very pleasant experience which probably would not have been the case at Pattaya City, so the difference of $30 or $35 was worth it to me.