Spot on my neck, possible skin cancer?

[Sheryl]

5 hours 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. 

The OP has already stated he is going to see an appropriate specialist. He has not asked for medical advice, and no one has offered it. Rather, people have shared their own experiences.

 

Many people find it helpful to hear details of others' experiences such as have been posted here: what was involved, what doctor they saw, what it cost etc.

 

This is the health forum and such threads are entirely appropriate.

[Furioso]

54 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

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

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/

 

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.  

 

 

Great info Sheryl, I'm going to cancel my appt with Dr. Anna and go to Bangkok as a 3K bill is much better than a 23K bill.

 

Do you think going on a Monday would be a longer wait in line than going later in the week? Thank you!

[Doctor Tom]

My experience:  spot on the neck that would not heal. Checked by Dr Poonsak, building D at BHP, biopsy, SCC found, removed, margins cleared, 10 stiches, cost, all in, was 62,000 Baht. Unfortunately, I'm going back to him next week to get a biopsy on another odd looking area.  It's getting rather expensive, but it is what it is. 

Edited June 22 by Doctor Tom

[stoner]

On 6/21/2024 at 6:10 AM, Liverpool Lou said:

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

 

are you sure its a quack they need to go see ? many quacks on here already.  

 

quack.....

 

1. An untrained person who pretends to be a physician and dispenses medical advice and treatment.
2. A charlatan; a mountebank.

[Sheryl]

44 minutes ago, Furioso said:

Great info Sheryl, I'm going to cancel my appt with Dr. Anna and go to Bangkok as a 3K bill is much better than a 23K bill.

 

Do you think going on a Monday would be a longer wait in line than going later in the week? Thank you!

Might be  yes. I'd avoid days right before or after a werkend or holiday.

 

Get there as early as possibly and expect it to take a long time to see doctor.  Bring reading material and patience. 

 

Also be prepared for nobody but the doctor to speak any English. (And doctors I saw were far from fluent in English). If you don't speak Thai, try to bring a Thai speaker with you.  You will have to explain your issue to nurses first as they then decide which doctor to send you to. 

[kidneyw]

6 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.

I have had many biopsies done at Bangkok Pattaya hospital which turned out to be basal cell. They always went deep and I never had to return for more cutting in that specific area. This was backed up by the biopsy report that stipulated the excised sample was 'clean round the edges."

[bkk6060]

I have had several basil cells.  I disagree with the "dig deeper to get it all " during biopsy.  

I have had spots that came back negative why risk infection, stitches or possible disfiguring without confirmation that it is infact cancer?  

Just to save money?  

 

Also, it is cancer and should be taken seriously.

 

This is from Yale medicine:

 

Basal cell carcinoma spreads very slowly and very rarely will metastasize, Dr. Christensen says. But if it's not treated, basal cell carcinoma can continue to grow deeper under the skin and cause significant destruction to surrounding tissues. It can even become fatal. For example, an untreated basal cell carcinoma on the face can grow into the bones and, over time, directly into the brain, Dr. Christensen says.

[Sheryl]

33 minutes ago, kidneyw said:

I have had many biopsies done at Bangkok Pattaya hospital which turned out to be basal cell. They always went deep and I never had to return for more cutting in that specific area. This was backed up by the biopsy report that stipulated the excised sample was 'clean round the edges."

There is an element of luck in this.

 

All doctor can / should do is excise the entire lesion with a bit of tissue on all sides.

 

Sometimes the margins will come back clear but sometimes they won't. 

[Sheryl]

5 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I have had several basil cells.  I disagree with the "dig deeper to get it all " during biopsy.  

I have had spots that came back negative why risk infection, stitches or possible disfiguring without confirmation that it is infact cancer?  

 

Exactly why standard medical practice is to just remove the lesion with small amount of surrounding skin and biopsy it first.

 

To avoid unnecessary deep incisions with associated scarring etc.

[kidneyw]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

There is an element of luck in this.

 

All doctor can / should do is excise the entire lesion with a bit of tissue on all sides.

 

Sometimes the margins will come back clear but sometimes they won't. 

Sheryl I have history with Dr, Anna that goes back twenty odd years, so she knew, I think, to cut that little bit deeper, as I had melanoma before.

[CHdiver]

5 hours 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. 

Pattaya International Dr. Waraporn Klanwarin. Cheaper as BPH and she is good.

[thecyclist]

9 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.

Yes, I was at the Bangkok hospital Rayong last week and asked what a quick consultation, just a few  questions, with a specialist would cost, and they said about 1600 to 1800 Baht. 

[thecyclist]

5 hours ago, Sheryl said:

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

 

 

There are government hospitals in all provinces .Don't they have dermatologists?

[Sheryl]

58 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

There are government hospitals in all provinces .Don't they have dermatologists?

Regional level hospitals maybe, provincial hospitals less likely but possibly some.  They will be young and completely lacking experience with skin cancers. Not recommended for this purpose.Even at the  IOD, only a few of the senior doctors are knowledgable/experienced in  skin cancers. 

[sandyf]

17 hours 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. 

You can go to Bang Saen, not that far away.

I was 14K to have a chunk of my ear removed.

[Furioso]

19 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Might be  yes. I'd avoid days right before or after a werkend or holiday.

 

Get there as early as possibly and expect it to take a long time to see doctor.  Bring reading material and patience. 

 

Also be prepared for nobody but the doctor to speak any English. (And doctors I saw were far from fluent in English). If you don't speak Thai, try to bring a Thai speaker with you.  You will have to explain your issue to nurses first as they then decide which doctor to send you to. 

Great advice Sheryl, I'll go on Wednesday and report back here. Thanks again!

[Jonnapat]

I recently had skin cancer on my scalp.

9,000 baht for biopsy at private hospital, took 20 minutes.

Transferred to government hospital for surgery. 8,500 baht for operation and 2 nights in the ward.

Private hospitals everywhere just want to take as much money as possible.

Follow up visits to surgeon every 3 months, 50 baht each time.