A woman told how she developed skin cancer from a scar that was left over from her fight with chickenpox when she was five years old.
Louise Thorell, 32, from Ashington in Northumberland, needed three operations to remove basal cell carcinoma.
For years she was ashamed of the white scar under her right eye of her fight against the common viral disease.
It wasn’t until 2018 that Thorell noticed that something more serious was happening.
She scratched the skin by accident, which was ‘tougher and waxier’ than normal. It caused a crust that never healed.
It became infected later, so she sought the help of a doctor and a test revealed that Thorell had basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which accounts for 75-80 percent of skin cancer cases in the UK and US.
Louise (pictured before she was diagnosed with cancer) was left with a white scar under her right eye after she had chickenpox as a child
Mrs. Thorell had accidentally scratched the scar and, although it kept scratching, it never healed well and was later infected, so she went to a doctor
After three surgeries to remove the cancer on her cheek, Mrs. Thorell was left with an even bigger scar on her face
“I accidentally scratched my scar and then I had problems,” Thorell said.
“It would heal, a crust would form, it would fall off, and there would be an open wound until a new crust would form.
“I tackled it for a few months until I got an infection … and my wound site grew bigger every time he opened and healed.
“After the first infection, I noticed that the appearance had changed. It had small blood vessels. “
Mrs. Thorell’s doctor referred her to a specialized melanoma clinic in her home country, where BCC was diagnosed.
Skin damage by ultraviolet light – from the sun or tanning beds – is the main cause of BCC. And it is known that the cancers develop from scars that are already on the skin.
Medical reports have shown that the tumors can grow from burns, cuts and scrapes, tattoos, and surgical scars, as well as from those left by chicken pox, according to an article in the journal JAMA Dermatology.
Scientists have suggested that scar tissue can have “malignant potential” because of substances called growth factors that are produced by the immune system.
The growth factors are used to repair damaged skin and tissue, but are also involved in the growth of tumors.
Chickenpox is a common viral disease that is normally seen in children – it causes blistering on the skin and some injuries leave scars if not healed quickly.
Mrs. Thorell had chickenpox when she was only five and has since had a scar on her right cheek.
“[The doctor told] I started it as a chickenpox scar and I may have had BCC for years, “Mrs. Thorell said.
“I was told that it was rarer for people my age to get BCC because it is usually retirees who get it on their face or scalp through prolonged sun exposure.
“I avoid the sun. I’ve always been spooky. “
Only when Thorell began to develop infections in her face (pictured, swelling under her eye) did she seek the help of a doctor
Mrs. Thorell said: “At first I did not expect the size of my scar to be as large as it is. I felt terrible about what I looked like ‘
Mrs. Thorell said: After the first time they removed cells, I was connected and I was told to go for lunch and something to drink and come back within two hours to see if they had cancer the first time. “
Although BCC is usually not life-threatening, it can be malforming if not treated. In the UK, more than 100,000 cases are diagnosed each year.
Mrs. Thorell was operated on in November 2019 to remove the cancer from her face.
It took three attempts to get all the cancer cells out of Mrs. Thorell’s face and then had to undergo surgery to reduce the huge scar on her face.
“I was awake before the operation, just under local anesthesia,” she said.
“They take away some of the cancer cells. It is then tested and examined under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells in a certain area.
“After the first time they removed cells, I was connected and I was told that I should go have lunch and have a drink and come back within two hours to see if they had all the cancer the first time.
“Unfortunately they didn’t do that. I had to go back to the theater and get more out of it. This happened three times in total. “
Every year in the UK, more than 100,000 people are diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma. It is not deadly but can be malforming if not treated. In the photo, Mrs. Thorell’s scar now fades naturally and she is cancer free
Mrs. Thorell is now “very, very aware” of her skin and has a careful skin care routine, she says. She can use makeup to cover the scars of her treatment
Despite her ordeal, Mrs. Thorell said she felt happy that her diagnosis was no worse.
“At first I did not expect the size of my scar to be as large as it is. I felt terrible about what I looked like. I tried to make jokes about it and to have fun to relieve my mood.
‘Now I am very aware of my skin. I apply Bio Oil religiously twice a day, I apply face cream in the morning and last in the evening. I don’t scrub my face, I now provide extra time and time on my face.
“Watch your skin. Bumps or bumps or plasters that no longer look like they used to. Is being checked. I just feel happy and blessed it wasn’t worse. “
WHAT IS BASAL CELL CARCINOMA?
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a type of non-melanoma skin cancer.
Non-melanoma means that it is not skin pigment cells.
BCC often appears as scabs that bleed
BCC makes up more than 80 percent of all forms of skin cancer in the UK, with more than 100,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
It is mainly caused by excessive exposure to UV light from the sun or tanning beds.
BCC can occur anywhere on the body, but is most common in areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck and ears.
The following people are most at risk:
- People with fair skin or hair
- Those who work outside the home
- People who use sun beds
- Those with a personal history of the condition
BCC is usually painless. Early symptoms often only include a scab that bleeds occasionally and does not heal.
Some appear as flat, red, flaky spots or have a pearly edge. The latter can then erode in an ulcer.
Others are lumpy with shiny nodules crossed by blood vessels.
Most BCCs can be cured, but the treatment is complex if they are left behind for a long time.
Treatment usually involves removing the tumor and a portion of the surrounding skin.
Source: British Skin Foundation and NHS choices
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