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Basel Cell on scalp

As i could'nt find much on scalp cancer and pdt treatment online i would like to share my experience .
As a child i spent lots of time playing outside , but i've never really laid in the sun , and for the last 15 years avoided sun and didnt leave to house without sunscreen ,but i have worked outside for several hours a day but honestly i never really wore a hat .
In 2021 i had an eye problem (epiescleritis)that got quite severe and as this is often related to autoimune problem i was under observation by various departments at the hospital .
I had gone for regular check ups at the dermatologist and several actinic quera sprayed over the years , but until they were asking me if i hadanything i thought shouldnt be there i never thought to mention a flaky patch on my scalp .
They looked at it gave me a special shampoo and was told to go back in 2 months if it didnt clear up , as far as i remember it had been there maybe 5 years . If anything it seemed to get worse so when i went back they booked me for a biopsy , that on paper said it was to rule out lupus , when the results came through it was Basel Cell .
I was then reffered to the melanoma department , though not melanoma one of my doctors must of thought i would benefit from a more specialised consultant .
He shaved a large area on scalp and decided the best treatment would be photodynamic therapy , so i had 3 sessions, Metvix cream applied and left for a few hours then the red lamp treatment.
I didnt really know what to expect and yes it was painful but i managed to deal with it . After the second blast i had 4 additional puncture biopsies , and after the 3rd another 3 on the areas that lit up most with the PDT.
I must say at times it was very difficult to deal with , having my hair shaved, the pain of the treatment it's really life changing .
Now 9 months on after last treatment i was concerned about a very hard crusty 3 mm area so at my check up on thursday they kept me in and i had a puncture biopsy, now its the wait again for the results.

If anyone has anything similar and would like to contact me i have loads of photos of the different stages of treatment.

I must say as well as the treatment i have found how some people around me have let me down with a lack of support and others have been really great !! also i think i've been lucky with the doctors and nurses that have treated me.

but yes skin cancer is a life changing thing , and i dont really think it's ever going to fully go away.

  1. Thank you for sharing your story with us. I am sorry that you are going through this and hope that your results are very favorable this time around. Hopefully, you will continue to get good treatment. Skin cancer has changed my life as well and always feels like it is with me. People in this community are very supportive and have been through many challenges. Please keep us updated on how you are doing. Scott skincancer.net moderator


    1. My last biopsy was fine , and i don't seem to feel any flaky areas on my scalp so thats great .
      I am also trying to no be so panicky of being in the sun and i'm covering up , using sun block and taking notice of my derma (he told me time of day is very important)yes its life changing but we have to live too .

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