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Demotologist was way wrong

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Posted 10/10/2016 6:53 PM (GMT -5)
I get a call from my dermatologist's office this morning, expecting to hear a surgical schedule. Instead, she tells me that the good doctor was wrong, that the biopsy came back and there was no cancer, but there was a lot of pre-cancer cells. Of course, I was thrilled that I didn't have cancer for the 5th time. But then I became very angry on the phone.

I reminded her that the doctor told me that he was 100% certain it was the basal cell cancer that he had seen it hundreds of time. Told me the biopsy was just a formality, mostly for insurance reasons, and that I should go ahead an schedule surgery right then and there.

I was in shock at the time, and opted to wait for the biopsy results, so it I could get my head and emotions around the situation. I even asked him at the time, was it possible that it was not cancer, and he told me there was zero chance.

So for a week or more, I have been stunned and depressed by the cancer news, even to the point of tears on the day of the supposed diagnosis. And now I find out, there isn't any cancer.

I hope you can all see my point about being both glad and upset.

Years ago, when I had the porocarcinoma in my throat, the doctor that took the biopsy by surgery, told me, that he guaranteed me in advance, that it would come back cancer free. Boy, did he have to eat crow when it came back positive with the largest possible amount of that rare cancer.

I don't think doctor's realize what effect they can have on their patients. It was a long cruel week for me, and then this morning, it was all reversed, this time, for the good.

Now it makes me wonder about how accurate this doctor really is, he has one of the highest and best reputations in his field in my area. Now I don't know what to think.

So I dodged the bullet, assuming the biopsy was correct. They want to burn away the area in mid-December, if possible, I may seek a second opinion before that happens
Posted 10/10/2016 8:00 PM (GMT -5)
David,
Having had both melanoma and PCa, I agree with what you are saying and what you must feel, though I am also really glad that your dermatologist was wrong. I'll always remember the dermatologist who called in a nurse and saying to her "see, that is what they look like" before bothering to tell me I had melanoma. Sometimes doctors wrap themselves up in the medical problem and forget that we are actual people.
Jim
Posted 10/10/2016 9:41 PM (GMT -5)
ARG! I HATE that for you, David. If I made a mistake like that in my profession I'd be fired and never work again.

It's almost like they are trying to torture you and make you crazy!!

Pretty PO'd at my dermo too. He decided to "just cut off a couple of cells" to make a scar look better... didn't really ask me, just did it before I thought it through. And of course it's made the scarring worse, not better. I'm not a vain woman, never into makeup, etc, but don't really like a red scar right out there on my cheekbone, either.

I know that's nothing like the BS yours just pulled, but I sure hate it that they make pronouncements and decisions like they are God and can do no wrong. I bet your guy never apologizes, either. Dimwits. GRRR.

So really sorry you had to suffer through a week of cancer craziness.
Lynnwood
Posted 10/10/2016 9:45 PM (GMT -5)
David:

How nice to get some very good news. Look, doctors make mistakes, but that's why they do the "formality" of a biopsy.

Mel
Posted 10/10/2016 9:56 PM (GMT -5)
David,

Very glad to hear you dodged another malignancy. Sorry about the angst in the meantime as it had to be really tough on you. At least this one ended up as a break for you.

Explorer
Posted 10/11/2016 8:58 AM (GMT -5)

Purgatory said...
I get a call from my dermatologist's office this morning, expecting to hear a surgical schedule. Instead, she tells me that the good doctor was wrong, that the biopsy came back and there was no cancer, but there was a lot of pre-cancer cells.....

So sorry you've been through the wringer again.

Doctors make mistakes. I've had several basal cell carcinomas, one stage 0 melanoma, and a couple of areas that were apparently a precursor to melanoma cut out of me. I've always been amazed they can look at what seems a freckle and declare it abnormal.
Posted 10/11/2016 9:21 AM (GMT -5)
David,
I'm sorry about what the Doctor put you through, but so very happy for good news for you! I know you have so many other issues to deal with, and just glad another one wasn't added to that list. Thanks for updating us, hopefully this will be the beginning of more good news to come.

Beachbum

Post Edited (beachbum50) : 10/11/2016 8:58:06 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/11/2016 9:55 AM (GMT -5)
You may recall I posted about a lesion I had on top of my nose (basically between my eyes). My excellent family doctor felt sure it was a basal cell. He referred me to a plastic surgeon who felt sure it was a basal or squamous cell. That guy wanted to put me in the hospital and do everything with me under general anesthesia. That did not pass my smell test (it was a very small lesion). My family doctor was also surprised and referred me instead to a dermatologist. He said it didn't really look malignant. He did a biopsy and in fact it was totally benign (the biopsy actually ended up removing the lesion!).

So, in this case: my family doctor was wrong (but, really, not wrong in checking it out). The plastic surgeon was a ... well...I don't use that kind of language...and my dermatologist was correct.

So, David, if you do feel this doctor has served you well, I would not condemn him.

Mel

Post Edited (compiler) : 10/12/2016 7:08:15 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/11/2016 10:28 AM (GMT -5)
David,
Sorry about your travail, but glad too how things went. You did not need that worrying about another "for sure" cancer. Mine was not anything as serious as yours, but I had a couple spots on my arm biopsied, The nurse called and said they were skin cancer. That worried me, I went back to see the doctor expecting a minor surgery, and he said not to worry about them for 6 months they are only "pre-cancerous".
Take care and "stay strong"! Keep the Faith Brother David
Dan in So Cal
Posted 10/11/2016 12:49 PM (GMT -5)
Well ..... I am glad to hear the docs were wrong. How they could make such a HUGE error is beyond my comprehension.

I long ago started to believe justice system, lawyers and the police, are no longer deserving of my trust.
I still have some faith in the medial profession, but its hanging by a thread these days
Posted 10/11/2016 12:55 PM (GMT -5)
Sorry! I hate to be a doomsday sayer, but there is a possibility of a mix-up between samples...
Please make sure that didn't happen.
Posted 10/11/2016 2:26 PM (GMT -5)
Ravineman:

HUGE error? I think the error is in being too definite about a sample before biopsy results are in.
It is certainly huge in terms of the mental anguish for the patient.

One of our members, Pratman, had a biopsy G9 and then it turned out to be a G7 (as I vaguely recall)

Again: at least the doctor did do a biopsy.

Huge would be a mistake in the biopsy report, and taking action based on that.

There is an awful lot of malpractice going on, but I don't think this is it (I consider a HUGE error to be a form of malpractice, although I know you didn't say that).

Mel
Posted 10/11/2016 2:35 PM (GMT -5)

compiler said...

One of our members, Pratman, had a biopsy G9 and then it turned out to be a G7 (as I vaguely recall)


Pratoman?

He had one core initially read as 3+5, while two others were read as 3+3.

When he had those same cores re-read by a prostate pathology expert, all three were 3+3.

He fell into the low-risk category, but pursued aggressive treatment anyhow.
Posted 10/11/2016 7:47 PM (GMT -5)
Great to hear you finally got some good news. To ease your soul, tell these folks what you have shared with us. They need to improve on this and won't if they never hear the sad truth.

I will pray that you are not done with good news.
Posted 10/11/2016 7:59 PM (GMT -5)
If my experience with both melanoma and PC has taught me anything, it's that diagnosis is still very much an art. I agree, any doctor who says, "I guarantee this is bad, we'll do the biopsy because we have to, it won't tell us anything we don't already know..." is being way too arrogant. I much prefer the doc who first saw my MM, who said, "I'm pretty sure you've got something here, please get it biopsied. And then, give me a call and let me know if I'm right". (He was doing occupational screens)

Way too many doctors, IMO, like to play God way too much.
Posted 10/11/2016 9:02 PM (GMT -5)
It's a good thing you weren't planning on paying cash.


Scheduling surgery before you know if you're sick is a little beyond the pale.
Posted 10/11/2016 11:10 PM (GMT -5)
JackH:

Thanks for the clarification (I mentioned it was a vague recollection!)

Mel
Posted 10/12/2016 7:23 AM (GMT -5)
What happened to you David, happens regularly in Australia. A skin specialist looks at a persons skin and decides a spot or region if skin looks like cancer. Typically, they just remove the entire suspected cancer then and there and then send it off for biopsy. This happened to Paul about three weeks ago (the dermatologist was pretty confident it it was cancer although not 100% sure) and this removal required three stitches at the back of his hand. It turned out it was precancerous. Neither Paul or I gave the final outcome a second thought apart from a brief moment of gladness that it was not cancer after all.

Your doctor should not have been so adamant about it being Basel cell carcinoma, but the fact is that he did do a biopsy. And most likely he would have checked the results of the biopsy before doing the surgery, especially as it requires grafts. Your doctor was a whole lot more diagnosis driven than ours was although perhaps not great at communication.

The good news is that you don't have another cancer to add to the list!

An

NB: I looked up skin biopsies and the approach that Paul's doctors took was an excisional biopsy, taking out the entire suspected cancer for biopsy. It has the additional benefit of curing squamous and Basel cell cancers while biopsying them.

Post Edited (An38) : 10/12/2016 6:33:10 AM (GMT-6)

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