Basal Cell Carcinoma during Hep C treatment

[Wildorchid1121]

As some of you already know, I am on the TMC435 study, I will get shot #21 this next Tuesday, and most likely I might only be on it until week 24. Things are looking great and I am so happy and thrilled about that.

My question is, has anyone had basal cell carcinoma during treatment?

I have a lesion on the left side of my face and I am treating it, then another one came out rather quickly near the jaw on the same side of my face, and now a tiny one on the right side. I called the doctor's office to ask if Riba or interferon can cause BCC, but the nurse left me a message on my phone saying: "Interferon is used for cancer, so it will not cause BCC, and if you do have it it should help." I am no doctor, but interferon is not used for all cancers, and not all cancers respond to the same treatment. To begin with, interferon does not cure cancer, it helps the body attack it along with the Riba, so contrary to what the nurse said, just because I am taking interferon it doesn't mean it's going to cure it. I feel they are not taking this as seriously as I am. When you are on a study you have to let them know all your side effects and they should take note of it.

I had never had this happen before, never been much of an outdoors person, and for three lesions to come out in such a short time, specially during a study, is questionable to me.

I will appreciate any info.  Thanks in advance.

[Wildorchid1121]

It's like any other cancer, you have the precancerous cells first and it takes a very long time before you find out you have it.

I had a biopsy on the first one, which has healed very well with the cream. What do you mean by the margins?

Thanks.

[Mary4now]

Basal Cell Carcinoma is a very slow growing form of skin cancer, it usually takes about 20 years before they show up.
I had mine cut our by a plastic surgeon that way they can see the if the margins are clear,
good luck

[Wildorchid1121]

You are very right. The left side of my face, where I have the 2 lesions, is of course the side that is mostly exposed to the sun when I am driving, so it makes perfect sense!

I am very glad and thank God the moles you developed during treatment were non-cancerous, and that they disappeared on their own.

Thanks for your comment and for sharing your experience.

[Wildorchid1121]

Hi,

Thanks for making it clear, I know I wrote it in another message, but I should have said from the beginning that I had seen a dermatologist and had been diagnosed with BCC.

I have my appointment tomorrow at 9:30, and I will definitely ask her if there is any possible relation between Riba/interferon and BCC.

I did do a research on the internet and found that some patients have developed BCC during treatment, specially between the 3rd and 5th month, and I am on the 5th month. Of course they are very few, but the possibility exists.

[Wildorchid1121]

Absolutely, I have been diagnosed by a dermatologist and they are aware of it.

The reason I contacted my hepatologist's office is because when you are in a study you have to let them know about every doctor's visit you go to,any illness during treatment and all medications prescribed. I am aware liver folks are not cancer folks, but as a liver doctor he is the one I need to contact to see if the medication he has prescribed "can" cause certain side effects. If he is not sure, he must contact the pharmaceutical company and let them know that if more patients get BCC during the study, then it "must" be considered a possible side effect of the medications.

[Wildorchid1121]

First of all, welcome!

I sent you a friend invitation and I can give you all the info you need. Yes TMC435 is very promising and I am very happy with the quick response I have had. As I said, it looks like I will be on the study 3 more weeks, instead of a total of 48. Tomorrow is shot #21 for me!

[Wildorchid1121]

I totally agree with you! Believe me I have been very positive throughout all of this, and Faith has been my constant companion. But when you have certain "things" happening that are not on the list of possible side effects, then you have to worry. Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe it was going to happen anyway, but since it is happening during treatment it is questionable, and the doctor has to know about it and make a note of it.

[Wildorchid1121]

Hi,

No I would not diagnose a skin disorder myself either, I did see a dermatologist over a month ago, she did a biopsy on the first lesion and it came back positive for BCC. The prescription she gave me is for Imiquimod Cream 5%, it worked great with my first lesion, which is very small right now and slowly fading. She told me that this cream will not harm healthy skin or tissue, it will only burn the BCC, so to see if the second lesion was also BCC I put cream on it and next day I had some burning, and it has gradually formed a scab. I made an appointment with the dermatologist as soon as I saw the new lesion, and I am seeing her  tomorrow. I am sure she will prescribe more cream to continue treating it  and maybe do another biopsy.
Thanks for your comment.

[meakea]

A friend of mine who does not have Hep C started having basal cell CA show up on her face a few years ago and, after the first one was removed, she had two or three more show up rather quickly.  I do think that, sometimes, that's the way these things go.  If one part of the face has experienced enough sun damage to create a basal cell CA then the surrounding areas were also exposed.  That's why once a basal cell CA is found it is extremely important to have routine skin exams to watch for more.  

As a side note, something I've never mentioned here before is that, when I was on interferon and riba (not triple therapy) I had several sudden and extremely fast growing moles pop up on my body...seemingly overnight they would appear and become quite large.  I saw the dermatologist who confirmed they were non-cancerous.  I had a few of them removed by the derm but a few of them were left untouched and they ended up disintegrating all by themselves and went away after treatment ended.  It was rather strange.  I've had no further occurrence of that and it only happened during treatment.

I hope all turns out okay.

[flcyclist]

Yes, Wildorchid stated she has been to the dermatologist and is going back on Tuesday to address this issue.  Hope everything turns out ok.

[nygirl7]

How do you 'treat' a basal cell carcinoma from my personal experience the only thing you can do to 'treat' one is to have it removed.

Go to the dermatologist something here isn't making sense and cancer is nothing to self diagnose yourself with.  

[suezeeque]

The nurse who left you the message may have assumed that you had been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma.  If you haven't, you should have the lesions checked out.

Hepatologists are liver folks, not cancer folks.  I'd get myself to my family doctor and see if a referral is in order.

[jjsmomma11]

Hello, I see you live in GA, can you please say at what facility or where/who to contact about the present or any future trials with TMC435? I am new here and so appreciate answers/help, goodluck with the treatments, TMC435 is very promising medicine. Thanks.

[copyman]

I would not try and diagnose a skin disorder myself. See a dermatologist for correct diagnosis. You are assuming it is BCC and don't know for sure. Hopefully it is not.
Best of luck

[curiouslady1]

I wish people in authority would learn to say "I don't know".  It might help.  Nevertheless, if you are going to go the three more weeks, it might be helpful to try to give yourself some anxiety relief by telling yourself positive thoughts.  I found out that my diabetes medication Meformin may contribute to inhibiting viral replication and I constantly remind myself of that fact whenever my sugar begins to fluctuate or goes too high while on treatment.  If I dwelt on the thought that the treatment may be making my diabetes worse, I would go mad.  

[Wildorchid1121]

Ouch, ouch, ouch!!! I totally know how you felt, my Mom went through the same thing and she told me she had tears running down her face when she got the shots. She said it has been her worst experience at a doctor's office! She kept all the words to herself but she said they were not very nice either!!! I can just picture you sliding down the chair.... I am sorry but reading your description, and picturing it made me laugh!

I will be back at the dermatologist's office on Tuesday, can't just ignore something like that.

Thanks and take care.

[Wildorchid1121]

Hi!

I am upset about the fact that everything I seem to tell the medical team they don't take seriously. I hope they are recording it as they should. but I will discuss that with my doctor on week 24.

This is definitely the easiest to treat if taken care of immediately, which I have. I will ask the dermatologist if it can be related or caused by the tx and I will definitely post it!

Take care.

[Wildorchid1121]

Hi,

Great news when you see the end of the treatment so near!
I am so glad the bleeding was not cervical cancer, what a scary moment!

I really never had any "weird" side effects during my first tx. just the "normal." I am just concerned and frustrated because they are on the face and anything may leave a scar. What worries me is that basal cell carcinoma is very slow growing, yet the second one came out too quickly after I started treating the first one.

I haven't had a rash, but I have had itching mostly on the face. At times I feel like needles poking my face.

You are very right, these drugs are nothing to play around with, and we don't know yet the long time side effects of it, the least amount of time we are on them the better. I had already made a decision to quit if I have to go for the 48 weeks, I have really gone through hell this second time!

I am so happy it has gone well for , and I too pray we are undetected and cured for ever and ever and ever! Amen.

[Wildorchid1121]

Nice to hear from you too! Sorry to hear you have to go for the 48 week tx. Three more weeks seem like an eternity for me! I am so desperate to get over this, it has really been a bumpy ride

I did go to a dermatologist close to a month ago, for my first lesion, she prescribed a cream which seems to be working pretty good. She prefers the cream to the freezing treatment because it leaves no scars or discolorations of the skin, and being on the face who wants that? I started using the cream on the new lesion and it is burning it, contrary to the first one. I am going back on Tuesday to have her check it, I am just worried I will continue getting more.

Take care.    :)

[screaming48]

see a derm and have it removed, before I started treatment, a few years back I had a squamous and basil cell removed. Ouch you haven't lived until they stick a needle in your nose lol I slid all the way to the floor and the doctor went right with me with the needle still in my nose, I won't repeat the language that came flowing out lmbo..  that was the only one that hurt the others I didn't even feel. I don't go to that dr anymore either. Those are easy to take care of but don't go too long without getting them taken off ok :)

[frijole]

I hope the basil cell is not related to the study drugs but I am sure they will keep record of it.  At least, of all the cancers, this is probably the easiest to deal with.  I will be very interested to see if it is determined to be a side of the study drugs.

[cakes8267]

hi
I am on the TMC 435  study and will have the 18th shot next Tuesday.  I will also finish the 24th wk.
Last time I did treatment, I had a basil cell on my chin, treated, and did not have anymore.  The docs also thought I had cerival cancer because of abnormal bleeding, turns out-- I did not and do not have it.
My hep specialist explains all  my "wierd" side effects on the drugs.  Side effects that I have never had before and when I am off the drugs shouldn't have.  Lets face it, these are heavy duty drugs we are on, best to get off them as fast as we can!  
I have not have any basil cell on my face nor any normal bleeding.  
I think the TMC435 study has done me very well, I haven't even had a rash or the itching.  I am looking forward to being UnD for ever and ever and ever.

[flcyclist]

Hey, nice to hear from you.  I'm also at shot #21, but I'm on for 48 weeks w/SOC.  

I'd make an appointment to get into a good dermatologist pronto.  Depending on the size and depth, it could be an easy procedure of removing a small amount of tissue with local anesthesia in their office.  I don't have any personal experience with this, but maybe other under trt have.  I also haven't read where BCC's have become a problem during trt.  

Hope all else is going well.