Case Studies

Case #3: Skin Cancer

This gentleman recounts,

“I have had more than 100 basal cell skin cancers in the past 50 years. In the 1930’s, I used to enjoy sailing on Long Island Sound. I never considered wearing a shirt or sunscreen. In those days, the Gibson Girls thought that fair skin was a sign of upper class leisure. We boys felt that a healthy tan was a sign of an athlete. During my years of employment with the Foreign Service, I worked in India, Hawaii and other tropical climates. I had my first skin cancer at the age of 30.

Since that time, I’ve had so many skin cancers that my dermatologist has taught me to freeze them off myself with liquid nitrogen at home. I have required numerous surgeries for skin cancers on my face and I am developing skin cancers on my shoulders and back as well.

“I was referred to Dr. Armstrong for removal of a cancer that developed inside my right ear. He found two cancers on and adjacent to my left ear as well. By the time of surgery, a fourth cancer had been found on my right eyelid. Under local anesthesia, Dr. Armstrong removed the two skin cancers on the front of my left ear. Each left a 1½” hole. By cleverly rotating and advancing the adjacent skin, Dr. Armstrong was able to lift and close the defect in such a way that it looked as if I had a facelift. The scar was barely detectible even after two weeks.

“On the right lower eyelid, we had anticipated that he would remove one-half of the eyelid. This would necessitate reconstruction from the cheek and had significant risk of creating problems with eye closure and tearing. Fortunately, the tumor was superficial and Dr. Armstrong was able to lift the eyelid skin upward. Although I lost most of my eyelashes, the reconstruction healed very nicely. The skin that was left over after the eyelid reconstruction was just the right size to patch the cancer defect in my right ear canal. Dr. Armstrong’s thoroughness and creativity has helped to minimize the impact of several potentially disfiguring cancers.”