Two weeks ago, I had an apointment with the dermatologist at Tenon hospital. This visit was made as a checkup to investigate if the GvHc was gone and to explore new little problems which might have appeared on the body within a year.
All the clinical symptoms of a GvHc are gone, either in the mouth or on “other parts of the body”. A very good news indead!
But the dermatologist found a “bump” on my right temple, near the ear. As he was not sure of what it was, he took a sample for culture. Two days ago, he called to give me the news: it is another carcinoma. Last year, I had one treated on the left temple. With the doctor, we decided to use dynamic phototherapy to destroy this carcinoma. Once again, we will use photochemistry, my favorite subject when I worked in the lab,: funny! First, “a dye” is injected in the carcinoma, and incubated for a few hours. Then, using a strong infrared source, the carcinoma is burned in a few minutes of irradiation: it is paintful but fast! I will loss some hair in the process too, as a small surface around the carcinoma will be shaved (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photodynamic_therapy)…
All this will take place in a week… and what a week: monday, photopheresis; tuesday early morning-begining of the afternoon, dynamic phototherapy; tuesday afternoon: visit with my graft doctor, Doctor Oui ( or Doctor Yes!)… She will tell me if she is ready to lower my daily dose of ciclosporine (I keep my fingers crossed!).
I am 21 months after the graft. I am OK but each time I do something (like going to Paris by subway, or walking for a reasonable distance), I am easily tired…
Take care and enjoy life!
ppmhk 