Question:
My surgeon has said I cant be considered for surgery until I am cancer free for a

year. I have had two moles removed and have one more now. Is this normal procedure or an insurance ploy.    — Gary C. (posted on February 15, 2004)

February 16, 2004
This sounds like a doctor wanting your best interest. Think about it, if you have the surgery AND then they also find out you have cancer, do you really think your body could handle all the chemicals from the cancer treatment AND the lack of food and nutrition that you need so that you can recover from the cancer?? Most cancer patients already have a problem eating since they have no appetite due to chemotherapy. If you stopped eating completely due to the cancer treatment AND the WLS, you would die. I think your doctor is doing the right thing by you. It has NOTHING to do with insurance.
   — Patty H.

February 16, 2004
I take it these were skin cancer? Were they melanomas? What stage were they? If they're deeper than than a Stage I, noninvasive melanoma, have they done a sentinal node biopsy to look for mets to your lymph nodes?<P>Sorry to fire off several questions, but I have had two of those bad boys in 11 years, and was very blessed to walk away with noninvasive melanomas both times. Anything deeper, and, with that form of skin cancer, you gotta make it priority ONE to identify and route out mets. It's nothing to play with if it spreads.<P>Having said that, one of mine was found a couple of months before my WLS, and it was Stage I/noninvasive, so surgical excision of the edges (which came up clean) cleared me entirely (meaning, no further treatment was contemplated). Discovery and excision of a Stage I, noninvasive melanoma, followed by an excisional biopsy with "clean margins," didn't have any affect on my WLS at all.
   — Suzy C.

February 16, 2004
Gary, I think your doctor has your health and best interest first. I had WLS, but needed another surgery prior (unrelated); My doctor has asked that I wait one year before I can have the other surgery. It is his feeling that there are some many variables that could go wrong and a doctor trying to figure out which surgery might be causing a problem is the risk my doctor was concerned with. In the meantime, get to know about the surgery more, even start taking some of the vitamins required (check w/your doctor) and before you know it the year will be past.
   — Anna M.