Woman undergo Mohs surgery after chickenpox scar turn into skin cancer

A woman diagnosed with chickenpox during her childhood but decades later the scar turned into a cancerous cell

A 32-year-old woman from Northumberland, England, was diagnosed with chickenpox at the age of five. But in 2018, the usual scar from the illness turned into a "waxier," different texture and the patient had no idea until her medical reports showed a completely different scenario.

After the woman, Louise Thorell scratched the chickenpox scar, she started to face some issues. But she thought that part would heal and an open wound would be there until a new scab would form.

Skin cancer
Skin cancer Pixabay

A surprising medical revelation

After she went to a specialist with her newly generated skin issues, Thorell, who has a family history of skin cancer, came to know that she has developed basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common type of skin cancer, which can be caused by the exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Basal cell carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma Wikimedia commons

As reported by Media Drum World, Thorell's diagnosis led her to Mohs surgery which is a precise surgical technique used to treat skin cancer while removing thin layers of cancer-containing skin, says Mayo Clinic.

Thorell had gone through three procedures before removing the cancerous tissues from her skin. Later, her doctor said that it is possible that since she has a medical family history, Thorell may have had cancer for years but she never noticed any symptoms until 2018. Her doctor also told her that cancer started to spread along with chickenpox and maybe "I've had BCC for years."

After the surgeries, she is now leading a healthy cancer-free life. She urged others to look at the symptoms like changing skin colour and if they find any abnormality then a consultation with a physician should be done as soon as possible.

READ MORE