Sarah Ferguson: Duchess of York diagnosed with skin cancer

BBC ^ | Jan 22 | BBC

[RandFan]

The Duchess of York has been diagnosed with malignant melanoma following the removal of a cancerous mole during treatment for breast cancer.

Sarah Ferguson had several moles removed and analysed while having reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy, her spokesman said.

The duchess "remains in good spirits", despite it being "distressing" to have another cancer diagnosis.

She is the third royal to announce a medical procedure this week.

Her spokesperson said: "Her dermatologist asked that several moles were removed and analysed at the same time as the duchess was undergoing reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy, and one of these has been identified as cancerous.

"She is undergoing further investigations to ensure that this has been caught in the early stages.

"The duchess wants to thank the entire medical team which has supported her, particularly her dermatologist whose vigilance ensured the illness was detected when it was.

"She believes her experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, colour and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma."

[RandFan]

Out of all the royals she seems more relatable to me.

I didn't realize but they allowed her to "walk" to church with the rest of the family at Christmas for the first time in 30 years so no longer ostracized

[Macho MAGA Man]

As a redhead with freckles, she had a real lily white skin complexion. Her skin was easy to burn in the sun.

[Maris Crane]

When I was 19 I just loved getting wonderful brown sunburns from the sun.

When I was 40, I AVOIDED THE SUN LIKE THE PLAGUE.

I wish I had started at 30 to avoid “SUN TANS”.

[Mark17]

I wish I had started at 30 to avoid “SUN TANS”.

Me too.

[Shady]

Horrible. My first wife had what our Doctor called, “the worst cancer case” he has ever seen...Malignant Melanoma.

[luckystarmom]

My red headed brother died of regular skin cancer at 48. It’s very, very unusual to die of basal cel or squamous cell carcinoma, but he did. It started on his head. Before he died, he had lost an ear, and eye, and then it spread to his brain. He was an outdoorsman and spent hours fishing and hunting when we were growing up. He kind of looked like Prince Harry, but better looking.

I’m 61 and never had skin cancer. My other brother and my parents all had small cancers, but so far not me.

[Gay State Conservative]

Fergie and I have very similar coloring...red hair,freckles,etc.Having had many skin cancers removed myself my Dermatologist has told me each time not to worry,it's one of the non dangerous types. But melanoma is dangerous.In fact,one of the top surgeons at the hospital I worked for...a very famous surgeon...died on melanoma.

Of course Fergie will get the best care available in Britain...and she might even come to Boston,New York or Houston,home of the three best cancer treatment centers in the world (Dana Farber,Sloane Kettering and MD Anderson).

[FroggyTheGremlim]

I was diagnosed with malignant, metastatic melanoma (MMM) about 5 years ago. I had a large growth on my scalp. The growth was surgically removed, but it was very deep, the primary measure for danger. I always had fair skin, red hair, could never get a suntan.

Melanoma is bad news, Jimmy Carter had it, it had metastasized into his brain. And Freddy Fu, the surgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers died from it.

For me, it had spread into my lymph system and two lesions in my liver. I was 75.

I met with Dr. Kirkwood, head of the Melanoma group at Pittsburgh’s Hillman Cancer Center. He asked if I would be willing to participate in a clinical study testing a new treatment for MMM.

The treatment was very new and experimental - no chemo therapy, no surgery unless necessary. It was called “immunotherapy,” sponsored by Merck. I was given infusions of pembrolizumab (keytruda) with a booster of Metformin for the first month or so.

I’m not sure about the details of the treatment, but my best understanding is that the drugs somehow “energize” my own immune system to recognize the cancer cells and attack them.

I was given periodic CT scans, which showed, thank God, no cancer in my brain. And mostly, the two lesions on my liver BEGAN TO SHRINK. Today, I just turned 80 with no indications of the MMM.

As benefit, I am given full-body scans for the rest of my life accompanied with full-panel blood analyses. So far, my organs are working as they should.

I am so grateful to Dr. Kirkwood, and the nurses and staff at Hillman, and to Merck for sponsoring the study.

I truly believe that immunotherapy is the ultimate answer for cancer treatments. I hope and pray that other forms of the disease can be cured this way, rather than chemo or radition, which, I think, cause a lot of harm.

And I am sick of politicians who are constantly berating drug companies like Merck who invest years into research and develoment of new and successful treatments like mine.

[Clutch Martin]

My derm clinic is filled with fair skin, freckles and light to red hair. It was freaky walking in their the first time. I lived in SE asia growing up and had some epic sunburns... I get screened every year now and every cut out so far has been benign.

My career in military and electrical work kept me inside most of the time

But c’est le vie.... under a sizable nuclear reactor.

[Sooth2222]

I wish I had started at 30 to avoid “SUN TANS”.

Me too.

I wish my parents had started me, at birth ...

Not that my parents are to blame. In the 1950s, a "healthy tan" was marketed by companies selling suntan lotion (not sun screen).

[LibertyOh]

Thank you for participating in the study. I agree the politicians need to stop berating pharmaceutical companies when they have to invest so much in development and testing.
My son in law was diagnosed with melanoma over 10 years ago and went through several surgeries and chemotherapy in California. Kept coming back until the doctors there suggested he not have another surgery but enjoy the last few months with my daughter and and grandson. Thankfully he was able to be seen by doctors at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City and they began a treatment there that meant regular trips to SLC from Southern California. They at least gave him hope, and ultimately cured him. He still goes back every few months for checkups, and they had another son. All after the original doctors had given up.

[BBB333]

“Thankfully he was able to be seen by doctors at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City and they began a treatment there that meant regular trips to SLC from Southern California. They at least gave him hope, and ultimately cured him. He still goes back every few months for checkups, and they had another son. All after the original doctors had given up.”

---

“...I was given infusions of pembrolizumab (keytruda)..”

---

Peace and God bless to you both!

Mrs. BBB333 is a ‘graduate’ of The Huntsman in SLC for melanoma as well...She had a 13 month course of pembrolizumab and it has been doing well for her so far.

The Huntsman is a very special place that I truly wish no-one will ever HAVE to go to, but thank God it exists!

[yldstrk]

If I had cancer I would START at MD Anderson, not at your local place, START at MD Anderson.

[Gay State Conservative]

Nope...Boston is the world capital of medicine. I know,I worked at Harvard Medical school for decades.When you walk down the hallways of hospitals like Massachusetts general you're tripping over Nobel Prize winners. And I mean the Nobel Prize in Medicine...not that foolish Nobel Peace Prize.

Yes,MD Anderson is outstanding. But it's not quite as good as Dana Farber in Boston.

[day10]

I was once in the Delta Sky Club in Nashville when she came in with her entourage. 4 of the biggest human beings I have ever seen as bodyguards. Each of these guys complete filled the door as they walked in.

She had as female “assistant” with her - I guess that is what you would call her - who was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. When the assistant went to the bar to get a drink I couldn’t resist but go up to get a drink as well and say hi. She said “hello’ in that accent and my head exploded LOL!

[Maris Crane]

LOL

[yldstrk]

Interesting. I guess me being from Kansas City (now Raleigh) I haven’t heard of Dana Farber. Thank you for the insight. Was Harvard antisemitic when you worked there? Just curious. I found Jewish people to be some of the best most interesting people I ever met. I wanted so badly to convert for years. I have a Jewish soul. Never understood antisemitism. It’s only for stupid people.

[mass55th]

Read the other day that Kate Middleton underwent "planned abdominal surgery" that will keep her in hospital for approximately two weeks. I couldn't understand why she'd have to remain in the hospital for so long unless it was something serious. Back in 2010, I had to have an emergency colostomy due to a perforated bowel caused by diverticulitis. Three months later it was revered. That was major surgery, yet I was only in the hospital for 7 days with the first surgery, and 3 days with the reversal. My youngest son had surgery for cancerous polyps in 2019. They did two resections, then he underwent 6 months of chemo treatments, but his initial stay in the hospital was only 3 days. A two week post-surgery hospital stay seems a long time for something that isn't allegedly serious.

I also read that Charles (I refuse to call him King) will be undergoing prostate surgery too. Maybe he can't get it up for Camilla anymore.

[dfwgator]

"Fergia, Fergia, Nippola, Nippola, Nippola, Nippola, Cantalopes, el petrudo, Opera Man grande stiffo, Bye Bye!!"

[mass55th]

God bless you Froggy. And I’m very familiar with Froggy the Gremlin, and Midnight the Cat (”Nice”). We used to watch Andy Devine’s TV show on Saturday mornings.