Breast cancer & skin cancer

mawhinney · February 2013

Does having had breast cancer increase your risk of developing skin cancer?

edwards750 · February 2013

mawhinney...I have never heard that. BC can metatasize anywhere but its usually in the liver, bones or lungs. Skin cancer comes from too much sun, sunburns, etc. I would google it or check a website like webmd.com or a breast cancer site but that is a new one on me. I do know that once you have the C word it does enhance the chances of getting other cancers.

rngdbdy · February 2013

I have actually heard/read several times that they are related to each other somehow, like maybe they have some similar genetic expressions. I have included a link to the American Cancer Society's survivor blog that addresses this exact topic.

http://csn.cancer.org/node/210985

SpecialK · February 2013

I probably have had 15 basal cell carcinomas (skin cancers) of differing kinds prior to my breast cancer diagnosis. I had three basal cell skin cancers during my treatment for breast cancer and one since my treatment was completed. These harmless cancers are due to sun exposure, and the fact that I grew up in California, and was fair-haired, fair-skinned and blue-eyed. I stopped going out in the sun 20 years ago, and my very low Vitamin D level confirmed that, but I still continue to get skin cancers. I do wonder if whatever allowed skin cancer to form also may be something that allowed breast cancer to form - not causation, but something in my immune system or genetics. There are certainly people with my same physical characteristics, who spent time in the sun, and have not developed skin cancer. There was someone in my Feb 2011 chemo group who had simultaneous melanoma on the breast when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I also found this interesting link:

http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/melanoma/breast-cancer-melanoma-link

marywh · February 2013

I also had alot of basil cell skin cancers before being dx with breast cancer,its just my opinion,but I do think there is a connection, some type of genetic thing-something...

Pessa · February 2013

I had a melanoma about 15 years before my BC diagnosis. I had heard there is a connection. My friend's mother died from melanoma and my friend later developed BC............

Chevfan · February 2013

My biological mother had malignant melanoma about 27 years ago. I heard through the grapevine she was diagnosed with lobular in some form last November. Makes one think.

I just happen to have an appt. with my surgeon next Wednesday for a bothersome "cyst". I think I need to find out if genetic testing is a good idea.

Oddly enough, I found a funky spot on my temple near my hairline .... very tiny, but it's still there.

mrenee68 · February 2013

I agree with SpecialK I to have had numerous basal cell skin cancers before my BC diagnosis. Unfortunately there will be more for me, too many sunburns and that lovely tanning bed. I do believe there is some connection between cancers and the immune system, something in my body just isn't working right.

Beesie · February 2013

My understanding is that someone who is BRCA2 positive has an increased risk of melanoma. So in that case, there is a definite connection to breast cancer. The same is not true for those who have the BRCA1 mutation:

http://cancer.stanford.edu/information/geneticsAndCancer/types/herbocs.html

More generally, a couple of studies have found correlations between breast cancer and melanoma:

Association between female breast cancer and cutaneous melanoma http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15252852

Evidence that links breast cancer and melanoma http://csn.cancer.org/node/210985

So it appears that women who've had BC do have a somewhat increased risk of melanoma, and women who've had melanoma do have a slight increase in their risk of breast cancer.

mawhinney · February 2013

Thanks for the informative links. Yesterday I had some moles removed and the PA noted 2 small spots on my lower back to watch. She commented that she wanted me to return in 3 months & remembered reading that breast cancer patients had a slightly increased risk of melanoma. Always something!!

Beesie · February 2013

Yeah, it stinks, doesn't it? As if being diagnosed with BC isn't enough, once you are, you find out that you are higher risk to be diagnosed again, and your risk is increased for other cancers such as melanoma, and you have treatments that expose to you all sorts of other potential problems. Breast cancer is the gift that keeps on giving!

Spookiesmom · February 2013

Had basal on my face, then a squamous cut out of my arm. Then BC. Methinks there is a connection

DeepWaters · May 2018

I know this is a very old thread but wanted to add my input for those searching this subject in the future. A few years ago, I had a tiny visible basal cell carcinoma on my face just under my eye and when I had Mohs surgery to have it removed it turned out to be quite extensive beneath the surface. I recently developed two areas in my breast seen only on MRI (one rim-enhancing mass in one breast and one non-mass enhancement in the other) and have had those biopsied and am awaiting results.

In reading that rim-enhancing masses can be a sign of triple negative breast cancer (of which my beloved aunt recently died less than a year after diagnosis), I also saw that TNBC is related to basal cells in the breast. This made me curious about the possible connection as well. Anyone know of any studies being done on connecting basal cell carcinoma of the skin with TNBC subtype basal-like breast cancer?

1redgirl · May 2018

I have had breast cancer twice and numerous skin cancer lesions. My recent breast cancer was the same breast that last year a skin cancer lesion was removed. My mother died of melanoma. My grandmother died of breast cancer. My mother was rarely in the sun. I never saw her get a burn. I was burned a lot growing up. Not as an adult.

SpecialK · May 2018

I started to have skin cancer at 35 and have been out of the sun since then, but have now had more than 40 of them, and am now 61. I currently average a rate of at least two a year - I have had them from head to foot, some have been more aggressive than others. Some have been recurrent requiring MOHS, some infiltrating requiring MOHS. and two so far on my face requiring MOHS - but all of them have , so far, been basal cell carcinomas. I had three at the time of diagnosis with a Her2+, node positive, breast cancer. Coincidence? Hmmm.... I have also had a 4cm benign tumor in my calf, uterine fibroids too numerous to count requiring hysterectomy, numerous cysts in each breast for at least 20 years - had several in each at the time of BMX, and a 3cm pre-malignant tumor in my right ovary, found after removal - never showed up on imaging. My body likes to make stuff apparently.

Georgia1 · May 2018

Hi DeepWaters. I know melanoma and breast cancer are related; my MO recommended genetic testing and in my case at least it was not a faulty gene but rather bad sunburns as a kid for the skin cancer and who-knows-what (drinking? birth control pills?) for the breast cancer. But no, I haven't heard of the specific connection you describe. Hope your investigation bears fruit.

InnaB2018 · May 2018

Hi, ladies. I was diagnosed with melanoma in situ in January and had to excise it. In March I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Somehow I don’t think it’s a coincidence. Nobody in my family has breast cancer. My mother had 2 basalcell carcinomas. I am BRCA negative.

Veeder14 · May 2018

Hi

Unfortunately, I'm BRAC 2 and had Melanoma diagnosis in Nov 2016, and Breast Cancer Jan 2018, in my case they are thought to be connected. High risk for both.

Breast cancer & skin cancer

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