Janet Street-Porter reveals she developed skin cancer on her nose but had procedure to remove carcinoma delayed for MONTHS during lockdown
- Janet Street-Porter, 73, from Brentford, developed Basal cell carcinoma on nose
- Loose Women panellist developed ‘small spot’ on nose while visiting Australia
- She was diagnosed with form of skin cancer which grows underneath the skin
- Removal planned three days before lockdown and was delayed until tomorrow
Janet Street-Porter has revealed she had a procedure to remove skin cancer on her nose removed delayed for four months during lockdown.
The Loose Women panellist, 73, from Brentford, revealed she was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma after a trip to Australia, initially thinking the spot on her nose was an insect bite.
She was shocked to discover it was cancer because she is ‘militant’ about sun protection, and ‘always’ uses factor 50 sun cream.
The presenter had an appointment booked to remove the cancer three days before Britain went into lockdown in March.
However the operation was delayed until tomorrow, and the journalist admitted on today’s show how she became ‘more and more anxious’ about the carcinoma.
Janet Street-Porter (pictured) revealed she developed skin cancer despite being ‘militant’ about sun protection, and ‘always’ using factor 50 sun cream
The journalist admitted on today’s show how she became ‘more and more anxious’ about her Basal cell carcinoma
She said: ‘I showed this tiny spot on my nose to a dermatologist and he immediately referred me to a consultant.
‘He said I had a basal cell carcinoma which is a form of skin cancer which has to be removed, if I don’t will get bigger and bigger and I could be left with a very big scar.’
The non-melanoma skin cancer grows underneath the skin and is mainly caused by overexposure to UV light from the sun or tanning beds and Janet admitted she originally thought the spot was an insect bite.
She said: ‘About four months ago, it was just after Christmas I came back from Australia I noticed this spot on my nose I just thought was an insect bite.
The presenter had an appointment booked to remove the cancer three days before Britain went into lockdown in March
WHAT IS BASAL CELL CARCINOMA?
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a type of non-melanoma skin cancer.
Non-melanoma means it does not involve skin pigment cells.
BCC often appears as scabs that bleed
BCC makes up more than 80 per cent of all forms of skin cancer in the UK, with over 100,000 new cases being diagnosed every year.
It is mainly caused by overexposure to UV light from the sun or tanning beds.
BCC can occur anywhere on the body but is most common on areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck and ears.
The following people are most at risk:
- People with fair skin or hair
- Those who work outdoors
- People who use sunbeds
- Those with a personal history of the condition
BCC is usually painless. Early symptoms often only include a scab that bleeds occasionally and does not heal.
Some appear as flat, red, scaly marks or have a pearl-like rim. The latter can then erode into a ulcer.
Others are lumpy with shiny nodules crossed by blood vessels.
Most BCCs can be cured, however, treatment is complex if they are left for a long time.
Treatment usually involves removing the cancerous tumour and some of the surrounding skin.
Source: British Skin Foundation and NHS Choices
‘I didn’t think anything of it, I have regular check ups for all my moles and I am very anxious of cancer.
‘ I spend a lot of time outside and I have a friend who died of skin cancer a few years ago so i’m really militant about it. ‘
She explained that after ‘weeks of badgering’ her delayed appointment will finally take place tomorrow, and admitted that despite her procedure having a 99 per cent success rate, the operation has been ‘playing on her nerves’.
I was going to have it removed but then lockdown happened’, said Janet, ‘Three days before I was going to have it removed. So I spent the whole of lockdown getting more and more anxious about it.
Janet, pictured in London in 2015, admitted she originally thought the spot was an insect bite
‘Because although it doesn’t look bigger this kind of cancer grows under the skin so you can’t see it. On Wednesday finally after weekly badgering, my surgeon said I could have the operation.
‘It’s a local anaesthetic, where the surgeon takes a slither of the cancer and then analyses it while you’re there. So they only take out exactly what they have to take out and you know what’s going on.
‘That has a 99 per cent success rate and leaves the smallest scar. It has really been playing on my nerves and i’m someone who always puts factor 50 on my nose.’