Hi everyone. I am an airman in training and discovered that a mole on my chest went black and was misshapen approx 2.5 weeks ago so i decided to go to student health to get it checked out later that week. From there the doctor decided to give me a referral to a local dermatologist so he/she more than likely can decide if a biopsy is needed to see if it is cancerous. The 'mole' on my chest has changed a bit over the past few weeks as it isn't quite a raised as it was but it does appear that it is somewhat wider and misshapen. The appointment is set for next week and if it is found to be cancerous (from what i have researched if it was it would more than likely be melanoma) what would my options be? I know a lot would of course determine on the severity of it etc, but does the Air Force discharge personnel who are found to have skin cancer? I have tried to do research on this particular subject but i haven't been able to find anything on it so any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time!
My best guess is that a melanoma wouldn't be a career-ender. It sounds as though you may have found this thing early, when there's a good chance of successful treatment. Specifically what I think will happen will depend on the specific diagnosis, the prognosis, and prescribed treatment.
I've known airmen who were diagnosed with various cancers and tumors, and were able to remain on active duty and perform their jobs on (mostly) a daily basis.
There are a couple of retired medical folks that might be able to add something definitive.
I am a melanoma patient (once a cancer patient, always one).
I was diagnosed with Melanoma In-situ back in 1997 after a physical turned it up. It was on my upper arm by the tricep. It was a runaway freckle (flat on the surface unlike a mole). But it had changed colors and raised concern.
They excised enough of it to send to lab...lab confirmed it was malignant and they took the rest off. The test on the second excision revealed they had gotten it all and it was not very deep (meaning it had not spread).
I was on Code C for about 5 years (couldn't go overseas at all - now it's stratified..so you might still be able to deploy with it...don't know). After 5 years, they did a MEB review and the Code C was removed.
All in all, it sucked. But I'd rather be limited to stateside for a few years and still be alive than to not have caught it in time and be dead.
So yes - as long as the melanoma has not spread, expect to be able to continue to serve. But, expect a MEB and, for me, they also did a PEB.
Hm alright thank you for the quick replies. My first assignment is actually Japan so hopefully i dont loose that. Hm everything happens for a reason i suppose. But thank you for your comments and i will see what this is next week. Thanks
I will say that the reason they caught mine was because I was given an assignment to Naples, IT. It was apparently a NATO assignment. After the doc spotted the cancer, he said I won't be going.
Sure enough, I received notice of an MEB and a cancellation rip down inside of 2 weeks. I was a SrA and had been at Tinker a long while - we were looking forward to Italy. But it was not to be. But I got the experience of being an instructor which ended up changing my whole perspective of who I was...for the better.
So like you said - everything happens for a reason. Good luck to you!
Coming from a family that is skin-cancer ridden, I can tell you that there isn't much skin-cancer-related-debilitating-injuries, expecially if its caught early. My folks have had a combined total of over 100 biopsies, some requiring plastic surgery(yay for me and my good genetics, not).
The only way the USAF would discharge you is if it had long lasting affects and prevented you from working. If it makes you feel better, I had surgery earlier this year. It was a pre-existing condition that I battled through that I thought for sure would be a career-ender. The USAF took care of everything, even when I couldn't walk for about 4 weeks; all the while still in training.
Your a huge investment in the USAF and they will do everything they can to take care of you so they can keep you. Don't worry about a thing. Even if you were to be medically-discharged for an injury, the USAF has the obligation to rid you of disease and injury before discharging you.
