ABC7 reporter Leanne Suter opens up about skin cancer diagnosis, surgery

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Cancer is a diagnosis no one expects, but when it comes to skin cancer, I am one of more than 5 million diagnosed each year.

"It's the most common cancer of mankind. The most common skin cancer of mankind is the type you had. About one in four Americans will deal with this at some point in their life," Dr. Teo Soleymani told me. "We lose about a patient every 28 minutes in the United States alone to melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma."

Soleymani, a Mohs and facial reconstructive surgeon, rebuilt my ear after removing the cancer.

It all began when I felt a small bump on my ear. Something told me to get it checked out right away with my dermatologist, Dr. Shirley Chi.

"There are some skin cancers that really stand out because they're black or they're really red," Chi said. "Then there are some skin cancers that kind of look almost like a pimple or maybe they look like a little wound that won't heal."

Some like mine can be difficult to spot, which is why getting an annual skin check is vital. It could save your life.

A biopsy showed my bump was an aggressive form of basal cell carcinoma.

Dr. Soleymani performed Mohs surgery, in which the cancer is slowly removed layer by layer to preserve as much tissue as possible.

It was all done under local anesthetic. Six hours and 70 stitches later I had a cancer-free reconstructed ear.

Dr. Soleymani says the number of skin cancer cases across the country has jumped dramatically due to the pandemic.

"We are seeing more advanced cancers in younger patients," he said. "We are seeing more bad outcomes as a result in the delay in care."

Skin cancer usually appears on sun-exposed skin, but it can form anywhere on the body and on all skin types, which is why prevention is key.

"The bottom line is if you feel like something is not right on your skin, if you have a gut feeling, go in and see your dermatologist," Chi said.

Mohs surgery has a 99% cure rate and has become the gold standard for treating skin cancer. The bottom line in all of this: make sure to get an annual skin check.