- Adrian Chiles reveals he’s had skin cancer diagnosed and successfully removed
- He opens up about the process, including biopsy and surgery for a squamous cell carcinoma
- He highlights the importance of human contact in healthcare, praising an NHS nurse for her support
TV presenter Adrian Chiles has revealed a skin cancer diagnosis, also confirming it has been ‘removed’.
The 58-year-old host opened up about the health scare in a new column for The Guardian as he explained his journey with the healthcare system in the lead up to his diagnosis.
He explained: ‘ Oh yes, I almost forgot, it was a squamous cell carcinoma. All removed and won’t spread. So not nothing, but not serious. Needs keeping an eye on.
‘Whatever, I don’t care, because I now have this skin cancer nurse’s email. The human contact feels as good as any treatment or cure.’
He shared that he had to have an operation to remove the suspicious patch of skin on his shoulder after the results of a biopsy confirmed it was cancerous.
The media personality had booked the appointment with the dermatologist after noticing a change in the skin on that area.
Discussing his return to the hospital for the excision, he reflected: ‘I was back in for the excision, performed by the same guy I’d seen before. This time, he said he was pretty sure it was cancer, cancerous, a carcinoma, whatever.’
‘All I wanted him to do was stop saying worrying things and, instead, whip out his scalpel, go in as deep as he fancied, and dig the bastard thing out. This he did,’ he added, saying he had stitches for 10 days.
Elsewhere he opened up about his difficulty communication with the healthcare professionals about his care and the outcome of his numerous appointments, quipping he ‘wanted to flush my phone down the toilet’.
What is squamous cell carcinoma?
According to the NHS website it is a non-melanoma skin cancer that starts in the top layer of skin and is often easily treatable.
Its most common cause is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds.
Factors such as your age, having pale skin and having had skin cancer in the past also increase your risk.
He was eventually put in touch with an apologetic nurse for a telephone appointment.
‘She was kind, she was knowledgeable, she was all I’d wanted. It took just five minutes,’ he praised.
The popular columnist has been candid with his health – both physical and mental – in the past.
After releasing his 2022 book, How I Learned to Love Drinking Less, he revealed: ‘I was drinking up to a 100 units a week. But without ever getting drunk, without getting into trouble or anything.’
Explaining how he decided to cut out all the ‘unnecessary drinks’, he added during a Loose Women appearance: ‘ ‘In your head, I think the more you drink, the more likely you are to get addicted. For me and many others, it’s part of life.’
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