DEAR DR. GOTT: As I read your column about Merkel cell carcinoma, chills went down my spine.

Just a year and a half ago, the family encouraged my father to go to the doctor because of a red bump on his shoulder. He said it didn't hurt at all and didn't want to go. He finally went, and the doctor recommended that the spot be removed and tested. So Dad had the removal surgery, and, afterward in the recovery room, the surgeon informed us that he had not seen anything like it and was going to send it out for further pathology testing but thought everything was probably fine.

A week later, Dad was seen for a follow-up appointment. The doctor said that the results had come back and that it was some kind of skin cancer, but the surgeon thought he got it all, so the best option was to wait and be re-examined in six months.

Not being totally convinced, I started doing online research. I admit that this can be dangerous, especially since there are a lot of less-then-reliable websites, but I had to do something. Everything I read was frightening.

During my research, I found that only a few cancer-research hospitals mentioned Merkel cell carcinoma, and even fewer had treatment options for it. I found one hospital affiliated with a major university in a neighbouring state that had a research programme. I immediately contacted their oncology department and spoke with the nurse who had written several of the articles I had read about this disease. She advised me to get Dad up there as quickly as I could.

Appointments were made, and more skin was removed from the cancer site on his shoulder as well as some lymph nodes. Some of the nodes tested positive for cancer while others did not. Dad had six weeks of radiation and was given a clean bill of health. He went back four more times, where he was given full examinations and scoured for signs of recurrence.

He continues to return twice a year and, so far, everything has been good. The doctor at the university told us that we were lucky we pursued the investigation of this very rare type of skin cancer. If my father had waited six months, he would probably be fighting for his life right now.

I am glad you ran this particular article and agree with the writer that this rare form of cancer is not well-known in medical circles or in the general public, especially in rural communities. I tell everyone everywhere, doctors and farmers alike, about our experience.

DEAR READER: I am printing your letter in the hopes that it will reach someone who can truly benefit from it.

Online research can, indeed, be a dangerous thing, but it is not always bad. Discretion is the key. Using only reliable sources such as those of the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, the myriad of sites linked with the National Institutes of Health and other well-known national organizations can be beneficial. It is important also to understand that every case is different, so it is vital to have a give-and-take relationship between the physician and the patient.