Stephen Piscotty has surgery to remove melanoma from ear

The Oakland A’s released a medical update on Stephen Piscotty on Friday. Here is the full press release.

Piscotty, 28, had successful surgery yesterday to remove a melanoma from his right ear. Dr. Brian Parrett performed the procedure at the California Pacific Medical Campus.

During a routine spot check with dermatologist Dr. Joseph Chao with Sutter Health, a suspicious mole was identified, and a biopsy was subsequently scheduled which came back positive for melanoma.

Dr. Parrett, plastic surgeon, performed an excision to remove the melanoma in its entirety.

Piscotty is resting comfortably at home and will be evaluated daily while awaiting further information from the pathology report on the surgery. We anticipate that he will return to the club within the next week.

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer and it has a 98% 10-year survival rate. This cancer begins in the cells that control the pigmentation of the skin and having annual spot checks done by a dermatologist is recommended for anyone that has high exposure to the sun.

More details to come as the story develops. At the very least, Piscotty will clearly not be in the lineup on Friday, though the press release sounds optimistic about a quick return to action. In the meantime, the A’s have plenty of outfield depth to cover for his absence, though of course he’s one of the best players on the team — and all of that is an afterthought compared with the human element of his overall health and well-being.

Athletics Nation wishes the best to Piscotty and his family as they deal with this latest health issue.

Update: Click here for more info from the S.F. Examiner.

The team believes the problem was caught early. General manager David Forst noted that Piscotty scheduled the screening as a matter of routine, and not because he had already been worried about this particular mole.

As for a potential timeline for Piscotty’s return, Forst said:

“Maybe a few days, maybe later next week, we don’t know, we’ll see how he’s doing tomorrow. But he can play with the stitches in. Stitches won’t be removed until next Thursday. But he’ll be able to play when he says he’s ready I think. As an organization we’re just trying to support whatever he needs. We’re very happy that this was caught when it was.”

Update 2: Great news!

Such positive news to hear from A’s RF Stephen Piscotty that the melanoma removed from his right ear is all gone. “They got all of it and it didn’t spread. Great news,” he said.