| Melanoma, the deadly skin cancer, is on the rise. | | | | The experts do offer some helpful warning signs |
| In the United States in 2008, there were | | | | to look for - summarized as ABCD as follows: (A) |
| estimated 62,480 new cases. In the same year, | | | | asymmetry, (B) border irregularity, (C) color |
| 8,420 people were predicted to die from this | | | | variation, and (D) diameter greater than 6mm. In |
| cancer. Melanoma is the #6 most common | | | | men, melanoma occurs most commonly on the |
| malignancy in men and #7 most common in | | | | trunk, followed by arms, and head and neck |
| women. The ethnicity of melanoma is quite | | | | areas. In women, it is found most commonly on |
| interesting, with 98.2% of cases in white patients, | | | | the legs, followed by arms and then the trunk. |
| 1.1% in Hispanics, and 0.7% in African Americans. | | | | Some people are at particular high risk for |
| So, how do you tell if a spot on your skin is a | | | | developing melanoma. These patients should see a |
| melanoma? There is no sure method. A lot of | | | | dermatologist at least once a year. High risk |
| times, even doctors cannot tell a benign mole | | | | factors include family history of melanoma, |
| from a malignant melanoma, especially when it is | | | | previous skin cancer, childhood radiation, and |
| still early and small. That is why dermatologists do | | | | dysplastic nevus syndrome. There is now a |
| so many shave biopsies in the office. The piece | | | | genetic blood test for a hereditary type of |
| of skin is then specially stained and looked at | | | | melanoma. You may consider this test for |
| under the microscope by pathologists to look for | | | | yourself or your family member if: a) you have |
| melanoma cells - then and only then can anyone | | | | had 3 separate melanomas, b) 3 or more |
| be sure. | | | | members of your family have had melanoma, or |
| However, there are some helpful common sense | | | | c) 3 or more members of your family have had |
| guidelines. First, you should pay attention to your | | | | melanoma or pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, |
| skin. Any new mole is more suspicious than one | | | | because there is no drug proven to prevent |
| that has been around without change for years. | | | | melanoma, high risk essentially just means more |
| Any mole that is very dark or grows quickly in | | | | vigilance and more care to avoid direct sun |
| size and thickness should sound off alarm bells. | | | | exposure. |