Mole Patrol checks for skin cancer at air show

Baptist Health Care, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute and AAA Auto Club South are teaming up once again Blue Angel Weekend for Mole Patrol(tm), a skin cancer screening program aimed at detecting early signs of skin cancer.

On July 20 and 21 the Mole Patrol(tm) will be set up for screenings next to the Baptist Health Care firstaid tent at Casino Beach. Sun seekers are encouraged to stop by the Mole Patrol(tm) tent from 8 a.m. to noon to take advantage of free skin cancer screenings.

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss sun-exposed areas of concern with dermatologist Dr. Amy Watson, surgical oncologist Dr. Jonathan Zager, and surgical oncology fellow Dr. James Lewis.

The team will be looking for the two major types of skin cancer: non-melanoma and melanoma - both related to sun exposure.

Screening slots are limited and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants will be provided with local resources on how to proceed if additional followup is needed.

This is the second year for the Mole Patrol(tm) during the Blue Angel Weekend. Last year's team conducted 235 screenings resulting in 32 findings requiring follow-up care.
source:www.splashpensacolabeach.com

Beauty skin deep? Not for this winner

Fashion events usually don't move me to tears, but the Fashion Group International awards night did a few weeks ago, when Chicagoan Stacey Koerner was named a Rising Star, along with Bucktown boutique owner Helen Yi, interior designer Kara Mann, clothing designer Tennille White and jewelry designer Winifred Grace.

Koerner, a former cosmetics buyer for Nordstrom, founded a service, Beauty on Call, that dispatches hair, makeup and spa professionals for weddings, corporate events, retail staffing and more. Beauty on Call went nationwide in January.
Less known is Koerner's non-profit Chicago service, Prescription Well-Being. Its volunteers provide beauty and spa treatments, free of charge, to women who have cancer and are dealing with changes in their appearance.

Mercifully, Prescription Well-Being came to my attention about two years ago, shortly before a friend and former colleague of my husband's, Florence Hammer, was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

After one of her many chemotherapy/radiation treatments, with a thatch of hair falling out in the middle of mass, Florence called on a Sunday morning and asked if I knew of someone who could shave her head, right away.

Figuring it was a long shot on a Sunday, I called Koerner's service, never expecting she would return the call in five minutes.

By noon, she had volunteer Cathy Battistoni, who is Beauty on Call's senior hairstylist, at Florence's Lake View home, clearing her head.

"It was a big relief to Florence," said her husband, Steve Houk, who now lives in Los Angeles, "especially when we all agreed that she looked pretty great without hair."

Florence thanked me often for that Sunday morning assist, until the last time we had dinner at her house, a week before she died last July, about two weeks shy of her 46th birthday.

When I finally met Koerner at the Fashion Group event, it was my turn to thank her profusely, not a dry eye between us.

"It's such a small thing," said Koerner, who was inspired to start Prescription Well-Being during her days at Nordstrom, when a colleague was undergoing cancer treatment. In addition, Koerner's mother is a cancer survivor.

So Koerner knows that this small thing can at least spare someone the stress of having to schlep to a salon and submit to stares.

And Koerner has bigger plans for the non-profit. She hopes to one day raise enough funds to open a Prescription Well-Being spa where these women could go for a full menu of services, free of charge.

For more information on services, to donate or to volunteer, see beautyoncall.com/wellbeing.html or call 312-335-5350.



Vogue does Chicago

Many still think New York dismisses Chicago as a fashion "don't bother." They might be surprised to learn that Vogue magazine recently treated 200 Chicago-area guests to a party at the four-star Charlie Trotter's restaurant in Lincoln Park.

On the garden terrace, the "Evenings in Vogue" attendees sifted through bowls full of charms and chose lengths of gold chain as a New York jewelry team (smallthun der.com) feverishly crafted their selections into necklaces. On the upper level of the restaurant, British cosmetics brand Rimmel provided makeup touch-ups and eye shadow samples. There was a tarot-card reader and, of course, an endless parade of Trotter's canapes to accompany wine and champagne.

The agenda was simply to bring the pages of Vogue to life in a fun way, said Vogue spokeswoman Elissa Lumley. Special guest hosts Amy Tara Koch, Kimberly Burt and Jennifer Trotter, sister-in-law of the restaurateur, saw to it that the guest list looked the part.

Among the notables attending were clothing designers Maria Pinto and Orlando Espinoza, jewelry designer Lana Fertelmeister and handbag designer Joelle Minassian.



Deals of the week

* Sales are rare for Ikram, an exclusive shop at the top of the fashion hierarchy, but starting Sunday fashionistas will find some designer items marked down by 40 percent, at 873 N. Rush St.

* Belly Dance Maternity (1647 N. Damen Ave., and 1849 Green Bay Rd. in Highland Park) takes 25 to 75 percent off items from Diane von Furstenberg, Serfontaine, Liz Lange and more through July.

* Gamma Player, 2035 W. Division St., offers 30 percent off its entire trendy collection from Tuesday through July 22. A laser-cut black skirt from Chicago designer Anne Valerie Hash, for example, normally $670, will be $469. See gammaplayer.com.

* Spring/summer handbags and accessories are 25 to 50 percent off at Furla Lincoln Park through July 20, when whatever's left will be marked down more than 50 percent to make room for fall. The store is at 1211 W. Webster Ave.

* In booming University Village, the clothing boutique Lissa on Maxwell, 729 W. Maxwell St., is offering up to 50 percent off clothing and 70 percent off other merchandise.
source:www.chicagotribune.com

Hand-held devices to treat hair loss, acne and wrinkles bypass the dermatologist's office. But will claims match consumers' high expectations?

LAURA BEARD was flipping through a women's magazine when an advertisement caught her eye. It sounded simple enough: Aim a laser at individual blemishes — in the privacy of one's home — and the skin will clear up within a day or two.

The cost, $150, gave her only slight pause. If the device worked, it would save her the time and money she spent on acne treatments and dermatologist visits for herself and her daughter. "I have very dry skin, so I have to be careful about using acne remedies with benzoyl peroxide," says the 53-year-old Memphis woman. "This sounded so positive."

With the evolution of laser technology, do-it-yourself personal care has entered a new realm. Consumers can now calm acne flare-ups, plump facial wrinkles and restore thinning hair with a variety of hand-held devices. Others in development could treat superficial wounds, relieve pain and remove body hair.

"This field will grow because we have discovered how to channel the power of light and cause reactions in the skin and hair," says John Carullo, director of marketing for Sunetics, manufacturer of a hair-regrowth device. "It's quite an exciting industry, and it's on the verge of exploding."

Home hair and skin appliances using lasers or, in some cases, heat, can spare consumers from tiresome trips to the doctor's office and may be less costly, over time, than monthly in-office facials and hair treatments. But they won't work the same kind of magic that can be conjured up with more high-powered tools. And some may even be a waste of money.

"It's a matter of degree," says Dr. Harold Brody, a clinical professor of dermatology at Emory University in Atlanta. "If people are trying to treat mild conditions, it may help. But if it's something severe, they will need the help of a dermatologist."

The popularity of in-home treatments mirrors the use of medical devices by physicians, says Dr. Wendy E. Roberts, a Rancho Mirage dermatologist and assistant professor of medicine at Loma Linda University Medical Center. "I think eventually these could be effective for home use," she says. "But right now, there are questions about the efficacy of some of these systems. There's a lot of hype."

Consumers may have especially high expectations for home lasers.

Lasers release a special form of light in a single wavelength; by contrast, normal daylight consists of varying wavelengths. Hot lasers, the kind used by health professionals in the treatment of skin resurfacing and tattoo removal, are high-energy devices that cause heat damage to the skin, triggering a healing response.

Cool lasers are sometimes called low-level lasers or low-level light therapy. This type of laser doesn't damage tissue and is safe to use at home. They work by passing a beam of light through the skin to reach cells below the skin's surface and stimulate the body's natural healing processes. Energy produced by cool lasers appears to prompt the production of collagen and ATP (the energy source needed for cellular functions), promote blood circulation and boost the release of growth factors and the removal of waste products from cells.

"I sincerely doubt any of these things are so aggressive that they would produce side effects," says Brody. "But the effectiveness is going to be mild too."

Consumers may think that Food and Drug Administration clearance means the devices work similarly to those used by doctors. But FDA clearance of this type means only that the manufacturer has submitted some data showing effectiveness for the device's intended purpose. Usually this means the device is based on similar, proven technology. Devices that do not have FDA clearance may only be proven as safe.

For example, devices to stimulate hair regrowth for balding men have been sold over-the-counter for years although manufacturers couldn't claim the devices helped regrow hair. The approval in February for the HairMax LaserComb was a milestone because the manufacturer produced scientific data to show the product had some effect in growing hair.

But not every light-based hair and skin device has received FDA clearance.

"Consumers need to ask enough questions to make sure what they are getting is truly efficacious," says Dr. Mark Solomon, a plastic surgeon in Philadelphia and spokesman for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. "Over-the-counter devices don't hurt anybody, so you can sell them. But that doesn't mean they work."

The American Cancer Society has warned that low-level light therapy products in particular are being touted for conditions for which there is little or no proof that they help, such as pain relief, inflammation, smoking cessation, herpes, high blood pressure and migraines.

But the devices are becoming more visible in the marketplace. Sunetics is marketing its laser hair brush for $399. Next month the firm will also begin selling the device with a removable head that can be replaced with one of four attachments (each costing $250) for use on acne, facial wrinkles, skin pigmentation and pain relief/wound healing. Each attachment contains a diode that produces a specific wavelength of light targeted to treat a particular condition, Carullo says.

Although there is some research supporting the effects of low-level laser therapy for hair regrowth and acne, there is little or no data to support other uses, Roberts says.

Consumers should seek a doctor's advice for persistent skin or hair problems, Brody says. A home device could lighten a skin lesion that is actually a melanoma skin cancer or remove scaling skin, the symptom of another type of skin cancer.
source:www.latimes.com

Melanoma Is More Common Than Lung Cancer in Australia (Update1)

Melanoma cases almost tripled in Australia the past two decades, making the potentially fatal skin tumor more common than lung cancer, a government report shows.

Doctors diagnosed 9,524 melanoma cases in 2003 compared with 3,803 in 1983, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in Canberra said in a review released today. The incidence rate was 47 new cases per 100,000 people in 2003, 67 percent more than two decades earlier.

The findings indicate a 26-year effort to educate people about the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation has failed to halt melanoma, even as an anti-smoking campaign cut the incidence of lung tumors, the country's biggest cancer killer, by more than 15 percent since 1983.

``We expect that almost every Australian will get at least one skin cancer,'' James Bishop, professor of cancer medicine at the University of Sydney, said in an interview in Singapore last month. ``It's the Australian disease.''

Australians have the highest rate of skin cancer in the world because of factors such as high ultraviolet radiation levels, lightly pigmented skin and an outdoor lifestyle. Most cases of skin cancer in Australians are the result of excessive sun exposure during childhood, according to the nation's Cancer Council.

The incidence of melanoma in Australia is about six times the level in the U.K. and about three times the rate of the U.S., Bishop said. The incidence of skin cancer, including forms of the disease that don't spread to other tissues, is about four times as prevalent as all other cancers, he said.

Solar Radiation

Australia records some of the highest levels of solar ultraviolet radiation in the world. Relatively clear atmospheric conditions and the influence of ozone depletion over Antarctica contribute to higher levels of solar UV radiation in the southern hemisphere than at similar latitudes in the northern hemisphere, according to the government's Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.

Harmful UV rays reach ``extreme'' levels most days between December and January in the most populous cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, meaning there is enough ultraviolet radiation to cause sunburn in 15 minutes.

Doctors remove about 720,000 potentially cancerous skin lesions each year and treat more than 382,000 people for melanoma as well as the less severe forms, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, for which national records aren't kept. In 2003, melanoma killed 1,146 of the country's 20 million people, according to the government report.

Costliest Cancer

``Skin cancer is Australia's most expensive cancer in terms of overall burden on the health system,'' said Ian Olver, chief executive officer of Cancer Council Australia. Many of those who die from melanoma are under 40.

Melanomas less than 5 millimeters (0.2 inch) wide that are treated before the tumor invades the deeper layers of skin, or dermis, are almost all curable. Only one in five patients receiving initial treatment for the most advanced stage of the disease is alive in five years, according to the American Cancer Society.

There were an estimated 106,000 new cases of all types of cancer in Australia last year, compared with 78,857 in 1996, the government report said. Cancers probably killed 39,200 people in 2006, up from 34,857 a decade earlier. In 2003, 6,988 people died from lung cancer and 4,372 of colorectal cancer.

Tobacco Smoking

Lung cancer was the most common form of the metastatic disease in men in 1983, affecting 84.5 per 100,000 people. The incidence measured on an age-standardized basis fell 32 percent to 57.1 cases per 100,000 in 2003, according to the government's statistics, largely because of a decline in tobacco-smoking. The incidence of lung cancer in both sexes was 40.4 per 100,000 in 2003 on an age-standardized basis, the report said.

In 1945, almost three-quarters of adult men and a quarter of adult women smoked, according to the Institute of Health and Welfare. In 2004, 23 percent of males and 19 percent of females aged over 14 years were smokers.

``It's pretty easy to persuade people that smoking is bad for you and that stopping doing it would be a good idea,'' said Bruce Armstrong, professor of public health at the University of Sydney. In contrast, ``the average person thinks sun exposure is great; it's a real part of life. The notion that you shouldn't expose yourself to the sun is far less attractive.''

Public service messages first aired on television in Australia encouraged people to ``slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, and slap on a hat'' when they go out into the sun. The campaign improved melanoma awareness and school-age children especially take more precautions to avoid sun damage, Armstrong said.

Going Backwards

``For a while, we seemed to be gaining on the problem and there was more sun protection happening,'' he said. ``That trend has in fact turned around and started to go back again towards less sun protection and more sun exposure, which just illustrates the problem. It is an uphill battle.''

The average age of melanoma diagnosis was 61.3 years for men and 57.5 years for women in 2003. Armstrong said prevalence of melanoma in older men is accelerating.

``As men got older, as they get more disposable income, they increase their level of recreational sun exposure,'' adding to any skin damage that occurred during childhood, he said.

Melanoma is one of the cancers most likely to be diagnosed in people in Australia aged 20 to 35 years, said Bishop at the University of Sydney.

``About 80 percent of teenage girls think that a tan is attractive,'' he said. ``This is a problem that we're dealing with, and we have to get in and change the culture.''

The desire for a year-round tan is fueling demand for solariums or sunbeds. The number of shops offering tanning services in the country's biggest cities more than tripled in the decade to 2006, and increased as much as 10 times in Perth, according to a study published in April in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
source:www.bloomberg.com

Cork GAA team are to be screened for skin cancer to help raise awareness

The Cork GAA football team will be screened for skin cancer at a special melanoma clinic in Cork in an effort to raise awareness of the disease among men.

The Cork GAA football team will be screened for skin cancer at a special melanoma clinic in Cork in an effort to raise awareness of the disease among men.

Dr Michelle Muprhy, a dermatologist at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork, runs the rapid-access melanoma clinic, which sees about 100 patients a months and identifies one melanoma in ever 22 GP referral.

About 80 per cent of patients with suspicious moles have them excised on the day.

Dr Murphy says the high rate is a testament to the skill of GPs who are referring patients they suspect of having melanomas.

The clinic is funded on a monthly basis by the National Treatment Purchase Fund.
source:www.imt.ie

Skin-cancer options aren't one-size-fits-all

There are a number of treatment options for skin cancer. The patient and doctor determine the best treatment, taking into account the size, type, depth and location of the lesions.
Excision: This is a surgical approach and is appropriate for some types of skin cancer. The doctor cuts out the cancer and 4 to 6 millimeters of surrounding tissue, depending on the cancer type. Cancer is successfully removed about 95 percent of the time.

Mohs surgery: The doctor removes the cancer layer by layer until all cancer cells are gone. During the surgery, each newly removed layer is examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells before proceeding. This exacting process avoids the removal of healthy tissue. The surgery was developed by Dr. Frederick Mohs at the University of Wisconsin in the 1930s and requires specialized training. The cure rate, as high as 99 percent for some forms of skin cancer, makes this an excellent treatment. This technique is most commonly used to treat skin cancer on the head and neck.

Cryotherapy: For precancers, liquid nitrogen is used to freeze precancer cells. The cure rate is 90 percent to 95 percent.

Laser therapy: A focused beam of light vaporizes cancer cells, with little damage to surrounding tissue. This is appropriate for superficial skin cancers only.

Curettage followed by electrodesiccation or cryotherapy (freezing): The doctor removes most of the growth and then scrapes cancer cells with a circular blade called a curet. Any remaining cancer cells are destroyed with an electric current or cryotherapy.

Photodynamic therapy: A substance that makes the skin sensitive to light is applied to the skin cancer and allowed to set for several hours. Then the area is exposed to a special type of red or blue light, which activates the sensitizing substance, destroying the cancerous cells. This is used for superficial types of skin cancer.

Radiation: Radiation can be used for inoperable skin cancers. Cure rates are acceptable when it is done by an experienced physician. However, radiation puts the patient at risk for future nonmelanoma skin cancers, so it should be used with caution. Some aggressive skin cancers treated surgically may also require radiation treatment for the best cure rate.
source:www.star-telegram.com

New protection

This season's arsenal against the sun is more diverse than ever. But how well does something like sunscreen in a soap actually work? The L.A. Times tested three new items and then asked the expert opinion of Andrew Kaufman, assistant clinical professor in dermatology at UCLA, who serves on the medical council of the Skin Cancer Foundation. Though the products are too new for doctors to have widespread experience, all are approved as effective sunscreens by the Skin Cancer Foundation or the American Cancer Society.
souce:www.chicagotribune.com

Untimely death timely warning for Montanans

The first woman to lead the Montana Department of Agriculture, Nancy Peterson built a distinguished career over 30 years as a farmer and shared her skills on many public boards, including chairing the Farm Service State Committee for USDA. Dedicated to her job in the state Agriculture Department since her appointment as director in 2005, she continued to work even while struggling against the disease that claimed her life on June 23. Her untimely death at age 52 was caused by recurrence of melanoma, a skin cancer she first fought 20 years ago.

As Montanans share the sorrow of Nancy Peterson's family, we should all take to heart that each of us can reduce our risk of suffering the disease that took the life of this vital public servant. If a recent trend continues, new cases of melanoma will strike nearly 350 Montanans this year. It is the deadliest and rarest of three types of skin cancer. Prevention for all types of skin cancer is avoiding or limiting exposure to sun and other sources of ultraviolet light, such as sun lamps and tanning beds.

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services reports that the incidence of melanoma in Montana has been increasing in recent years. That trend has also been seen by cancer treatment specialists in Billings, as reporter Diane Cochran recently told Gazette readers. The Billings Clinic reported treating 180 cases last year, more cases than any other kind of cancer.

"It's increasing over all other cancers, except lung cancer in women," said Dr. Cheryl Cook of Yellowstone Dermatology and Skin Cancer Clinic.

This year nearly 60,000 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma and more than 8,000 will die from it, according to American Cancer Society estimates. Melanoma accounts for about 3 percent of cancer diagnoses reported to the state. The incidence in Montana is lower than the national average, but the death rate is slightly higher, suggesting that prompt treatment and better public awareness could improve outcomes here. Although melanoma can be deadly, nearly 78 percent of Montanans diagnosed were surviving five years later.

Each of us can fight skin cancer. Protect your skin - and your children's skin - from sun exposure. Take notice of new moles or changes in existing moles and other changes on your skin. Get an annual "mole check" from a dermatologist or other qualified health-care professional. Don't wait and worry; get suspicious sores or spots checked.

First Lady Laura Bush didn't wait. She had surgery several months ago for skin cancer on her leg. Fortunately, that tumor wasn't melanoma. She was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a skin cancer that is more common and much more likely to be cured. Most importantly, the first lady detected the problem (a sore that didn't heal) and sought medical care early, giving herself the best opportunity for successful treatment.

Many of us Montanans spend our days working and playing outside. What 21st century science tells us is that we must take precautions to protect our skin while in the great outdoors.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, who knew Nancy Peterson as a close friend and neighbor, said "her hard work changed Montana's family farms and ranches forever." As Montanans remember her, let us also resolve to prevent skin cancer and save lives.
source:www.billingsgazette.net

Yale-New Haven Hospital Offers New Technology For Cancer Patients

New Haven Hospital considered one of the most versatile cancer treatment devices available in the field of radiation therapy.

The first unit of its kind in the greater New Haven area, the Trilogy accelerator is capable of providing image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), which allows for improved tumor localization and treatment precision through the use of an integrated CT scanner.

"The Trilogy is a major technological step forward in our ability to provide the latest in cutting edge treatment delivery for our patients in Connecticut and the surrounding region," according to Lynn D. Wilson, MD, MPH, vice chairman and clinical director of the Department of Therapeutic Radiology .

"Certain types of tumors shift in location from day-to-day. With the Trilogy accelerator, the CT scanner first takes an image of the tumor. The accelerator then rotates around the patient delivering radiation from nearly any angle so the treatment is directed at the precise location of the tumor," explained Nick Papale, director of radiation therapy. "This enhances the accuracy of the radiation treatment and minimizes radiation exposure to the nearby normal tissue."

The new Trilogy accelerator, one of three linear accelerators at Yale-New Haven, allows for the capability to treat patients with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). SRS delivers higher doses of radiation to smaller areas with extraordinary precision and is particularly useful in treating lesions of the spine, liver, lung, and brain.

In addition, this accelerator is capable of delivering 3D (three-dimensional) conformal radiotherapy, and intensity-modulated radiation (IMRT), techniques that provide more customized delivery of radiation; and respiratory gating (often referred to as 4D radiotherapy taking into account tumor motion over time), a feature that makes it possible to track the position of a tumor as a patient breathes during treatment delivery.

"Radiation therapy is used today in more than half of all cancer patients," explained Papale. "By using this Trilogy system, we have the potential to significantly improve cancer treatment outcomes by doing a better job of protecting healthy tissue while delivering higher doses of radiation to the tumor, all in a shorter period of time."

Yale-New Haven, together with Yale Cancer Center, the only nationally-designated comprehensive cancer center in southern New England, provides a complete range of services including the highest level of cancer diagnosis, treatment and research.

The hospital's new 14-story, 497,000 square-foot cancer hospital, expected to be completed in late 2009, will be one of the most comprehensive cancer care facilities in the nation.
source:New Haven Hospital considered one of the most versatile cancer treatment devices available in the field of radiation therapy.

The first unit of its kind in the greater New Haven area, the Trilogy accelerator is capable of providing image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), which allows for improved tumor localization and treatment precision through the use of an integrated CT scanner.

"The Trilogy is a major technological step forward in our ability to provide the latest in cutting edge treatment delivery for our patients in Connecticut and the surrounding region," according to Lynn D. Wilson, MD, MPH, vice chairman and clinical director of the Department of Therapeutic Radiology .

"Certain types of tumors shift in location from day-to-day. With the Trilogy accelerator, the CT scanner first takes an image of the tumor. The accelerator then rotates around the patient delivering radiation from nearly any angle so the treatment is directed at the precise location of the tumor," explained Nick Papale, director of radiation therapy. "This enhances the accuracy of the radiation treatment and minimizes radiation exposure to the nearby normal tissue."

The new Trilogy accelerator, one of three linear accelerators at Yale-New Haven, allows for the capability to treat patients with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). SRS delivers higher doses of radiation to smaller areas with extraordinary precision and is particularly useful in treating lesions of the spine, liver, lung, and brain.

In addition, this accelerator is capable of delivering 3D (three-dimensional) conformal radiotherapy, and intensity-modulated radiation (IMRT), techniques that provide more customized delivery of radiation; and respiratory gating (often referred to as 4D radiotherapy taking into account tumor motion over time), a feature that makes it possible to track the position of a tumor as a patient breathes during treatment delivery.

"Radiation therapy is used today in more than half of all cancer patients," explained Papale. "By using this Trilogy system, we have the potential to significantly improve cancer treatment outcomes by doing a better job of protecting healthy tissue while delivering higher doses of radiation to the tumor, all in a shorter period of time."

Yale-New Haven, together with Yale Cancer Center, the only nationally-designated comprehensive cancer center in southern New England, provides a complete range of services including the highest level of cancer diagnosis, treatment and research.

The hospital's new 14-story, 497,000 square-foot cancer hospital, expected to be completed in late 2009, will be one of the most comprehensive cancer care facilities in the nation.
www.emaxhealth.com

A profile of courage

When cancer survivor April Kimes fell due to a hard hit in a Greenville Christian basketball game in November 2004, little did she know that her life would never be the same again.


Kimes, now 16, describes how that late fall night went when she played the sport she loves the last time.

“My journey to St. Jude began way before I realized. I was very into basketball and was playing in a tournament at my school one night in November,” she recalled. “The game was going great, we were winning when in the fourth quarter I got knocked down and I landed on my lower back. I finished the game and my coach asked me if I was okay. I just shook it off and said, ‘Yes sir, I think I'll make it.'

“The pain quickly worsened and by the time I got ready to leave, I could barely get into the car.” Kimes continued. “Within the next week or two the pain was constant and I could barely walk. I finally told my parents that something was wrong and that I could not take the pain much longer.”

Following a local MRI and being assigned stretching exercises by a local physician, Kimes was referred to a Memphis pediatric neurologist and originally diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease, which her father Curtis has as well. She was prescribed three months of physical therapy back home.

“I started my physical therapy right away hoping that would do the trick and started getting me ready for the next season. He (the pediatric neurologist) wanted to see me at the end of my therapy for a check up.”


However while going through physical therapy, Kimes noticed a small, dime-size knot on her upper back near her shoulder blade and pointed it out to her therapist.

“She looked at it and knew it had to be just a knotted up muscle from lifting weights at therapy.

“So I blew it off. I did not really think much about it after that.”

Kimes ignored it until one day that she noticed the dime-sized knot had increased to about a quarter-size and her therapist suggested she bring the knot to the neurologist's attention in Memphis. Kimes did just that and the doctor ordered another MRI.

“About a month later I once again went back to Memphis and he (the physician) said it was a tumor, but was almost 100 percent sure that it was benign. He had no reason at all to believe anything else; I had experienced no symptoms whatsoever,” Kimes said.

The neurologist gave Kimes three different options; she could leave the knot as is, biopsy the lesion or remove it all together.


“I was all for leaving it there,” quipped Kimes. "But my mom strongly suggested it be removed. The reason I was so against having it removed is simply because I cannot stand needles, and not only were they going to stick me, they were going to cut me.”

Kimes started to come up with any reason she could think of not to have to procedure done.

“My summer was beginning and I had (basketball) camps to go to and trips to go on,” Kimes recalled. “My doctor chimed in and said, ‘O.K. April, we'll do it after you're finished with all your summer activities.'”

Kimes finally gave in and consented to surgery.

“I think I cried the entire way to the mall," said the now in incoming junior in high school.

Kimes went on with her summer before the procedure set for July 15, 2005. In June, she attended basketball camps in Indianola and at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. She also went to a church camp on the Gulf Coast. In July, Kimes, also a cheerleader, went to cheerleading camp before her surgery.

What was originally supposed to be an outpatient procedure turned into an overnight stay at LeBoneur Children's Hospital in Memphis for Kimes, due to her IV infiltrating.

“The morning after my surgery, my doctor was excited about me going home and about how well I did,” recalled Kimes. “All of that excitement went away when he walked into my room about 9:30 and said, ‘Well you all are ready to go home, but have a seat. I need to share some information I just received.'

“So I got back in my bed and Dr. Boop said, ‘The pathology report came back and the lesion from her back was not benign.' So I'm sitting there, not knowing what all these terms mean, and I look over at my daddy and he's crying. I was like O.K. so why are ya'll crying?

“Then it set in, I had cancer. I was overwhelmed with emotion and disbelief.”

Kimes was then referred to and registered with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by the following week.

Kimes form of cancer is known as Mesenchymal chondrosacoma, or as she says in simpler terms “cancer of the cartilage.”

Mesenchymal chondrosacoma is an extremely rare cancer and is found in one in three million patients and most commonly found in African-American males over the age of 50.

“This type of cancer is known to be very aggressive and grows rather quickly,” said Kimes. “Although my doctors were going by the rare research that has been documented over the years, they still weren't sure as to what was going to happen with my case.”

When Kimes arrived at St. Jude she was assigned an entire team of specialists just for her. Her team consisted of an oncologist, who is in charge of the group, a “Fellow,” an understudy to an oncologist, a radiation oncologist, several life specialists, who kept her occupied, a social worker, a chaplain and a complete surgery team, that removed her tumor bed on July 29, 2005.

“Wow, I felt pretty special to have a whole team studying me,” quipped Kimes.

While at St. Jude, Kimes and her family often stayed at the Grizzlies House, which is for patients who stay from one to seven days.

Kimes enjoyed her stay in the house, especially with her love of basketball.

“Every floor in the Grizzlies House is like a basketball floor,” said Kimes. “They even have a half court behind the building, the tables have basketballs on them and they have pictures of all the players. I think the neatest thing about it is the floors are hard-wood courts.”

The Grizzlies House is a charitable arm of the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. The franchise was recently rewarded the Steve Patterson Sports Philanthropy Award for all it's given back to the Memphis community. The organization donated $5 million to St. Jude for the construction of the Grizzlies House.

The Steve Patterson Award is given annually to a professional sports team who demonstrates excellence and leadership in community and national philanthropy.

Kimes said her illness has matured her.

“It makes you grow up fast, but sometimes I don't like it because I'm in high school and I want to be a teenage girl,” said Kimes. “I actually understand what life is and the real meaning of life.”

Kimes' parents also appreciate the members of their church, Emmanuel Baptist, for their assistance in helping bring Kimes to Memphis for her daily treatments during the process.

“To go back and forth every day, that's a lot of time off of work for her mother (Ellen) and I to take off our jobs, and 40 members from the church volunteered to help take her back and forth from Memphis on a daily basis and we actually used 19 of them,” Curtis Kimes, April's father, said.

Kimes attended school at GCS for three to four hours each day before having to travel to Memphis for a treatment that only took a matter of minutes. She then headed back to Greenville for homework and school work.

Because of her treatments and condition, Kimes cannot play basketball again and that has been extremely difficult for her.

“It's hard sitting on the sidelines, it really is sometimes,” said Kimes. “I sit there and know what to do and I want to get out there and do it and the year I had to set on the bench was especially hard."

Kimes is currently in remission and has not received an average in school of lower than a 92, which came during the times she was receiving the daily treatments.

Kimes is very appreciative of everyone at St. Jude for all they have done for her and other children.

“St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a place of hope and people who give donations keep that hope alive,” Kimes said. “I am blessed to be part of a generation who has the opportunity of a second chance. Thanks to St. Jude and people giving donations we have that second chance now. The rates for survival of childhood cancer has sky rocketed thanks to what St. Jude does and the fact that they do find cures and save children!”
source:www.ddtonline.com

Hormone Therapy Offers New Hope For Ovarian Cancer Patients

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have shown that hormone therapy can extend life in ovarian cancer patients, giving women a new alternative to chemotherapy.
The study, published in Clinical Cancer Research, has proved for the first time that the targeted use of an anti-estrogen drug could prolong the life of some patients by up to three years, and delay the use of chemotherapy in others.

Letrozole hormone therapy -- already used with great success in the treatment of breast tumours - attacks cancer by turning off its estrogen supply. But scientists now believe that in those ovarian cancers which are highly sensitive to estrogen, this blocking mechanism could slow the growth and spread of disease.

The study was funded by Cancer Research UK and involved 44 women with high estrogen receptor (ER) levels, whose cancer had relapsed after surgery and chemotherapy.

Scientists used a blood-borne tumour marker, CA-125, to track the progress of tumours during hormone treatment. They discovered that one quarter of the women showed no tumour growth after six months of anti-estrogen therapy, and 33 per cent of the group with the greatest ER values showed a positive response which delayed the use of chemotherapy.

John F. Smyth, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Edinburgh, led the research programme.

He said: "This is an important landmark in the research and treatment of ovarian cancer. Despite intense scientific research over the past 20 years, there have been few new leads in our understanding of how this disease operates. But this study suggests that the addition of hormone therapy to our treatment strategy could extend and improve the lives of women with cancer."

Ovarian cancer is the most commonly fatal of gynaecological cancers, affecting 1 in 48 women. Nearly 7,000 new cases are diagnosed in the UK each year.

Current treatment involves surgery and chemotherapy, but most ovarian cancers return within two years. Until now, further treatment options have been limited to a second course of chemotherapy, with serious implications for quality of life. It is hoped hormone treatment could offer life-extension with negligible side effects.

Dr Simon Langdon, senior lecturer in cancer research at the University of Edinburgh and the lead scientist behind this trial, said: "Ovarian cancer can be a devastating disease, so this new discovery is particularly exciting. We still have a lot to do, but this research has furthered our understanding of the hormone control of ovarian cancer, which could provide less grueling treatments for cancer patients. It presents new possibilities for tailor-made cancer therapy and demands further investigation."
source:www.blogger.com

Cancer on my mind

AS a doctor, I am interested in how the human mind works. As an oncologist, I am interested in the lure of alternative medicine. And so I have tried to understand why, in spite of all the scientific evidence at hand, there are many amongst us who do not want to undergo conventional cancer treatment – surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy – but instead risk being treated by unproven and potentially dangerous alternative therapies.

I am sure the lack of science education plays a role. Science is more than the description of plants and animals. It is more than technology and engineering. To understand science is to understand the principles, methodologies and philosophy of science.
But I feel there is more than just this particular deficiency in our educational system.

It may also be due to something called the confirmation bias. This is a well-studied phenomenon in cognitive science, which is the science of how the mind works. We notice the hits and ignore the misses in support of our favourite beliefs. Say we have a strong bias against chemotherapy (which may cause vomiting, hair loss, loss of appetite, etc). We tend to either ignore stories of chemotherapy curing cancer or conveniently forget them.

On the other hand, we will repeatedly tell the story of the patient who felt better after taking a herb and forget the times herbs did not work.

A local Malaysian flavour of the confirmation bias is called selective hearing impairment. Many wives tell how their husbands never hear reminders to visit their mothers-in-law, but will always remember to watch the important football matches of the English Premier League!

This brings us to the matter of evidence (“proof” if you prefer) in clinical practice. Firstly, the anecdote. An anecdote is a story of something happening to someone in a certain way at a certain time.

Another word for it in medicine is the case history. A cancer patient gets better after taking an herbal drink (“the more distasteful it is, the more potent it will be”) and we are impressed. We tell this story to many of our friends and soon this herbal drink becomes the cure for cancer (for the month at least!).

Ask any doctor. Or for that matter, ask any intelligent medical student. Anecdotal evidence is the weakest level of evidence. In short, it is never to be used at all to prescribe treatment. There are in fact four higher (“stronger” if you like) levels of evidence. The highest level and the one doctors rely on is the randomised clinical trial (R.C.T.).

We are all unique. What works in one person may not work in another. What works in a subset of patients with a certain disease may not work in another. The first step in a R.C.T. is to select the group of patients we want to test a certain treatment on.

I give an example. Early colorectal cancer is treated by surgery. The cancer has not (apparently) spread to other parts of the body, based on x-rays and other imaging examinations. But the cancer will recur in a significant proportion of patients.

We want to know if by adding a new drug, oxaliplatin, there will be fewer patients who suffer a recurrence.

We randomly assign over a thousand patients to the conventional two drugs treatment (5-FU And Leucovorin) and a thousand more to the new three drugs combination (oxaliplatin, 5-FU and Leucovorin).

We carry out very complicated statistical calculations on how these two groups of patients will fare in the coming years.

Finally we reach the conclusion that the three-drug combination cures more patients.

Thousands of clinical trials are done in a similar way to test hundreds of drugs in scores of clinical scenarios. This is all very laborious and expensive. But what choice do we have?

The answer is – none at all.

The R.C.T., however complicated and tortuous it may seem to many people, is the only way to prove a treatment works. Trials like these generate new treatment regimes that cure more and more cancer patients every year.

Our subjective biases are no substitute for objective research when it comes to treating cancer.

Note: Dr Albert Lim Kok Hooi is a consultant oncologist. For further information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
source:thestar.com.my

Teva buys rights to DeveloGen cancer therapy

Teva Pharmaceuticals (TASE, Nasdaq: TEVA) has acquired a worldwide exclusive license to a cancer treatment under development by DeveloGen Israel, according to a press release from the latter.

DeveloGen Israel is a wholly owned subsidiary of the German company DeveloGen.

The technology in question is based on an enzyme called protein kinase B (PKB). The license also gives Teva access to several pre-clinical compounds, which are slated for development in the area of cancer treatment, DeveloGen said on Tuesday.

DeveloGen will receive royalties from commercialized products derived from its PKB technology, it said, adding that Teva could face additional payments depending on milestones.

"With Teva, we have found a strong partner for this highly innovative program," stated Carsten Dehning, chief financial officer of DeveloGen.
source:www.haaretz.com

A Novel Approach To Cancer Therapy

Cancer sometimes involves processes that should only occur in the embryo being mistakenly reactivated in adult cells. Researchers at the Postgraduate Medical School at the University of Surrey have exploited this to develop a novel therapeutic strategy. This has led to the development of a new drug, HXR9 that blocks the activity of a group of genes known as the HOX family.
The project leader, Dr Richard Morgan, explains ‘HOX genes are important in determining the identity of cells and tissues in the early embryo, but they are also expressed by cancer cells. HXR9 blocks HOX activity thereby killing cancer cells in a highly specific manner’. HXR9 shows particular promise in treating malignant melanoma together with lung, prostate and kidney cancer.

Work on HXR9 was started by Dr Morgan whilst he was a senior lecturer at St. George’s, University of London, and the University of Surrey has recently agreed a licensing deal to allow Dr Morgan to continue with the work at the PGMS.

Further work by the PGMS group has shown that embryonic genes expressed in cancer cells could also be important diagnostic markers. A number of embryonic proteins are secreted by prostate tumours and can be detected in blood serum, thereby providing a potential method for detecting prostate cancer and ultimately even assessing the extent of the disease without an invasive procedure. These findings have now been patented by the University of Surrey. The results appear in 'Cancer Research’ Journal.
source:www.sciencedaily.com

State agriculture director Peterson dies of cancer at age 52

Nancy K. Peterson, a Havre-area farmer and director of the state Agriculture Department, died early Saturday in Great Falls hospice care after a battle with melanoma cancer. She was 52.

Peterson was diagnosed with a recurrence of the skin cancer early last fall but underwent treatment and was improving dramatically when it spread to her brain and spinal cord in recent weeks, said Sarah Elliott, spokeswoman for Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

"She will be deeply missed," Schweitzer said. "Nancy has been a close personal friend, a wonderful boss and director and strong supporter of family agriculture in Montana. Nancy's energy and zest for life were contagious. She worked hard and always had a smile on her face. Her family is in our thoughts and prayers."

Born in Havre and raised south of Gildford, Peterson carried on her family's tradition in agriculture by operating a 2,600-acre farm north of Havre for more than 30 years. She also independently operated a private grain laboratory in Havre for two years and worked as a relief agent for Amtrak in Havre, Shelby and Wolf Point.
She succeeded Ralph Peck, who ran the Agriculture Department for nine years, when Schweitzer took office in 2004. She had known the governor for years, serving as a fellow farmer with him on a Farm Service Agency state committee during the Clinton administration.

Peterson was hospitalized in August 2006 with a blood clot in her lungs but returned to work shortly and was still working in recent weeks despite the recurring cancer and its eventual spread.

Deputy director Joel Clairmont will serve as acting director until Schweitzer names a permanent replacement, Elliott said.

Clairmont, who came on in 2004 with Peterson, described her as a strong-willed person with a passion for the agriculture industry and its people.

"She's always been a personal friend to many people," he said. "I don't see her as a director but as a friend and a boss."

Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Big Sandy farmer, called Peterson a "close friend, a great neighbor and a Montanan to the core."

"Her commitment and dedication to agriculture - through science, stewardship and hard work - changed Montana's family farms and ranches forever," he said. "She will be always be remembered, here on the Hi-Line and across the Big Sky."

A graduate of KG High School in Gildford, Peterson received certification in integrated pest management and farm applicator special use and was actively involved with the Montana Grain Grower's Association, Montana Farmer's Union and the Montana Certified Seed Association. She also served on an advisory council charged with writing country-of-origin labeling rules and the Montana Agriculture Development Council, Wheat and Barley Committee, Alfalfa Seed Committee, Mint Committee, Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council, Organic Commodity Advisory Committee and Montana Board of Hail Insurance.

Funeral services were tentatively planned for Wednesday in Havre.

Peterson is survived by her mother; two sons, Kody and Kyle; and three grandchildren.

Cards can be sent to: The Peterson Family, P.O. Box 687, Havre, MT, 59501. Donations can be made to a charity of the donor's choice or to the Sletten Regional Cancer Center at Benefis Healthcare in Great Falls or Benefis Healthcare Foundation's Gift of Life Housing Center in Great Falls.
source:illingsgazette.net

Moles May Signal Skin Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1 million Americans will get some form of skin cancer this year, and in many of those cases, moles may serve as early warning signs.

Ohio State University doctor said many skin cancer patients get into trouble because the moles appear on the neck, back and scalp, where they go unnoticed.

"You should really be looking everywhere. If you have a significant other, have that person check you from top to bottom, front to back," said Dr. Maria Riza-Conroy of the Ohio State University Medical Center.

If you do find a suspicious mole, Riza-Conroy said keep five letters in mind -- A, B, C, D and E.

# A stands for asymmetry. Moles that tend to be malignant are irregular in shape, and those that are benign are rounded, Riza-Conroy said.
# B stands for border. If the mole has a rough edge, get it checked.
# C is color. Moles with more than one color could spell trouble.
# D stands for diameter. Moles larger than a pencil eraser should be checked.
# E stands for evolution. "Evolution means there’s a change in the shape, size or color. Or sometimes there are symptoms like bleeding,” said Riza-Conroy.

She said time is of the essence -- the longer you wait to get a suspicious mole checked, the more likely it is to develop into something more serious.
source:www.wftv.com

Moles May Signal Skin Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1 million Americans will get some form of skin cancer this year, and in many of those cases, moles may serve as early warning signs.

Ohio State University doctor said many skin cancer patients get into trouble because the moles appear on the neck, back and scalp, where they go unnoticed.

"You should really be looking everywhere. If you have a significant other, have that person check you from top to bottom, front to back," said Dr. Maria Riza-Conroy of the Ohio State University Medical Center.

If you do find a suspicious mole, Riza-Conroy said keep five letters in mind -- A, B, C, D and E.

# A stands for asymmetry. Moles that tend to be malignant are irregular in shape, and those that are benign are rounded, Riza-Conroy said.
# B stands for border. If the mole has a rough edge, get it checked.
# C is color. Moles with more than one color could spell trouble.
# D stands for diameter. Moles larger than a pencil eraser should be checked.
# E stands for evolution. "Evolution means there’s a change in the shape, size or color. Or sometimes there are symptoms like bleeding,” said Riza-Conroy.

She said time is of the essence -- the longer you wait to get a suspicious mole checked, the more likely it is to develop into something more serious.
source:www.kptv.com

Skin cancerSkin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer and melanoma is its deadliest form. "In 2007, over 100,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed, with over half of them being invasive [beyond the top layer of the skin]," says Dr. Jennifer Cooper, a dermatologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center. "Over 8,000 people are expected to die from melanoma this year. So educating people [about] what to look for and when to see their doctor is critical so that skin cancer can be detected in early stages."
What should everyone know about skin cancer?

Advertisement
Over 1 million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year. The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Both basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin have an excellent prognosis ... if detected and treated early. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer.

What's the biggest mistake people make with their skin in summer?

They use sunscreen but don't use enough and forget to reapply. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied at least every two hours. They also forget sunscreen should be used in conjunction with other sun protective measures such as broad-brimmed hats, protective clothing and umbrellas. ... I prefer to recommend at least SPF 30 since people tend not to apply sufficient amounts to their skin. It takes one full ounce (the amount to fill up a shot glass) of sunscreen to sufficiently cover skin if a person is wearing a bathing suit. ... If a bottle is lasting all summer, you are not using nearly enough.

What's a misconception about skin cancer?

That it only happens to older individuals. There are studies suggesting that there is increasing incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer in younger individuals, especially in women. There is also the misconception that only sunburns contribute to skin cancer and that a tan is protective. Both a tan and a sunburn are a response to injury of the skin by ultraviolet radiation. ... There is really no safe way to tan using ultraviolet light.

What's the most important method of prevention?

Sun protection is the one intervention we all can make. We can't change whether we are fair-skinned or have light hair and eyes. [But we can be] applying sunscreen 30 minutes before going out, ... seeking shade under umbrellas or trees, ... avoiding the sun at its peak hours between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tanning booths are just as dangerous as natural sunlight and should never be used. For people who insist that they have to have a tan, I suggest using a self-tanner, with the caveat that the color they get is not protective.

To what degree do people with dark skin need to worry about skin cancer?

Individuals with dark skin types are less likely to develop skin cancer than more fair individuals. However, it does happen. Melanoma in blacks and Hispanics is more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage than in whites. Since skin cancer does happen in all colors of skin, it is advisable to employ the same sun protective measures.

What should people look for and when should they see a doctor?

People should examine their skin monthly and become familiar with their moles. Both basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer can look like a sore or pimple or scaly spot that just does not seem to heal. They may bleed easily. Melanoma can arise in a mole that a person already has or arise on normal skin. When looking at your moles, you want to follow the ABCDE rule, which can help with warning signs for melanoma.
source:www.baltimoresun.com

The American Academy Of Dermatology Warns That Skin Cancer Is Leaving Its Mark On Athletes

More and more professional athletes are realizing how the dangerous effects from the sun can disrupt their game. From baseball to hockey, running to skiing, skin cancer is leaving its mark on athletes in a range of sports. To spread awareness and help strike out skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the United States, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) is urging athletes to Be Sun Smart(SM).

"Thousands of athletes, both professional and amateur, are at high risk for developing skin cancer," warned dermatologist Brian B. Adams, MD, MPH, FAAD, and chairperson of the AAD's Sports Committee. "Outdoor athletes face double jeopardy because perspiring exacerbates their risk."

Perspiration on the skin lowers the minimal erythema dose, the lowest ultraviolet (UV) light exposure needed to turn the skin barely pink. "You've already set yourself up for trouble if you are not using sunscreen when outdoors participating in sports," commented Dr. Adams. "When you perspire, you are even more susceptible to a burn, and with continued exposure, to wrinkles, age spots and maybe even skin cancer."

Skin cancer has left its mark on runner Deena Kastor, one of America's top distance runners and an Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon. "I have 25 external stitches for basal cell carcinoma and early stages of melanoma," said Kastor. "I also have six internal stitches to tie off blood vessels the doctor cut through because the cancer runs deep."

Kastor encourages the public to take the necessary steps to prevent skin cancer. "I can only emphasize that it is never one thing that causes skin cancer," said Kastor. "Maintaining healthy skin is a combination of using sunscreen, wearing clothing and hats that cover you in the sun, limiting exposure to the midday sun, eating foods high in anti-oxidants and visiting the dermatologist regularly."

The AAD recommends seeking shade from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which according to Dr. Adams is, "exactly the time when most teams are outside practicing, from soccer players to long-distance runners to tennis players. These athletes are getting an enormous amount of exposure to UV light and it's important that they follow some sun-safety precautions, including wearing sunscreen and protective clothes."

Skin cancer also occurs in athletes who do not compete in the sun. During training-camp physicals in 2002, National Hockey League player Mark Cullen's health took a negative turn. His doctor detected a suspicious mole under his arm and it was discovered to be melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.

"It was a shock," Cullen said. "Anytime you hear the word 'cancer', especially feeling that I was a young, healthy person, I was shocked. It was a scary time in my life and while I'm glad to have gone through it, I'm glad to be healthy right now."

It took three separate surgeries to remove Cullen's growth, surrounding lymph nodes, and some skin. Luckily, Cullen did not have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation, as he initially believed. Almost three years later and with regular six-month checkups, Cullen is cancer-free.

"The skin cancer diagnosis helped me prioritize my life in general," Cullen said, "and made me realize what was important to me -- to take a step back and look at your life and where you're headed right now because you never know how long you're going to get."

More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year and one American dies of melanoma almost every hour (every 65 minutes). Of these cases, more than 108,000 are melanoma, a cancer that claims nearly 8,000 lives annually.
source:www.medicalnewstoday.com

Deadliest form of skin cancer rising in younger population

While the bulk of skin cancer affects fair-skinned, middle-aged men, the types of cancer they experience are often easily treatable and rarely fatal.

On the other hand, the deadliest form of skin cancer is increasingly affecting a younger population - most likely for vanity reasons, experts say.

Melanoma, the deadliest of the three most common skin cancers, is rising at epidemic proportions in people aged 20 to 30, and is the primary cause of cancer death in women aged 25 to 30, the Melanoma Research Foundation reports.

"It's definitely up there in deaths for the younger generation," said Dr. Susan Schaberg, a dermatologist with Schaberg Dermatology in Edwardsville. "Melanoma is now associated with someone who goes out there and burns, whether in (tanning) beds or on weekend trips (to the lake)."

The American Cancer Society reports that melanoma is one of the more common cancers in adolescents and young adults, with about 12 percent of all cancers cases being melanoma in patients between 15 and 20 years of age, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Nearly 90 percent of all melanoma cases are due to UVA and UVB exposure, which can come from sunlight or tanning beds, the research foundation reported.

A common misconception among youth is that being tan equals being attractive. The reality is a tan is visible proof that skin cells have been damaged, Schaberg said.

A 2006 study conducted by Discover Magazine found that nearly one fourth of teens surveyed regularly use tanning beds, and about 50 percent of the teen girls said they've used tanning beds at least once.

"Tanning beds are just bad news," Schaberg said. "They're very unregulated and highly unpredictable. You have no idea how much exposure you're getting from the bulbs, and you don't know how burned you are until later."

Christy Swigonski, a mother of three who has endured the least serious form of skin cancer, insists her teenaged daughters use sunscreen and forbids them from using tanning beds.

"I'm paranoid - not to the extent that they're not allowed out (in the sun), but I stress (sunscreen use) every year," she said.

Many adolescents and young adults think it's better to burn than to be white, she said, but they're not thinking of the long-term effects.

A better idea would be to use fake-tanning lotions or bronzers, Schaberg said, which provide that yearned-for summer glow without damaging the skin and risking cancer.
source: