Noxious Skin Cancer Type:

An important warning for us all with regard to skin cancer types. Today more patients than ever survive dangerous melanoma than in past generations, but the rate of death for one form of this disease haven’t budged in 30 years.

Nodular melanoma accounts skin cancer for 14% of melanomas that are diagnosed, but makes up a startling 37% of untimely deaths from the disease according to a recent study.

The reason this form of cancer contributes to so many deaths is that it doesn't always look like what we expect to see. It can appear without warning on the surface of the skin and can be hard to spot because it's often light or nearly colorless, and doesn't adhere to the ABCD characteristics we've all been taught to look for.

Just like the more well known radial melanoma, nodular melanomas start out in skin cells that are called melanocytes that product melanin. Most melanomas stay in the skin's top layer, going down no more than one tenth of a millimeter. Radial melanomas are easier to see as the diameter goes up.

For nodular melanoma the cancerous cells reach a point where they start to grow vertically, sending roots into the fat and other tissues of the body. The depth of the cancer determines how likely you are to survive. For a cancerous growth that goes 3.5 to 4 millimeters deep, only 60% of patients will live for five years.

This latest study examined over 100,000 cases of melanoma diagnosed between the years 1978 and 2007.

They saw that at least 20% of nodular melanomas were fatal. You should understand that there's an acknowledged limitation of the work - not all physicians report the type of melanoma and the team was unable to double check the reports during the study.

While public health officials and others have done a great job of getting the word out about ABCD characteristics when it comes to identifying skin cancer, experts now believe other letters should be added to the mix to help identify the nodular types of these cancers. We've been taught to watch for any of these...

- Asymmetry, one side doesn't match the other

- Borders, where moles have irregular edges

- Color, color changes or a variety of colors

- Diameter, anything over 6 millimeters wide

But we should also be watching our skin surface for E, F and G as well. Any mole or other growth that has all of these characteristics should be checked by a dermatologist at once. They are...

- Evolving, where the mole or nodule is changing quickly over a short period of time

- Firm to the touch

- Growing for more than two to three weeks

Also good to know, nodular melanoma can happen in a mole, but are more likely to develop without warning on normal skin

In most cases the various skin cancer types, including melanomas are easy to detect, treat and cure. Dermatologists suggest that you get to know your own skin by doing full body self-exams once each month. If you're worried about something you see... get to the doctor right away. Often patients realize something is wrong. Don't give up if the first physician you see doesn't respond as you like... keep looking until you find one who will take action.

Resolution Of Vitamin A

 Resolution of Vitamin A in Dropping Melanoma Hazard:

Promising findings on reducing melanoma risk have come from a new study that has found that one of the benefits of vitamin a supplements might be to offer protection against disfiguring, dangerous and sometimes deadly melanoma. Despite this, researchers are not suggesting you start taking vitamin A supplements, as this nutrient can be dangerous in high doses.

Vitamin A is found naturally in foods like carrots, eggs, milk, liver, spinach and sweet potatoes and plays a key role in our vision, bone health, reproduction, cell division and differentiation as well as helping to manage the immune system.

It's also known to help the skin cancer and mucous membranes stay strong and keep out both bacteria and viruses. Surveys have found that most Americans get enough vitamin A in the diet, and deficiencies in this country are rare.

The researchers looking for a link between vitamin A and melanoma examined melanoma risk for 69,635 subjects who were 62 years old on average. After a period of six years, 566 had been diagnosed with melanoma.

For the 59,000 subjects who had never taken vitamin A supplements there were 506 melanomas, but for the 5,800 who were taking supplements and had used them regularly over the past decade, there were just 28 cases.

In fact, those who got additional vitamin A through supplements had almost a 40% less chance to be diagnosed with melanoma as those who didn't take such supplements.

The strange thing is, it was only the supplements that lowered the risk, not getting the nutrient from foods.

The reduced risk was more significant in women compared to men, and the protection was greatest in parts of the body that have frequent exposure to the rays of the sun. Women may benefit more than men because they are more susceptible to skin damage from UV radiation than men are.

The researchers are emphatic that the reduction in melanoma was associated with the supplements not the nutrient obtained from the diet. They know this because the protective benefits were only seen in those who were taking on board more vitamin A than can be found in commercially available multivitamin formulas.

And it was only the vitamin A, not arytenoids that brought the lower risk of melanoma. A carotenoid is a precursor (converted by the body as needed) to vitamin A - beta-carotene or lycopene may be names you know.

Other experts, not involved in the work, aren't surprised that vitamin A offers some protection against melanoma. The thing is, experts are quick to warn that the findings are preliminary and that excessive amounts vitamin A is a dangerous thing; it can bring serious risks such as birth defects, lower bone mineral density or liver toxicity, as well as troublesome symptoms like dry skin or hair loss.

The National Institutes of Health recommends a daily intake of 700 micrograms of vitamin A for women and 900 micrograms for men. Taking over 2,800 micrograms can lead to toxic symptoms.

Researchers speculate that supplements of this nutrient might have a place in high risk patients such as those who are fair skinned, have a history of sunburn or a lot of moles on their skin. For the rest of us, if you're concerned about skin cancer, be smart about the sun and supplement with a multivitamin that has the benefits of vitamin A as one of many nutrients. These people should also avoid the sun, use sun protection consistently and have an annual skin exam by a dermatologist.

If You Have Had Too Much Sun

If you’ve had Too Much Sun:

Getting out in the sunlight has many benefits; including getting Vitamin D and giving your skin some color. Unfortunately, there is such a thing as getting too much sun which can cause a variety of issues for your health and for your skin. Here are some warning signs that you have been in the sun too long and what you should do about it.

Sunburns

When you spend too much time in the sun without wearing sunscreen, you are inevitably going to get sunburn. Sunburns skin cancer may seem like a minor inconvenience, but they can also be a warning sign of sun poisoning. Sun poisoning can be more severe in that it can cause small blisters on your skin which can get infected. You may also experience headaches, fever, nausea and dizziness as a result.

In most cases, sun poisoning can be a minor problem. However, it can easily get out of hand and require professional medical attention. If the burns are very painful, or if you start vomiting, you should go to an emergency room right away. A high fever of at least 104 degrees is also cause for getting medical attention immediately. At the hospital, you will probably receive fluids through an IV to help rehydrate you along with an external cream for reducing the inflammation on your skin.

Preventing Sun Damage

In order to prevent sun damage from being outside, there are several precautions you can take. For instance, always wear sunscreen if you are going to be outside for more than a few minutes. Doctors recommend that you use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more for ideal protection. You should also avoid taking certain medications when you are going to spend some time in the sun, especially if you are doing some strenuous activities. If you aren't sure if you are on those types of prescription medications, contact your physician or pharmacist to find out. Similarly, you should also be careful if you are on oral contraceptives, St. John's Worth, antidepressants and acne medications as these often have ingredients that make you more sensitive to potential sun damage.

If you enjoy spending time in the sun, it's important to do it the right way. Too much sun can cause a variety of problems despite its benefits of helping your skin look younger, providing Vitamin D, and making your feel more energetic. Make sure you are cautious and have the proper protection to prevent major sun damage to your body.

Sunscreen Check Does Malignant Melanoma

The short answer is not necessarily. Two reasons why:

1. People slather it on and then bake in the sun twice as long they should.

2. Some sunscreens are not broad-spectrum. In other words they protect against UVB rays but not UVA rays, which may also cause skin cancer - including malignant melanoma, which can be deadly.

Last year the FDA issued new sunscreen guidelines for manufacturers.

• In order to claim that a sunscreen protects against skin cancer, it must be at least SPF-15 and must protect against UVB and UVA. If the claim can't be made, a warning must be added to the label: "This product has not been shown to prevent skin cancer or premature skin aging."

• No sunscreen is really waterproof so only the term water-resistant can be used and only if studies prove that the product retains its value after being exposed to water.

• The term sun block can no longer be used, because no sunscreen can completely block the sun.

Even if you choose the right kind of sunscreen, you also have to use common sense. Here are some recommendations from the American Board of Family Medicine:

How to use sunscreen

• Don't put on sunscreen and then stay in the sun so long you get sunburn.
• If your skin starts to get red or feel uncomfortable, don't just reapply sunscreen, cover up or get in the shade.
• Wear protective clothing, a hat, and sunglasses along with sunscreen.

The goal isn't to avoid getting any sun exposure at all - in fact sunlight is an important source of Vitamin D. The recommendation is that we get from five to 30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 am and 3 pm at least twice a week to our face, arms, or back. What you want to avoid is sunburn because sunburns increase your risk of developing malignant melanoma.

Did you know malignant melanoma is now the most common skin cancer among people 25 to 29 years old? The Mayo Clinic just published research that showed the incidence of malignant melanoma has increased more than six fold in the past 40 years. Multiple studies have shown a strong connection between sunburns during childhood and adolescence and malignant melanoma.

Dr. Frederick Aronson, a cancer specialist at Maine Center for Cancer Medicine in Scarborough, Maine says, "Most of the ultraviolet radiation that causes melanoma is delivered to the individual at risk before age 20. There are migration studies that show if you grow up in a high sun region and move to a lower sun region in your 20s, your melanoma risk is as if you lived in the high sun region all your life and vice versa. If you live in a low sun region and move to a high sun region in your 20s your melanoma risk remains relatively low."

The National Cancer Institute lists a number of melanoma risk factors we should be aware of:

Malignant melanoma risk factors related to sunlight

• Fair-skinned with blue or green eyes, or red or blond hair
• Live in a sunny climate or at a high altitude
• High exposure to strong sunlight
• Have had one or more blistering sunburns during childhood
• Use tanning beds

Non-sunlight related risk factors

• Close relatives with a history of melanoma
• Come in contact with cancer-causing chemicals such as arsenic, coal tar, and creosote
• Certain types of moles (atypical dysplastic) or multiple birthmarks
• Weakened immune system due to disease or medication

Mike Cushman was diagnosed with advanced malignant melanoma in 2010. He has a story to share about the importance of catching it early. "I had a suspicious mole on the back of my head under my hair," he recently described to me. "My daughter spotted it and suggested my doctor check it out. The biopsy came back benign. Late July I felt a lump in that same area. In early August it was removed for biopsy and came back malignant melanoma. I cannot trace the melanoma to my family. I seem to be the only one. As a child growing up in the 50s and 60s I probably had my share of sunburns."

Surgery is the most effective treatment for malignant melanoma. Depending on a variety of factors, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy are also used to treat melanoma. Each comes with some serious side effects. Several promising new treatments are now being studied in clinical trials, including a targeted therapy that has offered a great deal of hope to Mike. The treatment targets a mutated gene found in about half the people diagnosed with metastatic malignant melanoma.

"I am on a GlaxoSmithKline Phase 1 Clinical Trial BRF113220. It is a combination of a Brave and MEK protein inhibitor. It is a targeted therapy. I have a Brave mutation in the cancer cells, which allowed me to be a candidate for a trial. I am doing very well. I have been on this treatment for 15 months. My CT-Scans continue to show stable tumor size and no new tumors. That is always good news."

Dr. Aronson says targeted therapies are hopefully, "the future of cancer treatment in the universe, where we don't rely on the immune system to fight the cancer, but we identify a mutation in the cancer cell that is driving the cancer cell to proliferate and survive and cause trouble in your body. We specifically design in the laboratory a small molecule that can target that particular mutant process and cripple it. Because it's specific to the tumor cell the side effects from the treatment are much less."

The new approach to treating cancer holds a great deal of promise, but the real keys to treating malignant melanoma are preventing it in the first place and learning how to identify it as early as possible. The first signs are often changes in an existing mole, but it can also show up as a new mole.

Signs of melanoma in a mole

• Asymmetrical shape - one half doesn't match the other
• Borders are irregular - ragged or blurry edges or pigment that spreads into surrounding skin
• Color is not even - usually shades of brown, black, and tan, but sometimes whitish gray, red, pink or blue
• Diameter - usually bigger than a pea, but can start tiny and get bigger
• Evolving appearance - a change that happens in just weeks or months.

Mike says at his age he chooses not to dwell on sunburns he got when he was younger. "I cannot go back and undo the past. What I would have done differently is talk to my doctor about follow up care with a dermatologist. I am very thankful that my daughter brought to my attention the suspicious mole on the back of my head. My two daughters now have a family history of melanoma and they see a dermatologist at regular intervals. Believe me, I ask them if they have been going to their appointments."

If you've been meaning to get screened for any suspicious moles or are worried about one in particular, Mike recommends that you make an appointment right now to have it checked out. And if you're told that it's nothing, but you're not convinced, get a second opinion.

3 Easy Ways By Skin Cancer

Skin Cancer - 3 Easy Ways:

Skin cancer is the most common type of human cancer, with an estimated 1 million new cases diagnosed yearly. There are three types:

• Basal cell carcinoma- Over 90% of all skin cancer cases in the U.S. BCC almost never metastasizes.
• Squamish cell carcinoma- About ¼ as common as BCC, more common in men than women. SCC can form in any squalors cells (skin, lining of hollow organs, passages of respiratory and digestive systems), and may metastasize.

These two are commonly called "non-melanoma". They are less dangerous, but should still be treated as soon as detected.

• Melanoma- This is the most deadly form of skin neoplasia (cancer). It does metastasize, sometimes quickly. It develops in melanocytes (pigment cells). Melanoma kills about 50,000 people per year in the United States.

Early detection is crucial. This type of cancer generally has an advantage over some other cancers, in that the early signs are usually visible on your skin. Here is a simple guide for how to spot skin cancer:

1. Asymmetry & Border irregularity- benign moles and blemishes are symmetrical (same across the surface) and have regular, smooth borders. Whereas, skin neoplasia will have a different appearance in half of the blemish. It will also have notched or uneven edges.
2. Color- A benign mole or blemish may range in color from pink to dark brown, but it is a solid color. Cancerous blemishes will have several colors and irregular patterns, or they will appear a different color than any other moles on your body.
3. Diameter- Benign moles are frequently less than ¼ inch, or about the size of a pencil eraser. If the blemish is larger than that, it is very likely some form of skin cancer.

You need to regularly examine your skin all over your body, but especially areas that may be exposed to sun. Most non-melanoma cancers are the result of intermittent sun exposure, rather than consistent. Also, tanning booth use commonly results in BCC, and sometimes melanoma.

Although BCC and SCC are generally non-fatal, if they metastasize, they become unmanageable and can damage other body parts to the point of failure. Do not underestimate the dangers of this type of cancer.

• Skin tears and ruptures due to untreated skin cancers can become dangerously infected.
• When cancer metastasizes, it spreads to other systems of the body. Melanoma can quickly spread to the lymph nodes.
• SCC can cause rupture of linings of internal organs.
• The immune system is weakened.
• Tumors may block circulation, causing necrosis.

Approximately ½ of all Americans who reach age 65 develop some form of skin cancer at least once. Regular self-examination and reporting any irregularities to your doctor immediately can mean the difference between early detection with simple treatment, and possible metastasized tumors that require more involved treatment. You are the first step. Know how to spot skin cancer. Detection is the first step in curing. Take the risks seriously, and take steps to protect yourself from the dangers of skin cancer.