CDC: Incidence Of Melanoma Has Doubled In The US In The Last 30 Years

Tag Archives: Melanoma

Los Angeles Times Reports

The Los Angeles Times (6/3, Kaplan) “Science Now” blog reports that “the incidence of melanoma…has doubled in the U.S. in the last 30 years and is on track to remain high unless Americans take more precautions to protect themselves from ultraviolet radiation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said” yesterday. The “Vital Signs study” was “published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.” The blog adds that while “Melanomas account for only 2% of skin cancers…they are the deadliest kind, according to the National Cancer Institute.”

CBS News Reports

On its website, CBS News (6/3, Cohen) reports that in a statement, Dr. Lisa Richardson, the director of the CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, said, “The rate of people getting melanoma continues to increase every year compared to the rates of most other cancers, which are declining.” Dr. Richardson added, “If we take action now, we can prevent hundreds of thousands of new cases of skin cancers, including melanoma, and save billions of dollars in medical costs.”

HealthDay Reports

Melanoma Rates Up Among US Children, Young Adults. HealthDay (6/3, Dallas) reports that research indicates that “melanoma…has increased by 250 percent among U.S. children and young adults since the 1970s.” The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting.

Watch the video:

WDAF-TV Kansas City, MO (4/21, McKean) reports on efforts by Makenzie Martin to convince youngsters to make smart decisions to avoid skin cancer. Martin, now 19, was diagnosed with melanoma during a regular physical when she was 15. Following multiple surgeries, the disease is under control and she works to improve awareness and research through her Melanoma Miracles Foundation.

Almost every day, more evidence is found that indoor tanning is a serious health concern. Indoor tanning has been linked to melanoma and other forms of skin cancer at alarming rates. Health experts have recommended to the FDA an indoor tanning ban for minors, and several states have already enacted restrictions for use of tanning beds.

Additionally, a recent study published by the U.S. House of Representatives have found that tanning salon companies are often dishonest to their clients about the long-term health risks of using tanning beds. Almost 90% of the companies involved in the studies told “secret shoppers” that there were no health risks associated with indoor tanning.

The results are particularly frightening in light of recent research that indicates that only four sessions in a tanning bed can increase one’s risk of developing cancer by 15%. Tanning beds expose the skin to UVA rays that are up to 15 times more intense than the sun’s.

Skin damage brought on by tanning, whether indoors or outdoors, can have significant consequences that go beyond wrinkles. Dr. Zimmet recommends using sunscreen any time you’ll be exposed to harmful UV rays and avoiding indoor tanning altogether. If you have damaged skin, spots with irregular pigmentation, or abnormal moles, contact Zimmet Vein & Dermatology today.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. It’s very likely that you or someone in your family will develop skin cancer as one in five Americans will get this in the course of their life. Some forms can be life threatening. But if skin cancer is spotted early on it can often be cured before it spreads to other parts of the body.

There are three main types: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. BCC and SCC are the most common forms, and rarely spread.

Melanoma develops from melanocytes, the cells that produce the skin pigment that determines our skin color. Even though it accounts for less than 5 percent of skin cancers, melanoma is the cause of most skin cancer deaths.

ABCDE Method

It is valuable to know the difference between melanoma and harmless moles. Most moles are fine unless they change in size, shape or color. When looking at a mole or skin pigment spots, most doctors recommend the ABCDE method to help determine if it’s melanoma.

A is for Asymmetry

Make sure if the mole was cut in half it would be a mirror image.

B is for Border

If there is an irregular or undefined border it could be a risk.

C is for Coloration

It should not vary in shade, but be a solid color—different shades of brown, blue, red, white and black is a warning sign.

D is for Diameter

The mole or pigment spot should be smaller than the size of a pencil’s eraser. Melanoma is typically greater than a quarter inch across, but it can be smaller.

E is for Evolution

If the mole or spot changes in size, shape or color over time then a doctor should be contacted.

Causes of Skin Cancer

The main cause of skin cancer is over-exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. It develops mainly on areas of sun-exposed skin: most often on the face, chest, neck, arms as well as women’s lower legs and men’s backs. But it can also form in surprising areas— palms, beneath fingernails, spaces between toes, under toenails and genital areas.

Other risk factors include a fair complexion, history of sunburns as a child, multiple moles, atypical moles and a family history of skin cancer. Older adults are at a higher risk of developing basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. Melanoma is the most common cancer for 20-29 year-olds.

Melanoma, the fastest-growing cancer in the United States, affects over 68,000 Americans. In 2010 alone, almost 9000 Americans died from melanoma. Though it is easily treatable when detected early, after melanoma spreads, survival rates drop drastically. Fortunately, the FDA recently approved a new drug to target-treat metastatic melanoma cells. The medication is a huge step forward in oncology and could significantly improve metastatic melanoma survival rates.

Approval for the new drug, Zelboraf, was based on a clinical study involving about 700 patients with late-stage melanoma. In the study, 77% of the patients survived after 8 months, compared to 64% of patients who underwent standard chemotherapy. Furthermore, Zelboraf’s side effects appear to be less harsh than chemotherapy’s, because Zelboraf specifically targets and genes that are unique to skin cancer tumors. Zelboraf is approved for inoperable or late-stage melanoma that tests positive for BRAF gene mutation.

The FDA’s approval of Zelboraf and the study’s results are encouraging indicators that the drug can both extend the lifespan and improve the quality of life of individuals with late-stage melanoma. However, prevention remains the most important tactic to fend off against skin cancer. Avoid sun damage and especially sun burns by wearing sunscreen and protective clothing while outdoors, and by limiting your total outdoor exposure. Also, try to do your outdoor activities before 10 AM and after 4 PM. Be sure to have regular check-ups with your dermatologist regarding any sun damage or irregular moles.

We’ve written before about the importance of protecting yourself from skin damage. Wearing sunscreen, choosing UV-protecting clothing, and staying out of the sun during peak hours will keep your skin as healthy as possible. Likewise, keeping track of moles–particularly those that are asymmetrical, multi-colored, and evolving–is a great technique to help prevent late melanoma diagnoses.

However, just because you do regular mole self-examinations doesn’t mean you should stop seeing your dermatologist. A study recently released by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center indicates that physicians are more likely to find malignant moles that patients overlook, and find them earlier, which means the patient has a better chance of survival. The study shows that physician-found melanomas were up to 40% thinner than their patient-found counterparts, owing largely to the fact that dermatologists are trained to recognize smaller changes and abnormalities.

Of course, the study’s results should not discourage patients from performing regular, detailed self-examinations. Rather, patients should prioritize regular visits to the dermatologists and use self-exams to identify any moles that look abnormal. If you do find a mole that looks irregular, contact your dermatologist immediately: early diagnosis and treatment prevent skin cancer from becoming invasive.

Photo Source: Free Image Works

During the summer, most people are acutely aware of sun damage. Long days outside without sunscreen may result in sunburns, new wrinkles, and possibly even skin cancer. If your next appointment with your dermatologist is months away but you’re concerned about possibly abnormal moles, check out the new Skin Scan app for iPhones.

Skin Scan is a $4.99 app that “scans” moles and lesions to detect if they are low-risk, medium-risk, or high-risk. The app uses an algorithm to examine the skin surrounding the mole and the mole itself to determine if the mole is an abnormal shape, size, or color. You can also track moles with the app; a mole that changes size, shape, or color could be an indication of melanoma or other skin cancers.

Skin Scan also includes another interesting feature: location mapping. When a mole is deemed low-, medium-, or high-risk, the location of the user and the results are recorded and mapped. Depending on the sample size, Skin Scan may eventually produce a fairly accurate map depicting what locations are the most dangerous in terms of skin damage from the sun.

Like most new developments in the medical and dermatological field, Dr. Zimmet urges patients to download the app with a grain of salt. It’s important to beware of false negatives, where the scan reads a normal mole that is actually not normal. Unless we understand the rate of false negatives, determined in a well-controlled study, it’s critical not to rely on the results of the scan when deciding whether or not you should see your dermatologist. So, it’s strongly advised that you have regular check-ups with your dermatologist, even if you believe that none of your moles are abnormal.

May is the perfect time to start spending more time in the sun—the weather is heating up, the school year is coming to a close, and vacation season has begun. However, as you begin to spend more of your day outdoors, remember that May is also Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s important to protect your skin.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with over 2.4 million new diagnoses every year. Although basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are usually cured, melanoma is much more dangerous. The key to curing skin cancer is early detection, so be sure to schedule an annual skin cancer screening with your dermatologist.

You can also screen yourself monthly for skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests using a mirror to examine every inch of skin and writing down a record of any moles, freckles, and age spots. Use the “ABCDEs of Melanoma”—Assymetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter (anything wider than a pencil eraser may be cancerous), and Evolving size, shape, or color. Recording your findings can allow you to track any new developments and helps your dermatologist find any abnormalities.

Summer may be heating up, but that doesn’t mean you should sacrifice the health of your skin.

Remember these Dos and Don’ts of skin cancer prevention:

Do:

Get checked for skin abnormalities by a dermatologist at least once a year, especially if you use tanning beds
Apply sunscreen whenever you’re in the sun, and re-apply every two hours and after swimming
Choose sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays
Stay in the shade whenever you can, especially from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Don’t:

Use indoor tanning beds, which increase the risk of melanoma dramatically.
Get sunburned, especially on May 27, Don’t Fry Day.
Stop using sunscreens once summer is over- the sun’s rays are still dangerous in winter and on cloudy days.

Image source: White93

Did you know that the incidence of invasive skin cancer in the US is rising by 4%- 6% each year? Will you be among the over 68,000 Americans that will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2011, and that 1 in 58 Americans will develop melanoma over their lifetime? The Journal of Clinical Oncology (January 20, 2011 issue) recently published a study which revealed a significant reduction in the risk of invasive melanoma with regular sunscreen use.

The study randomly selected and followed a total of 1621 people between the ages of 25 and 75 years over a 14 year period. The study assigned participants to “apply daily or discretionary sunscreen to both heads and arms in combination with 30 mg beta carotene or a placebo supplement. Ten years after trial cessation, 11 new primary melanomas had been identified in the daily sunscreen group, and 22 had been identified in the discretionary group, which represented a reduction of the observed rate in those randomly assigned to daily sunscreen use.”

A 10% tan tax took effect last week on the use of indoor ultraviolet tanning bed. I can understand that owners of tanning salons are apparently seeing red over the tax. That said, one of the worst skin cancers I’ve seen was a tennis ball size basal cell carcinoma on the chest of a very young women who was a indoor tanning devotee.

Let’s look at some data:
1. About 28 million people tan in the US each year, with about 10% of these being teens. (1,2)
2. The United States Department of Health and Human Services and the International Agency of Research on Cancer panel has declared ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds and sun lamps, as a known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances).(3)
3. A review of seven studies found a 75 percent increase in the risk of melanoma in those who had been exposed to UV radiation from indoor tanning before the age of 35.(4)
4. Multiple studies have demonstrated that UV radiation during indoor tanning damages DNA and can lead to premature skin aging, immune suppression, and eye damage, including cataracts and ocular melanoma.(5-8)
5. A recent study suggested that in general melanoma risk from indoor tanning increased with amount of use.

Personally I don’t really like tanned looking skin. I know skin is tan as a way to protect itself from further injury. So, if you must tan I think a safer choice is a spray tan.

If you’d like more information on sun protection or skin care contact the Austin cosmetic dermatologist and staff of Zimmet Vein & Dermatology today by calling 512-485-7700.

References
1. Kwon HT, Mayer JA, Walker KK, Yu H, Lewis EC, Belch GE. Promotion of frequent tanning sessions by indoor tanning facilities: two studies. J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;46:700-5.
2 Dellavalle RP, Parker ER, Ceronsky N, Hester EJ, Hemme B, Burkhardt DL, et al. Youth access laws: in the dark at the tanning parlor? Arch Dermatol 2003;139:443-8.
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program. Report on carcinogens, 11th ed: Exposure to sunlamps or sunbeds.
4. The International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group on artificial ultraviolet (UV) light and skin cancer “The association of use of sunbeds with cutaneous malignant melanoma and other skin cancers: A systematic review.” International Journal of Cancer. 2007 March 1;120:111-1122.
5. Piepkorn M. Melanoma genetics: an update with focus on the CDKN2A(p16)/ARF tumor suppressors. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2000 May;42(5 Pt 1):705-22; quiz 723-6.
6. Vajdic CM, Kricker A, Giblin M, McKenzie J, Aitken JF, Giles GG, Armstrong BK. Artificial ultraviolet radiation and ocular melanoma in Australia. Int J Cancer. 2004 Dec 10;112(5):896-900.
7. Walters BL, Kelly TM. Commercial tanning facilities:a new source of eye injury. Am J Emerg Med 1987;120:767-77.
8. Clingen PH, Berneburg M, Petit-Frere C, Woollons A, Lowe JE, Arlett CF, Green MH. Contrasting effects of an ultraviolet B and an ultraviolet A tanning lamp on interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression. Br J Dermatol. 2001 Jul;145(1):54-62.

Location

Austin, Texas

1500 W. 34th Street
Austin, TX 78703

512.485.7700