Skin cancer

Melanoma

The main skin cancer we should really be concerned with is melanoma. While other skin cancers like - basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas - can be caught in a relatively early stage and are rarely fatal, melanoma can be quite small and metastasize to other organs and kill someone in a relatively short period of time. The incidence of melanoma is on the rise and melanoma is now one of the the most common forms of cancer.

Genetic factors, such as a tendency to develop moles, combined with fair skin and hair, increase the risk for melanoma. Those with blonde or red hair and light-colored eyes and fair skin are 6 times more likely to develop melanoma than those with darker features. Also people with numerous moles have several times the melanoma risk as those with fewer moles.

Excessive sun exposure, especially during childhood, is also a risk factor associated with melanoma.

Does excessive sun exposure cause skin cancer?

Absolutely. However, the right amount of sunshine actually prevents cancer. Exposure to sunshine provides many health benefits, such as promoting the formation of vitamin D.

We need sunshine to stay healthy and If we don't get a regular dose of sunshine, our health will suffer in many ways, one of which is depression. The key is not to burn.

Excessive exposure to the sun is dangerous. However, one should be outdoors for 1 hour per day if possible, because when we are outdoors some 1500 different wavelengths of light hit our retina and supply us with an essential component for being healthy.

Preventing Melanoma

There is actually no conclusive evidence that sunscreens prevent melanoma. Sunscreens can prevent the most common types of skin cancer such as squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas, but studies have been unable to show clear evidence that sunscreens help prevent melanoma, according to researchers at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

It appears from the research that receiving a moderate amount of sun exposure is important, however there are some researchers that say skin exposed to chlorine which we are exposed to through bathing and by swimming in chlorinated pools is the main reason for the increased incidence of melanoma, though there is no conclusive evidence of this either.

Of coarse one can't go past mentioning green leafy vegetables in a good healthy diet, and naturally you can juice the vegetables to achieve this. Also research shows there is an important link between the omega 6:3 oil ratio and skin cancer.

Last year, the prestigious "National Academy of Sciences" published a comprehensive review which shows that the omega 6:3 ratio is a key to preventing the development of skin cancer. An Australian study done 10 years ago showed a 40% reduction in melanoma for people who eat fish regularly. And this was without paying any attention to lowering the omega-6 fats.

Detecting melanoma

When it comes to melanoma, the earlier the cancer is detected, the better. It’s important for people to perform a skin exam every month or so. Color, as measured by reflectance of light, is the most important variable in discriminating melanoma from normal moles. You are looking for moles which stand out because of their dark color or increase in size.

skin cancer

Melanoma can occur anywhere - on the arms, legs, the back, the neck, even on palms of the hand or the soles of the feet.

Most early melanomas are asymmetrical. This means that a line through the middle would not create matching halves. Common moles are symmetrical and round.
The borders of early melanomas are often uneven and may have notched or scalloped edges. Common moles have more even, smoother borders.
Common moles are usually a single shade of brown. Varied shades of brown, black or tan are often the first sign of melanoma. As melanoma progresses, the colors red, blue and white may appear.
Melanoma tends to grow larger than common moles - generally to at least the size of a pencil eraser (about 6mm, or 1/4" in diameter).

It's important to perform those self examinations yourself every month. You can get a doctor's opinion as well, but it is your responsibility to do the examinations. It is YOUR health.

Finally do not expect your doctor to agree with much of the information found on this page, in fact you may not realize it, but there are only 3 legal treatments for cancer in most of the United States. The laws of California, for example, make it a serious case of "unprofessional conduct" for a doctor to diagnose cancer and then treat it with anything other than the approved methods - chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. He can lose his license to practice medicine. He could even go to jail.

So it is up to each one of us, to educate ourselves, respect our bodies, and to better our health.

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Skin cancer
Sunday, 25 January 2009

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