Cancer treatment

Australian researchers have discovered that rapid-growing skin cancers show common characteristics.

Skin cancers or melanomas are more likely to grow and spread quickly if they are thicker, symmetrical, elevated and have regular borders or display certain symptoms, according to their study.

Wendy Liu from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center in East Melbourne, Australia, with her colleagues, examined the melanoma growth rate of 222 male patients and 182 female patients with an average age of 54.

The participants had their skin closely examined by a dermatologist, and they were interviewed soon after diagnosis about when they first noticed the spot or spots on their skin.

Melanoma is a cancerous growth of melanocytes that produce melanin. The type of melanoma that typically affects the toenail is acral lentiginous melanoma. In the United States, acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) accounts for about 5% of all diagnosed melanomas. It also is the most common form of melanoma in Asians and people with dark skin, accounting for 50% of melanomas that occur in people with these skin types.

ALM is sometimes referred to as a “hidden melanoma” because these lesions occur on parts of the body not easily examined or not thought necessary to examine. ALM develops on the palms, soles, mucous membranes (such as those that line the mouth, nose, and female genitals), and underneath or near fingernails and toenails.

ALM is often overlooked until it is well advanced because in the early stages, it often looks like a bruise or nail streak. Here is what it usually looks like on each area of the body:

• Palm or sole – Melanoma usually begins as an irregularly shaped tan, brown, or black spot. It is often mistakenly attributed to some recent injury — that is, the patient recalls a relatively recent bruise or blow in the general area of the pigmented spot.

• Mucous membranes – When melanoma develops on a mucus membrane, it is most likely to develop inside the nose or mouth. Early symptoms include nosebleeds and nasal stuffiness and a pigmented mass inside the mouth. Melanomas also can develop on the mucous membranes of the anus, urinary tract, and female genitalia.

Skin cancer is diagnosed more often than all other cancers combined. In 2006, more than 62,000 people in the United States discovered they had this cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. More than 9,000 people died from it.

Ultraviolet or UV rays are to skin cancer what smoking is to lung cancer-a highly avoidable cancer-causing agent. Excessive sun exposure is the cause for most of this. Other risk factors include exposure to coal, arsenic or radium, multiple moles, having a fair complexion and experiencing severe sunburns as a child.

There are two types. Non-melanomas are the most common type and the most treatable. This type rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Non-melanoma is found often on the head and neck. Exposure to UV rays is often the cause of non-melanoma cancer.

The second type is melanoma. This begins in the melanocytes, or the cells that produce color or pigment. Melanoma skin cancer can be found anywhere. According to the American Cancer Society, men most likely find this on their trunk while women usually discover it on their legs. Melanoma is the most fatal of the two types. It can spread to other parts of the body.

Skin cancer can be cured if it is caught early. It is recommended that you check yourself once a month. Look at yourself in a bright room in front of a mirror. Examine your skin closely and note the look of moles, freckles and blemishes.

What kind of changes should you look for to determine if you are at risk for skin cancer. Here are a few signs:

* If a mole has changed color

* Dark coloring that has exceeded the mole or mark

* Oozing of bleeding

* Itchiness, tenderness or pain

Many forms of cancer are difficult to prevent. If you are diagnosed with them, it is just your bad luck. This is not the case with skin cancer.

The skin performs a very important purpose. It protects the body against heat, radiation and infection. The skin also regulates your temperature and produces vitamin D. To the surprise of many, the skin is considered an organ. In fact, it is the largest organ you have.

The skin is surprisingly tough given its thinness. That being said, it can be damaged by exposure to sunlight. This often presents in the form of skin cancer. There are three types of skin cancer – basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Squamous occurs in the top level of the skin, basal cell in the middle layer of the skin and melanoma in the deep layers of the skin.

So, how can you prevent skin cancer? As you might expect, there are some practical steps. The first is to reduce your exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet radiation is found in typical daylight, but you can also be exposed to it in heavy doses in tanning booths and under sunlamps. Both should be avoided.

Staying out of the sun completely will prevent skin cancer. Obviously, that is slightly impractical. Living in your home 24/7 will protect you from skin cancer, but it will not do much for your mental stability! In short, you are going to be outside.

When you get a call, like I did, from your spouse telling you his dermatologists thinks he has melanoma, the first 5 things you should do are:

1. LISTEN

Your spouse will tell you everything you need to know initially. What the doctor thinks the stage is (Melanoma is gauged in stages 1,2,3,4). No one will know for

sure without a biopsy, but they have a pretty good idea.

No matter what the stage, it will have an initial distressing effect. In my case,

my husband’s doctor thought it was Stage 4.

After you have the facts, there are things you yourself can do. Even if it’s a speck, melanoma is a very serious, sometimes life-threatening disease, so you will want to consider No. 2. If it is a disturbing diagnosis, you will definitely want to

go to No. 2.

2. CALL ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO HAS HAD SKIN CANCER OR KNOWS SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD SKIN

CANCER

If your friend has experienced it first hand (in the family), you will get valuable answers to the question “What do I do?”

The answers I got ranged from the hospital where the individual got treatment, the doctor who oversaw the treatment, the opinion of that treatment, where else the person got treated, the doctor who oversaw that treatment the opinion of that treatment, and any cancer organizations and/or websites you can go to learn about this disease.

3. RESEARCH

This is the most important single task you will do. And you are just beginning.

You want to learn everything you can learn, because you never know what you will find that may help.

American Cancer Society

AAD (American Academy of Dermatology)

Institutes of Health – Skin Cancer

From one of these sources … friends, cancer organizations, internet, you will find treatment centers near where you live.

4. AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED

At some point, you’re going to join your spouse at the doctor’s office. At this point, you will ask for a recommended Oncologist (preferably an expert in skin

Cancer, but not absolutely necessary).

After a course of action has been suggested, immediately find another top

medical center and doctor for a Second Opinion. And there is nothing in the

world wrong with getting a third.

Your spouse and you consider options. Sometimes there will be more

than one option. This can be extremely anxiety provoking. There is no easy

way to deal with this. You can pray, you can ask advice, but ultimately you and

your spouse (or if your spouse is comfortable, he’ll make his own decision) will

have to come to a decision.

No matter which way you go, who decides what, sometimes there is no sure

answer.

There hasn’t been a great deal of research into whether there is a link between eczema and sugar. However many scientists believe that sugar can contribute to eczema in children. Therefore keeping blood sugar levels under control might help patients of eczema. It could also be the case that the sugary foods might trigger an allergic reaction, causing eczema.

The Scientific studies that have been conducted have established a direct connection between high sugar intake and degraded health condition, for a large number of different disorders. According to one estimate, the average per capita sugar consumption in the US is about half a cup a day. Bear in mind that the advised daily sugar intake is around 10 teaspoons! Diabetes has been specifically known to disrupt the body’s normal functions.

Now that the ozone layer is compromised and less able to filter out harmful ultraviolet light, we need to be extra careful.

There’s no question that excessive exposure to the sun damages the skin all over your body and increases your risk of skin cancer and melanoma. But should you avoid the sun completely? No–that would be unnatural. Many people find it pleasurable and relaxing to be in the sun. It helps regulate hormones and our internal clocks, and it is a source of vitamin D, which is needed for healthy bones and perhaps to prevent breast cancer.

According to Ayurveda, sunbathing improves your circulation and encourages sweating, cleansing the body of toxins.

Vata and kapha types benefit in particular, because of the warming and nurturing qualities of sunlight. As a vata you benefit in particular, because of the warming and nurturing qualities of the sunlight.As a kapha you benefit in particular, because of the warming and nurturing qualities of sunlight.

As a pita you need to be careful because the heat of the sun can aggravate your fiery dosha. Pitta dosha. As a vata you benefit from the warming and nurturing qualities of the sun, but you most be careful it does not aggravate your fiery pita nature.