When telltale signs say cancer

Firefighter Kevin Belluomini thought he had some dirt on his ear.

Barbara Baer's hairdresser spotted a curious spot on her scalp. “She said it was a brownish thing in the shape of Italy.”

All their suspicious marks turned out to be melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. All survived by having the cancer excised before it spread. All are scrupulous today about visiting their doctor for body scans. And all have their own ways of trying to prevent the sun from causing further problems.

Dr. Cynthia Bailey, a Sebastopol dermatologist, said dermatology residency was her “mega aversion therapy. We cut out some pretty big melanomas.”

But even before that, Bailey had a personal lesson in skin cancer. A self-described “former California native tanning addict,” Bailey had a melanoma removed from her leg when she was 15. Today, when she does her noon laps in the pool, she covers up so much she calls it “my swim burqa.”

Skin cancer, which begins with the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one of the layers of the skin, is the most common cancer. Melanoma is the deadliest form. According to the American Cancer Society website .cancer.org/Cancer/SkinCancer-Melanoma), melanoma accounts for only five percent of skin cancers but is the biggest killer. More than 68,000 people were diagnosed with it last year, and about 8,700 died.

The other two skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Actinic keratoses, the small, crusty or scaly bumps that are often frozen off with liquid nitrogen by a doctor, are considered pre-cancers. If left untreated, they can develop into invasive squamous cell carcinomas.

Skin cancer made news earlier this month with reports on a new treatment for melanoma and new labeling rules for sunscreen.

The melanoma drugs will prolong survival for patients whose melanoma has spread to other parts of the body. One drug targets a mutated gene that tells a cancer cell to grow. The other boosts the immune system and together they cause tumors to shrink. But neither is a cure.

As for sunscreen, the Food and Drug Administration issued new label guidelines for products that promise to reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging. In order to make those claims, sunscreens must have an SPF (sun protection factor) higher than 15 and be labeled “broad spectrum,” which means they block both UVB and a percentage of UVA radiation.

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When telltale signs say cancer

All their suspicious marks turned out to be melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. All survived by having the cancer excised before it spread. All are scrupulous today about visiting their doctor for body scans. And all have their own ways of



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Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook

Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook

Avoiding Coat and Skin Problems GROOMING Grooming at regular intervals will keep your dog's coat and skin in good condition and prevent many problems. ...

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Checking the dog on a regular basis will save valuable time and expense. Coat problems and skin disorders come in manv different forms, and are caused by a ...

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The pet lover's guide to cat & dog skin diseases

Problem behaviors may require months to change, and some dogs may need behavioral ... Some pets with skin problems that suggest an estrogen-responsive ...

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