Archive for the ‘News/Events’ Category
Monday, March 7th, 2011
Rory Sabbatini won another golf tournament last week, making it a sixth PGA title and earning him a slot in the Masters. But he won a bigger round just a few months ago, when he caught and had a skin cancer on his face removed.
Rory Sabbatini Prevails on the Course and Against Skin Cancer
As reported by Reuters, “Nine days after the birth of the Sabbatinis’ third child, Bodhi Mac, the golfer went under the knife to have a cancerous growth removed from his face. The scare has led to him wearing a broad rimmed hat and smearing his face in a special sun-cream each time he steps on a golf course.”
I think Rory deserves the Hats On Award, not just for making sun protection a fashion statement on the course, but for all he’s doing to promote awareness. As posted in Golf Week,
The bad news is five-time PGA Tour winner Rory Sabbatini was diagnosed with skin cancer in December. The good news is he is “fine” after surgery, though he will have to be careful and wear big hats and be diligent in applying sunscreen. The better news is Sabbatini, among the top 20 in Tour earnings four of the past seven years, is planning to raise money for charity through a sunscreen-related launch at next week’s PGA Merchandise Show.
SmartShield has announced a partnership with Rory promoting it as his official sunscreen. Rory began wearing the SmartShield logo on his shirt and covering his face and arms with the sunscreen at the Sony Open in Hawaii. 
As golf season is dawning again with Spring around the corner, make sure you are course-correcting with these suggestions from another terrific post in Golf Week :
“Everybody needs to be smart,” said David Donatucci, the PGA’s director of fitness and performance. “As a golfer, you’re out in the sun for five hours. You need sunscreen. You need to reapply sunscreen. You need to drink water. You need to eat a little something. All these things need to become habits, and that’s the message we are spreading….Sunscreens are becoming more user-friendly.
Golfers should wear it every time they play, regardless of conditions. Playing golf in cloudy conditions doesn’t protect you from UV rays. They come through the clouds.”
Tags: awareness, Golf, Golf Week, Prevention, Sabbatini, Skin Cancer, SmartShielf, sunscreen
Posted in Hats On Award, News/Events, Smart Prevention Practices | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011
Duke University is testing a promising new Melanoma detection laser - which, for the first time, gives scientists the ability to identify substantial chemical differences between cancerous and healthy skin tissues and prevent unnecessary biopsies, by identifying a pigment more prominent in cancerous moles. As of now it is being tested on biopsied tissue samples, but may eventually be an effective pre-biopsy tool as well.
There are two issues at play here. The first is the need for improved detection of Melanoma. As we’ve noted here repeatedly, the MoleSafe technique takes skin cancer assessments and screenings to the next level, well beyond the “naked eye exam,” which, as I described again in my last post, is a good precursory practice between more rigorous screenings but is out-dated when used as the exclusive approach. The second issue is that there is still the challenge in interpreting the results of biopsies of suspicious moles, no matter how they are discovered.
As the Duke article says,
Doctors typically use a light and a magnifying glass or tissue biopsy, where a pathologist removes suspicious skin cells and looks at them under a microscope, to spot signs of disease. But using a lens and a light is a “17th century” technique that is only 85 percent accurate, at best, and tissue biopsy is not much more reliable…
In 14 percent of biopsy diagnoses, pathologists would disagree on whether or not the sampled cells were cancerous, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology. The statistic implies that two pathologists would have opposing diagnoses on 214,000 to 643,000 melanoma cases each year.
Since, as a result, many doctors will follow the “when in doubt, cut it out” philosophy, this new laser holds the promise of maximizing accurate diagnoses, and down the road perhaps being a promising pre-biopsy screening tool as well.
———-
In other screening news, Bloomberg’s BusinessWeek reported on a story posted in the Archives of Dermatology on the increased skin self-exams conducted by kidney transplant patients from good old-fashioned education and information. Compliance in self-exams jumped to 89% among those in the study group, resulting in a dozen patients actually spotting an area of concern and making an appointment with their dermatologist.
The patients in the intervention group were given printed educational materials to promote skin self-examination. The patients in the control group did not receive the educational materials. Follow-up revealed that patients in the intervention group were much more likely to perform skin self-examinations than those in the control group — 89 percent vs. 22 percent.
This just underscores the ongoing need for education and awareness. We hope more physicians will take the time to educate ALL patients – high risk or not.
Tags: Archives of Dermatology, awareness, Businessweek, Detection, Duke University, laser, Melanoma, MoleSafe, research, screenings, Skin Cancer, statistics
Posted in News/Events, Science and Studies, Self Exam | No Comments »
Monday, January 31st, 2011
Exactly six months ago, I shared a blog with Melanoma Updates readers, written by a woman chronicling her battle with Melanoma. I shared her story because I was impressed by her good attitude, helpful information, and generosity of spirit, and thought her blog would be helpful beyond her small community in Cyprus. Her name is Alethea Ayers and she is the 35 year old mother of a toddler.
While there are, sadly, many victims of skin cancers and Melanoma — hence the existence of Melanoma Updates and our goal of driving awareness and preventative actions, Alethea is one who has been inspiring and very public about her battle with the disease.
Now that battle has faced a two-sided assault: she has received news of some 10 brain tumors, and is also fighting to raise the funds to travel from Cyprus to Germany for more advanced treatments. As a physician I can say that this kind of metastasis is unfortunately statistically common in Melanoma patients, and survival rates are statistically unsatisfying. You can read more on brain metastases on the Skin Cancer Foundation Web site.
I can tell you I don’t know Alethea, and have not vetted her case or her cause, but between her Facebook page and very specific blog posts I find her story and attitude very compelling and worth the read… and perhaps a contribution. That is a personal decision, and there are many worthy causes we could all support. At the very least, I want to share her very human emotions in her latest post here, filled with reminders of what we’ve been touting at MoleSafe as well:
Getting hopeful with every passing day as it means a day closer to when I can start my treatment. I can’t wait till they start shrinking these darn things and I can start a normal life again.
No one teaches you in school or as you grow up what do to in these situations, there’s no break glass in case of emergency and there is no instruction manual on what to do in case you get brain tumours. So I live every minute by the minute and make it through the day with all your wonderful help.
All I ask that you please please avoid sunbeds, and sunbathing. Please love the skin you are in. Milk bottle white, means you are alive and will be alive. Life is too precious.
Love the skin you are in.
Tags: Alethea Ayers, awareness, Melanoma, MoleSafe, Skin Cancer, Skin Cancer Foundation, statistics, tanning
Posted in News/Events, Personal Stories, Updates | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
Most doctors feel for their patients and we empathize with the challenges of their illness. We work to the best of our experience and understanding to find cures, solutions, or sometimes just more comfort. But when it comes to big challenges, such as advancing treatment options for diseases like Melanoma, sometimes empathy is not enough. Sometimes what sparks the motivation to find solutions or cures is personal experience….
That is what spurred e-commerce entrepreneur, Marty Tennenbaum. While he’s not a doctor or even medical researcher, he does know his way around computers, and the value of “open source” as a route to developing solutions. So, after surviving Melanoma in the late ’90s he begin applying his expertise to help move the needle on treatment solutions.
Many scientists today work in relative isolation, left to follow blind alleys and duplicate existing research. Data are fragmented — trapped behind firewalls, locked up by contracts or lost in databases that can’t be accessed or integrated. Materials are hard to get — universities are overwhelmed with transfer requests that ought to be routine, while grant cycles pass and windows of opportunity close.
Marty recognized that dilemma and his doing his part to use his tech know-how to bring about a tool to help solve that problem: An app.
Dr. Marty Tenenbaum, a survivor of melanoma, shows off his free Cancer Commons app
Launching today (1/18/11), the “Cancer Commons” app will integrate existing data about melanomas, and cross reference promising experimental treatments. Then, patients or doctors can in put patient-specific info on the progression of the disease including test results, such as specific genetic mutations.
“From that information, the app tells patients what specific cancer “subtype” they have as determined by an expert panel. They also learn what drugs have shown the most promise in treating that specific form of the disease and where clinical trials are being conducted that could allow patients access to that treatment.”
Marty explains that he’s just “trying to pull together all the pieces that are needed to do a real, rational attack on cancer.”
…’The way to do that,’ he says, ‘is to pull people out of their individual labs, offices and hospitals to collaborate in a way not possible before the Web and mobile technologies made it easy to pool vast amounts of information.
‘How much of cancer could be turned into a manageable disease if we only knew what we knew?’”
It’s a challenge to wrap our arms around the collected knowledge of thousands of researchers. Groups like Health Commons and Open Science are taking a page from today’s socially networked world to tap that trust and are working to throw open the doors to the brain trust. MoleSafe and Melanoma Updates applauds this approach, and gives Marty Tennenbaum and the collected participants pitching in a big Hat’s On Award to helping shine the light on the way to a cure for Melanoma and other cancers.
Tags: Cancer Commons, Marty Tennenbaum, Melanoma, research, studies
Posted in Hats On Award, News/Events, Science and Studies, Updates | No Comments »
Thursday, January 6th, 2011
It’s pretty common knowledge by now that sun on human skin leads to the production of Vitamin D, which has been touted for reducing the risk of everything from Type 2 Diabetes to many cancers. So, with science’s increased recommendations to avoid the sun and increase regular use of sunscreen there has been some concern that we would have a deficit of this nutrient. Not only is this concern unjustified, it is a slippery slope to rationalizing the “need” for a tan. For example,
an article in Allure Magazine, which
I wrote about recently, discussed the dangers of tanning.
But one young woman, “Katie_k”, who posted a comment, had convinced herself that her tanning salon use was justified by the need for Vitamin D. Here’s what I wrote to her in response:
This article is important. And to Katie_k who vowed to continue using tanning beds out of concern about low Vitamin D scares: My answer? You’re wrong. The fact is, we can now check our vitamin D level and take supplements should we be found to be deficient. Skin cancer is nothing to be messed with. Exposing ourselves to a carcinogen like UV rays is never a good idea. Using a tanning bed is especially a bad one.
I am concerned about the Katie_ks of the world. So here’s a reminder from a good summary article, to try again to allay fears about a lack of Vitamin D:
“For most children, teens and adults, a daily dose of 400 international units (IUs) of the vitamin is sufficient, and 600 IUs are recommended. Seniors older than 70 should ideally receive 800 IUs of vitamin D a day, the panel determined. For babies younger than 1, the panel considered 400 IUs of vitamin D enough.
Those levels are somewhat higher than the ones set in 1997, the last time a government panel examined vitamin D intake. But they are far below what many doctors and supplement advocates had been urging….
Does that mean I should give up my vitamin D supplements?
Maintaining a healthy level of vitamin D through diet alone has become much easier since manufacturers began fortifying foods with the nutrient. Fortified foods — including virtually all milk, many brands of orange juice, and some cheeses, yogurts, margarines and breakfast cereals — are now some of the richest dietary sources of vitamin D. High levels exist naturally in fatty fish such as tuna, salmon and mackerel, and it’s also present in egg yolks and beef liver….
Indeed, the sun is a free, plentiful source of vitamin D. When the sun shines on human skin for at least five to 15 minutes, the body produces the nutrient. But with people spending more time indoors and using sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, this source has fallen on hard times. In fact, the panel didn’t even factor in vitamin D from sun exposure when it made its recommendations.
Does that mean I should lay off the sunscreen?
The sun can be a powerful manufacturer of the nutrient: In 15 minutes, a light-skinned person wearing a bathing suit outside in early July will produce 15,000 to 20,000 IUs of Vitamin D.
The body stores excess vitamin D in fat, and some research suggests that it is released as needed. But there’s debate about how well that happens, so the panel members suggest that daily dosing of vitamin D is a better bet.
Besides, even 15 minutes without sunscreen won’t fly with dermatologists. They warn that prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light – either from the sun or in a tanning booth – elevates a person’s risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. So, by all means, slather on that sunscreen.”
Do read the whole story. Here’s a link to that and another good story about Vitamin D.
So, drink your fortified milk and toast to your good health.
Tags: Allure Magazine, antioxidants, NY Times, Prevention, Skin Cancer, studies, tanning, tanning salons, Vitamin D
Posted in News/Events, Science and Studies, Smart Prevention Practices | 3 Comments »
Friday, December 31st, 2010
This update is just a thank you to all our friends and patients of MoleSafe and readers of MelanomaUpdates.com, and warm wishes for a heavenly Twenty-Eleven. As we face a new year lots of us like to reflect on what occurred and what we hope the next year may bring. This time last year we announced our alignment with the Charles C. Harris Skin and Cancer Unit at NYU’s world-renowned Langone Medical Center – the first major hospital in the United States to partner with and adopt the MoleSafe methodology. As you may know, the approach we use is the “gold standard” of skin cancer detection in high occurence countries such as New Zealand and Australia, having the prestigious NYU Medical Center implement the MoleSafe method was a wonderful way to start 2010.
Now, with six clinic locations in the United States – from Albuquerque to Savannah, it is hugely satisfying to know that we’ve helped thousands find peace of mind about an area of concern, or even prolonged or saved some lives via early detection of Melanoma. And skim through our other past blog posts this past year and it’s clear the word about best practices in detection and skin cancer prevention is getting out there more and more. Yet my wish for the New Year is to offer peace of mind and good health to thousands more, from all of us at MoleSafe around the country, as we continue to fight the good fight.
Thank you for sharing this blog with your friends and family — and for remembering that the new year is a good time to renew a commitment to regular skin cancer check ups!
Tags: awareness, Detection, Melanoma, MoleSafe, NYU, Prevention, Skin Cancer
Posted in News/Events, Personal Stories, Updates | No Comments »
Sunday, December 12th, 2010
There’s a new weapon in the fight against tanning – one of the leading contributors to skin cancer and melanoma…And it’s about 5’8 and from Santa Barbara, CA. The weapon? Marissa Miller of Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret fame — oh, and named 2010’s Sexiest Woman in the World by FHM Magazine this year.
Marissa Miller and the Bare Facts about Skin Cancer
This time Miller went beyond the bathing suit or lingerie and took it all off (except for a pair of sneakers) for Marc Jacobs’ new skin cancer awareness campaign called Protect the Skin You’re In. I’m of the belief that if something will help call attention to our cause then who am I to stand in the way — especially when one of our MoleSafe clinic location partners will benefit? In all seriousness, this Hats On Award goes to Marc Jacobs, who will feature the eye-popping ads on yellow t-shirts available at Marc Jacobs boutiques, with all the proceeds going to the NYU Cancer Institute.
It’s also good to read some of the comments on Ms Miller’s blog about the photo and the campaign: a few readers wrote in to note that they had definitely stopped tanning. (Note: Our next post? On what one magazine is suggesting might “scare kids straight…out of the tanning bed.)
One thing we should point out: even though Ms Miller did leave her sneakers on, don’t forget to include your feet, and even between the toes, during your regular skin self-exams!
Tags: awareness, Detection, Marissa Miller, MoleSafe, NYU, screenings, Self Exam, Skin Cancer
Posted in Hats On Award, News/Events, Self Exam, Updates | No Comments »
Sunday, November 21st, 2010
To his credit, Dr Mehmet Oz’s web site features some 1600+ comments resulting from a search on the topic of Melanoma, including an array of videos. We’re launching a “Hat’s On” salute (get it? sun protection vs Hat’s Off?!) from MoleSafe and Melanoma Updates to those doing a good job creating more awareness and quality information on preventing and treating skin cancers.
So, our first Hat’s On Award goes to Dr Oz, for his very informative, and sometimes in-your-face real, series of answers and show segments on this disease.
In this example, he shows off the mole of an audience member to explain the ABCDEs of self-exams. In another more startling audience experience he shows a real tissue sample of the effects of skin cancer.
Dr Oz Showing Skin Cancer Tissue Sample
Even his fans have picked up the gauntlet: here’s a written summary of the above skin cancer prevention show in this blog excerpt created by “DrOzFans.com”:
Dr Oz: How to Avoid Skin Cancer
The Dr Oz Cancer Proof Your Life show including a segment on the number one cancer you can avoid – Skin Cancer. Over 1 million Americans are diagnosed with Skin Cancer and almost 1 person every hour dies from it. Doctor Oz said that Skin Cancer is preventable. A Melanoma usually has pigment, but it does not have to have a color to be dangerous. He showed a sample of a real Skin Cancer that looked very rough and scaly on the surface.
Here is Dr Oz’s list of true / false questions about Skin Cancer. See how many you get right!
1. If you live in North Dakota & use sunscreen, your risk of Melanoma may be greater than someone in South Florida?
Dr Oz said that this is true because people in North Dakota have a higher risk for Skin Cancer for two reasons. One reason is that there is less ozone in North Dakota than in Florida, so the UV rays can get through more easily. The second reason is that Vitamin D helps to prevent Skin Cancer, and Northerners tend to be low in Vitamin D. So Dr Oz suggested taking vitamin D supplements or you can be in the sun for only 15 minutes a day, and after that you must apply sunscreen. Dr Oz said that the right amount of sunscreen to apply is the amount that would fill up a shot glass (1.5 ounces).
2. The Color of Your Clothes Can Protect You From Skin Cancer?
True! Dr Oz said that different colors of clothes do protect you from the sun better. For example, red or blue fabrics are harder for the rays to get through, whereas white or yellow clothing puts you at a greater risk. This past summer I noticed a trend in companies offering clothing with built in sunscreen, which also seems like a great option. Dr Oz said that your face is very prone to getting Skin Cancer, and it is twice as likely to kill you if you get it there, so make sure to cover your head with a hat too.
3. Pedicures Increase Your risk of Skin Cancer? 
Dr Oz said that it is true that Pedicures increase your chances of getting Skin Cancer. You must remove nail polish at least once a month to make sure nothing is growing underneath your nail. Also, the UV light used in nail drying machines may cause cancer, so either ask your nail technician to turn off the UV light or just let your nails air dry.
Tags: ABCDEs, awareness, Best Practices, Detection, Doctor Oz, Dr Mehmet Oz, Dr. Oz, Hat's Off Award, How-To, Melanoma, MoleSafe, Prevention, screenings, Skin Cancer, UV light, Vitamin D
Posted in News/Events, Self Exam, Smart Prevention Practices | No Comments »
Monday, October 25th, 2010
Having just returned from AdvaMed2010 with some 1,500 others also involved in diagnostics and effective treatments, certainly education and medical progress is top of mind. So, it’s appropriate that the Skin Cancer Foundation’s 4th edition of the handbook, “Understanding Melanoma – What you Need to Know” came out this week.
The 91-page guide runs through all aspects of the disease:
“from the moment of diagnosis through state- of-the-art treatments. Honest and straightforward, but reassuring in tone. Contrary to what many people fear, there is an excellent chance for a long and healthy life after diagnosis. Early warning signs and a step-by-step illustrated guide to self- examination of the skin are presented along with answers to the 25 questions most frequently asked about melanoma.”
(Note: It may be easier to get a copy on the SkinCancer.org store directly as it was already sold out on Amazon.com.)
And, my education continued, as mentioned, at AdvaMed, which was a terrific conference, even beyond appreciating both Katie Couric as a general session speaker and the ice cream social! Since MoleSafe has made such strides in sharing the exam and results with diagnostic experts and referring physicians through digital technologies like our proprietary View software, I was particularly interested in the panel on doctors using remote monitoring and real-time communication using mobile interfaces. These are very exciting times.
And, being advocates for awareness and prevention, I was pleased to see the session on “Diagnostics: The Cornerstone of Comprehensive Patient Care” well-attended. The key takeaways there were that diagnostics can enable a more efficient and effective healthcare system; second, and diagnostics can change the focus of healthcare from treating sickness to promoting wellness. Here here! (And, hopefully that “here” will include MoleSafe’s 6 locations!)
Keep educating, and help us keep the buzz about the need for skin cancer early detection going strong.
Tags: AdvaMed, cancer, conference advances, diagnostics, Melanoma, MoleSafe, Prevention, Skin Cancer Foundation
Posted in News/Events, Science and Studies | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
Stephen J Cannell passed away in early October at the age of 69, due to complications from Melanoma. The creator of “The Rockford Files” and “The A Team,” Cannell produced more than 40 TV series including “Baretta,” “21 Jump Street,” and “Wiseguy.” Certainly his loved ones will suffer the loss as much as any who lose a family member or friend. But when a high-profile personality falls victim to Melanoma it does help raise awareness and the point that this is not a disease that can easily be won even with access to the most expensive of doctors and treatments.
It is an equal opportunity assailant.
The good news is the money IS being well spent in research and seems to be starting to pay off. As I wrote about Bob Marley and other celebrities who have suffered and lost to Melanoma, vigilance is key, no matter your walk of life. Regular screenings at MoleSafe can SAVE LIVES via earlier diagnoses. In addition, as requested by the producer’s family, you may choose to honor someone with a donation to the American Cancer Society …or the Melanoma Research Foundation or the other organizations they list who are also doing excellent research towards finding better treatments and hopefully a cure:
If you know others doing great work, please share!
Tags: "American Cancer Society", Aim at Melanoma, awareness, Bob Marley, celebrity tans, Detection, Donations, Melanoma, Melanoma Research Foundation, MoleSafe, National Cancer Institute, research, Stephen J. Cannell, Susan Fazio Foundation
Posted in News/Events, Personal Stories | No Comments »
