Melanoma

[Matesrates]

Following the news that the Duchess of York has a malignant melanoma, experts are rightly urging everyone to use sunscreen all the time when you are out between April and October. That’s fine if you can afford it, but this stuff isn’t cheap, so many will probably get skin cancer because they can’t afford it.

I had one just over 5 years ago, which was surgically removed and I had to go for regular checkups for 5 years. Thankfully I’m now clear, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get another one.

 

[tangerine.com]

None of my mates used it because it was unaffordable.
But we also thought it was to give you a deeper tan not protection.

 

[tommytwojags]

I had a melanoma too and also 5 years of checkups after surgery. You can't put a price on sun screen. A fiver from B&Ms is surely within everyone's budget when lives are at stake.

As an aside, Clifton Hospital in St Annes has been running a successful diagnosis clinic whereby referrals from GPs are photographed and reviewed urgently for possible skin cancer. Prompt treatment can save lives.

 

[traffordtang]

I had a melanoma too and also 5 years of checkups after surgery. You can't put a price on sun screen. A fiver from B&Ms is surely within everyone's budget when lives are at stake.

As an aside, Clifton Hospital in St Annes has been running a successful diagnosis clinic whereby referrals from GPs are photographed and reviewed urgently for possible skin cancer. Prompt treatment can save lives.

Prompt is unlikely given how long it takes to see a GP. That goes for all cancers. We’re told not to hang about if were concerned but then by the time we see our GP then get a referral then all the tests a diagnosis a way off.

 

[tommytwojags]

Prompt is unlikely given how long it takes to see a GP. That goes for all cancers. We’re told not to hang about if were concerned but then by the time we see our GP then get a referral then all the tests a diagnosis a way off.

That's why the Clifton model works so well. It took one week from me contacting my GP to being photographed at the hospital. This only applies to suspected skin cancer but it seems to work well.

 

[Pollenca]

Aldi's Lacura sun cream range is good value and has good reviews.

 

[BFC1980]

I was diagnosed with stage 2 melonoma on my leg back in May after a mole was removed. Doctor was shocked as she was certain it was fine and it was only after I 'politely insited with some f-bombs', that she removed and biopsied it.

I got the diagnosis a week later and met with the plastic surgeon and oncologist later that day to go over the treatment plan and set a date for the surgery. Surgery was scheduled for the following week and a week after that I was given the all clear (no evidence of disease). So from diagnosis to all clear was 2 weeks.

Surgery was big though. I needed a huge piece of my calf down to the muscle cut out and a skin graft put over it. As it was stage 2, they also removed 2 lymph nodes from my groin.

3 months later at my mole check, they cut another one off my shin (same leg) and that was found to be stage 0. I then needed another skin graft, but much smaller this time, to cover that.

If you've ever had melanoma, it's also important to have your kids checked out as well as there can be genetic links. The day after my 2nd operation, my son was diagnosed with stage 0 melanoma on the top of his ear. He too needed the wide local excision and a skin graft to rebuild the top of his ear.

If you notice any changes to a mole, insist that it's cut out. Don't take the doctor's word for it that it's fine just because it doesn't look like cancer. At my last mole scan/check I had 4 cut out as they had changed a little bit. All came back clear. We've got our next 3 month mole check in a couple of weeks and I'm sure there will be more to be cut out.

Me and my son now have our moles photographed every 3 months, then every 6 months from September. My 8yr old daughter, has hers photographed every 6 months.

Whilst melanoma is very aggressive and later stage prognosis is not good, it's one of the easiest to detect. If you catch it early (stage 0, 1 or 2) then treatment is simple and 5 year survival rates are very good. But you absolutely HAVE to be vigilant and aware of any changes to your body.

The easiest way to prevent it is of course sun cream and covering yourself. I play a lot of golf and would often forget to reapply suncream or not bother as I was playing late afternoon/early evening and I didn't think I needed it. Now I always play in trousers, long sleeves, wide brimmed hat, wear suncream and stay under my umbrella as much as possible.

 

[tangerine_neil]

Did a project on it to design a wearable detector when I was at Uni. During the research phase I visited the skin clinic and it’s a real eye-opener. Seeing the damage and ageing caused by the sun and sunlamps under a special light. It’s quite frightening. A lot of the problem is down to lack of knowledge and awareness; the perceived beauty of a tanned skin. We can refer to the daily UV index, which peaks around midday, before dropping. You can still get UV through clouds (although it is reduced), however people tend to be less aware and stay out longer, unprotected. Windows do filter UV, but not all of it. Water not only washes off some brands of sunscreen, but also magnifies the intensity as you get the direct UV exposure from the sun and it’s reflected light on the water. You should re-apply the sunscreen. The same principles apply to light coloured surfaces, e.g., sand and snow. Best ones have UVA and UVB protection, SPF of 30 or higher and water-resistant.

A lot comes down to skin type. Darker skin tones are far less prone to sunburn & skin cancer due to the high levels of melanin.
Conversely, pale skinned individuals with lighter eye colours - redheads, e.g. the Duchess of York, are especially prone to skin cancer and it’s essential they take extra protection to prevent exposure to UV rays and sunburn. They have low levels of eumelanin (brown/black pigments) and high levels of pheomelanin (pink/red pigments). So they should be looking at sunscreen / sunblock / shade and clothing as protection.

 

[BFC1980]

Clothes and UV Rays

 

[Curryman]

55 - 60 years ago I used to put olive oil on my skin when sunbathing to try and get a better tan.

We didn't know , at that time, the dangers.

Touch wood, I haven't been affected.

 

[tangerine_neil]

55 - 60 years ago I used to put olive oil on my skin when sunbathing to try and get a better tan.

We didn't know , at that time, the dangers.

Touch wood, I haven't been affected.

You would think people would be more aware now, but look at the trend with esp. young people to go to tanning salons.

 

[Matesrates]

55 - 60 years ago I used to put olive oil on my skin when sunbathing to try and get a better tan.

We didn't know , at that time, the dangers.

Touch wood, I haven't been affected.

Absolutely, I was showing my grandkids old pictures and they were astonished at how brown I was in holiday photos, I was almost black and I’m very white skinned. As you say, we didn’t know and the darker the suntan after a holiday abroad the better.

 

[BFC1980]

Absolutely, I was showing my grandkids old pictures and they were astonished at how brown I was in holiday photos, I was almost black and I’m very white skinned. As you say, we didn’t know and the darker the suntan after a holiday abroad the better.

Many people also think that as they live in the UK and only see sun for 1 week a year plus whatever holiday they go on, then their risk is low so they can sunbathe with cooking oil.
I don't have the data to back this up but I'd surmise that because skin cancer isn't on their mind, then they don't realise they have it until it's too late (stage 3/4). It'd be interesting to see the stats for skin cancer diagnosis in the UK.

You don't get skin cancer just after your holiday, same like you don't get lung cancer just after smoking a pack of fags. It can take years for it develop and any changes to size, shape and colour of moles can be so gradual that you don't even notice them.

 

[Matesrates]

Many people also think that as they live in the UK and only see sun for 1 week a year plus whatever holiday they go on, then their risk is low so they can sunbathe with cooking oil.
I don't have the data to back this up but I'd surmise that because skin cancer isn't on their mind, then they don't realise they have it until it's too late (stage 3/4). It'd be interesting to see the stats for skin cancer diagnosis in the UK.

You don't get skin cancer just after your holiday, same like you don't get lung cancer just after smoking a pack of fags. It can take years for it develop and any changes to size, shape and colour of moles can be so gradual that you don't even notice them.

Exactly, mine was on my back, right in the middle and I’ve not subjected the unsuspecting public to seeing my upper body for decades. The surgeon who removed mine said it’s likely this could have been when I was a child.