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What Is Melanoma?

Breaking News from ABUZZ
By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP)

Melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer, and this killer is on the rise, largely because Americans just won't stay out of the sun.

Doctors say Sen. John McCain's latest battle with melanoma shows the vital importance of regular skin examinations, because even this very dangerous cancer can be cured if it is discovered early.

People should get checked once a year ``particularly if they have spent a lot of time in the sun,'' advised Dr. Charles McDonald of Brown University, past president of the American Cancer Society.

Too often, melanoma is not caught early. Worse, it is very aggressive -- tumors can double in size every month -- and it can spread through the body quickly. Only 20-30 percent of people with advanced melanoma live five years.

Some 47,700 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma this year, and 7,700 will die.

There are several types of skin cancer. Some, such as basal cell carcinoma, aren't very aggressive and are usually curable.

Melanoma is the worst type. But catch it early, before the tumor grows too deep into the skin or spreads, and doctors can cut it out.

Indeed, surgery is melanoma's main treatment, because unlike most other cancers, it doesn't respond well to chemotherapy and radiation. ``That's what makes it so devastating,'' McDonald said.

People like McCain, R-Ariz., who have survived one bout with melanoma are forever at high risk of getting it again. It can recur at the same spot -- when that happens, the prognosis is very grim -- or a totally new tumor can pop up somewhere else.

When melanoma spreads, or when the original melanoma returns after treatment, patients' only options often are clinical trials of experimental therapies. An experimental melanoma vaccine is showing early promise. It has helped a handful of people, who were expected to die within six months, to instead see their tumors shrink.

The best advice: Prevent skin cancer. ``Stay out of the sun. Wear sunscreen and cover up so you don't get that sunburn,'' McDonald advises.

What causes melanoma? The more sunburns, particularly early in life, the higher your risk. Fair-skinned people, consequently, are at highest risk.

Also at high risk are people with more than 20 moles scattered around their body, McDonald said.

Keep an eye on all moles. If any change in color, size or shape, have a doctor check them. Also, the most common melanoma symptoms fall under the ``ABCD rule:

--Asymmetry, where one half of the mole doesn't match the other half.

--Border irregularity, a ragged edge to moles.

--Color, where the same mole has different shades of brown, black, even red or blue.

--Diameter, a mole bigger than a pencil eraser. Doctors cut a small skin sample out of suspicious lesions to check for cancer. If it's melanoma, additional tests see if the cancer has spread. A thin melanoma likely hasn't spread; a deep or spreading one has a poorer prognosis.

The best advice: Prevent skin cancer. ``Stay out of the sun. Wear sunscreen and cover up so you don't get that sunburn,'' McDonald advises.

	Skin Cancer Information What Is Melanoma? Breaking News from ABUZZ By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) Melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer, and this killer is on the rise, largely because Americans just won't stay out of the sun. Doctors say Sen. John McCain's latest battle with melanoma shows the vital importance of regular skin examinations, because even this very dangerous cancer can be cured if it is discovered early. People should get checked once a year ``particularly if they have spent a lot of time in the sun,'' advised Dr. Charles McDonald of Brown University, past president of the American Cancer Society. Too often, melanoma is not caught early. Worse, it is very aggressive -- tumors can double in size every month -- and it can spread through the body quickly. Only 20-30 percent of people with advanced melanoma live five years. Some 47,700 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma this year, and 7,700 will die. There are several types of skin cancer. Some, such as basal cell carcinoma, aren't very aggressive and are usually curable. Melanoma is the worst type. But catch it early, before the tumor grows too deep into the skin or spreads, and doctors can cut it out. Indeed, surgery is melanoma's main treatment, because unlike most other cancers, it doesn't respond well to chemotherapy and radiation. ``That's what makes it so devastating,'' McDonald said. People like McCain, R-Ariz., who have survived one bout with melanoma are forever at high risk of getting it again. It can recur at the same spot -- when that happens, the prognosis is very grim -- or a totally new tumor can pop up somewhere else. When melanoma spreads, or when the original melanoma returns after treatment, patients' only options often are clinical trials of experimental therapies. An experimental melanoma vaccine is showing early promise. It has helped a handful of people, who were expected to die within six months, to instead see their tumors shrink. *The best advice: Prevent skin cancer. ``Stay out of the sun. Wear sunscreen and cover up so you don't get that sunburn,'' McDonald advises*. What causes melanoma? The more sunburns, particularly early in life, the higher your risk. Fair-skinned people, consequently, are at highest risk. Also at high risk are people with more than 20 moles scattered around their body, McDonald said. Keep an eye on all moles. If any change in color, size or shape, have a doctor check them. Also, the most common melanoma symptoms fall under the ``ABCD rule: --Asymmetry, where one half of the mole doesn't match the other half. --Border irregularity, a ragged edge to moles. --Color, where the same mole has different shades of brown, black, even red or blue. --Diameter, a mole bigger than a pencil eraser. Doctors cut a small skin sample out of suspicious lesions to check for cancer. If it's melanoma, additional tests see if the cancer has spread. A thin melanoma likely hasn't spread; a deep or spreading one has a poorer prognosis. The best advice: Prevent skin cancer. ``Stay out of the sun. Wear sunscreen and cover up so you don't get that sunburn,'' McDonald advises.