Melanoma??
A malignant tumor of melanocytes which are found predominantly in skin but also in the bowel and the eye. It is one of the rarer types of skin cancer but causes the majority of skin cancer related deaths. Malignant melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer. It is due to uncontrolled growth of pigment cells, called melanocytes.
Physicians are most likely to detect melanoma in the earliest stages, but patients most at risk are not receiving regular screening during routine office visits. In addition, less than 20% of melanoma patients were aware of warning signs and less than 50% practiced self-examination.
In 2 separate analyses of the same survey data, researchers found that among men 40 years or older who were newly diagnosed with melanoma, thinner tumors were associated with physician detection, a higher melanoma awareness, certain health preventive attitudes, and a higher level of education.
In 2 separate analyses of the same survey data, researchers found that among men 40 years or older who were newly diagnosed with melanoma, thinner tumors were associated with physician detection, a higher melanoma awareness, certain health preventive attitudes, and a higher level of education.
Patients with physician-detected melanoma also tended to be older than those in whom it was detected by self-exam or by a nonphysician, and physician-detected back lesions tended to be thinner and smaller than those detected by the patient.
The results of both analyses appear in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology, and were conducted by the same group of investigators. The 2 papers explored patient and physician factors regarding the detection of melanoma among men 40 years and older.
The results of both analyses appear in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology, and were conducted by the same group of investigators. The 2 papers explored patient and physician factors regarding the detection of melanoma among men 40 years and older.
"We looked at middle-aged and older men and found that when physicians detected the melanoma, the lesions were thinner," said senior author Susan M. Swetter, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at Stanford University Medical Center, in California. "When patients discovered them, it tended to be a thicker lesion, and more advanced."
Only 35% of patients reported receiving a full body skin examination in the year prior to their melanoma diagnosis, even though the majority reported having 2 or more physician visits, Dr. Swetter pointed out.
We found that awareness of melanoma was low, and rates of self-examination were low for both thick and thin tumors," Dr. Swetter told Medscape Oncology. "Individuals at the highest risk of developing melanoma and dying from it are not tuned in to diagnosis or even asking physicians for a screening exam."
sources: Medscape Medical News
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