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The Lifesaving Road Trip Screening Tour Raises Awareness About Skin Cancer
The statistics are staggering-and growing. More than 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year. There are more new cases of skin cancer in the U.S. than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer combined. The key to keeping skin healthy? Detect and treat skin cancer as early as possible. Caught in the early stages, skin cancer is treatable.

“Many people are at risk, but skin cancer is also one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer,” says Dr. Mark Lebwohl, Professor and Chairman, Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.

To raise awareness of skin cancer and early detection and treatment, The Skin Cancer Foundation and Doak Dermatologics, a division of Bradley Pharmaceuticals, Inc., have joined forces on an innovative public service campaign. Throughout 2006, The Skin Cancer Screening Tour is heading to major cities across the U.S. to perform this important service.

Doak Dermatologics has built a custom-designed Mobile Diagnosis Vehicle (MDv) that will be staffed by local, board-certified dermatologists in each city, ready to offer free skin cancer screenings. The physicians will be looking for four primary forms of skin cancer or precancerous skin conditions:

1. Actinic Keratosis (AK), which affects 1.3 million people annually. AK is the most common type of precancerous skin lesion. If left untreated, AK can lead to squamous cell carcinoma.

2. Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is a form of skin cancer that affects 200,000 Americans each year. SCC can metastasize (spread) quickly. SCCs that metastasize most often arise on mucous membranes or lips.

3. Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is a common form of skin cancer, affecting more than 800,000 Americans annually. Chronic exposure to sunlight is most often the cause of BCC, which occurs most frequently on exposed parts of the body.

4. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and has increased more rapidly than any other form of skin cancer during the past 10 years. By 2010, melanoma is projected to rise in one in 50 Americans. If diagnosed and removed early, melanoma is almost 100% curable.

Get Screened Today!

When The Skin Cancer Screening Tour comes to town, be sure to pay it a visit. Of course, you don’t have to wait for the MDv to get screened. Make an appointment with your local dermatologist for a screening as soon as you can.

Whether it’s on the MDv or with your dermatologist, the important thing is to get screened early and, if required, treated. It could save your life.

A cross-country tour is helping drive many people toward better health.

Your Prostate Is Your Weakest Link
Prostate health is one of the most important concerns for men, and each man should have it checked yearly after a certain age. Most prostate problems for men happen past age 65, which is why good prostate health is so important earlier in life. However, maintaining a healthy gland is still the best way to avoid having to undergo strenuous treatment tactics to manage these problems.

I certainly feel that having a healthy prostate is an excellent way to keep cancer at bay. Maintaining it healthy is still the best way to avoid treatment techniques that may cause discomfort and pain. The secrets to a healthy prostate have existed for decades and some of them
are no further than your own backyard.

1- A 2003 study found that men who got the most ultraviolet (UV) exposure from sunlight tended to maintain healthier glands than those who got very
little UV. Spend more time in your back yard — or in your garden, on a hiking trail or in a sprawling meadow — means youre out in the sun.

2- A 10-20 minute prostate massage at least once a month, and as often as once a day, is important for a healthy gland. This can help equal the sensual playing field between partners; if a healthy prostate is massaged correctly, it can become super stimulated and feel like it is glowing.

There are other ways of determining a healthy prostate, one of them being a blood test which measures the concentration of a protein called Prostate
Specific Antigen. There are three well-known plants that are often used to help promote a healthy prostate. One of them, Saw palmetto has been tested
in numerous clinical studies and it has now been shown to help promote a healthy prostate in several ways. Another important benefit of Saw Palmetto, Pygeum, Stinging Nettles and Beta Sitosterol is that they help control unhealthy DHT levels and estrogen levels. It is probably the reason why Saw Palmetto, Pygeum and Stinging Nettles work so well to promote healthy prostate function.

Natural prostate health is the best choice that many men are making today to ensure their health, since natural health is about taking care of
your body as a whole. Remember that a healthy body means a healthy prostate, and the key to good prostate health is to keep your body in tiptop shape through exercise, proper drinking habits, and vitamins and minerals. Prostacet is an all-natural product that is very effective for
reducing prostate size. Theres no question about it, no matter how strong your health at this moment, your prostate is your weakest link

Melanoma is a malignant tumor predominantly found in the skin but can be found elsewhere, especially the eye. The vast majority of melanomas originate in the skin. Melanomas are the most lethal form of skin cancer. As with most forms of cancer, earlier detection gives patients a better chance of survival.

Epidemiologic studies from Australia suggest that exposure to ultraviolet radiation is one of the major contributors to the development of melanoma. Occasional extreme sun exposure resulting in a sunburn is causally related to melanoma. Those with more chronic long term exposure (outdoor workers) may develop protective mechanisms. Melanoma is most common on the back in men and on legs in women (areas of intermittent sun exposure) and is more common in indoor workers than outdoor workers (in a British study). Other factors are mutations in or total loss of tumor suppressor genes. Use of sunbeds with deeply penetrating UVA rays has been linked to the development of skin cancers, including melanoma.

Possible significant elements in determining risk include the intensity and duration of sun exposure, the age at which sun exposure occurs, and the degree of skin pigmentation. Exposure during childhood is a more important risk factor than exposure in adulthood. This is seen in migration studies in Australia where people tend to retain the risk profile of their country of birth if they migrate to Australia as an adult. Individuals with blistering or peeling sunburns especially in the first twenty years of life have a significantly greater risk for melanoma.

Fair and red-headed people are at greater risk for developing melanoma. A person with multiple atypical nevi or dysplastic nevi are at a significant risk. Persons born with giant congenital naevi are at increased risk.

A family history of melanoma greatly increases a person’s risk. Certain ‘melanoma families’ display features of mendelian inheritance of cancer causing genes. It is critical that individuals with family members who have been diagnosed with melanoma be checked regularly for skin cancer. Patients with a history of one melanoma are at increased risk of developing a second primary tumour.

Do you suspect that you may have Melanoma?

Any mole that is irregular in color or shape should be examined by a doctor to determine if it is a malignant melanoma, the most serious and life-threatening form of skin cancer. Following a visual examination and a dermatoscopic exam (an instrument that illuminates a mole, revealing its underlying pigment and vascular network structure), the doctor may biopsy the suspicious mole. If it is malignant, the mole and an area around it needs excision by a surgeon or dermatologist.

The diagnosis of melanoma requires experience, as early stages may look identical to harmless moles or not have any color at all. Where any doubt exists, the patient will be referred to a specialist dermatologist.

How to Prevent Melanoma

Minimize exposure to sources of ultraviolet radiation (the sun and sunbeds).

Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and broad-brimmed hats offers the best protection.

Use a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or better on exposed areas.

Disclaimer – The information presented here should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you suspect you have Melanoma, please consult your physician as early as possible for diagnosis and treatment options.

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