SKIN CANCER

Now that the summer is over, it is time to get screened for skin cancer. Melanoma may suddenly appear without warning, but it may also begin in, or near a mole, or another dark spot on the skin. It is important to know the location and appearance of the moles on our bodies so any change will be noticed. Early detection is the surest way to a cure. The most important step you can take is to have any changing mole examined by Dr. Green so that any early lesion can be removed while still in the earliest stage.

It is projected that this malignant melanoma will develop on the skin of 44,000 Americans annually. Every year, an estimated 7,300 Americans will die from melanoma. It is important to note that the death rate is al last declining because patients are seeking help earlier. Like the less aggressive skin cancers, Basal cell and Squamous cell carcinomas; Melanoma is almost always curable when detected in its early stages.

How Skin Cancer is Treated

If a skin biopsy reveals that an area of the skin is cancerous, the Dermatologist has an array of surgical procedures to treat the cancer depending on the needs of the individual patient. Early detection and removal offer the best chance for a cure.

A - Asymmetry One half unlike the other half.	B - Border Irregular Scalloped or poorly circumscribed border.

C - Color Varied Color varied rom one area to another, shades of tan and brown, black, sometimes white, red or blue.	D - Diameter Larger Diameter larger than 6mm as a rule (diameter of a pencil eraser).