Showing posts with label Survivors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Survivors. Show all posts
Susan Lucy: "Basal Cell Carcinoma Affects Approximately One Million Americans Each Year"
168 comments Posted by Sun Safety Alliance at 7:33 AM
Susan Lucy, is a beach body coach. She loves to work out, eat healthy, and stay fit. Susan is a mom. She is a blogger, a tweeter...
Susan has skin cancer.
Read her story about being diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma.
Sun - Friend or Foe???
by
When I was a teen, I, like most girls my age, liked to go to the beach and lie in sun. I am very fair-skinned but do tan well but I certainly have had my share of sunburns as a youth. I never ever thought at 41, I would be diagnosed with skin cancer.
Now, I don't have the really bad kind - melonoma. I have Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which is the most common form of skin cancer, affecting approximately one million Americans each year. In fact, it is the most common of all cancers. More than one out of every three new cancers are skin cancers, and the vast majority are basal cell carcinomas. These cancers arise in the basal cells, which line the deepest layer of the epidermis (top skin layer).
I am very good about going to the Dermatologist. My grandfather did die of Melonoma at 50 and I have a lot of moles and freckles. So once a year, I subject myself to a full body scan by my Dermatologist. I have had a few mysterious looking moles taken off but all in all, I get a clean bill of health and the "wear suncreen and I will see you next spring" speech. This time though, I had two red patches on my right shoulder and back that I had noticed over the winter and thought they were most likely eczema. When my dermatologist told me that she didn't like the look of them and wanted to biopsy, I knew they were probably cancer or at least pre-cancerous. When I called the office for results and they told me that the doctor would call me back, I really knew. That is never a good sign.
Anyone with a history of sun exposure can develop basal cell carcinoma. However, people who are at highest risk have fair skin, blond or red hair, and blue, green, or grey eyes. Those most often affected are older people, but as the number of new cases has increased sharply each year in the last few decades, the average age of patients at onset has steadily decreased. The disease is rarely seen in children, but occasionally a teenager is affected. Dermatologists report that more and more people in their twenties and thirties are being treated for this skin cancer. Men with basal cell carcinoma have outnumbered women with the disease, but more women are getting basal cell carcinomas than in the past.
Basal cell carcinomas are easily treated in their early stages. Although this skin cancer seldom spreads, or metastasizes, to vital organs, it can damage surrounding tissue, sometimes causing considerable destruction and disfigurement — and some basal cell carcinomas are more aggressive than others.
I have two options for treatment:
EXCISIONAL SURGERY
After numbing the area with local anesthesia, the physician uses a scalpel to remove the entire growth along with a surrounding border of normal skin as a safety margin. The skin around the surgical site is then closed with a number of stitches, and the excised tissue is sent to the laboratory for microscopic examination to verify that all the malignant cells have been removed. The effectiveness of the technique produces cure rates around 90 percent.
CURETTAGE AND ELECTRODESICCATION
Using local anesthesia, the physician scrapes off the cancerous growth with a curette (a sharp, ring-shaped instrument). The heat produced by an electrocautery needle destroys residual tumor and controls bleeding. This technique may be repeated twice or more to ensure that all cancer cells are eliminated. It can produce cure rates approaching those of surgical excision, but may not be as useful for aggressive basal cell carcinomas or those in high-risk or difficult sites.
Because my cancer is superficial, I am planning on the latter option because the recovery is quicker and I won't need stitches. I still will have two circular scars as opposed to a linear one but I can deal with that. This cancer developed in the last year. Had I not had yearly checkups, I may not have had this option.
People who have had one basal cell carcinoma are at risk for developing others over the years, either in the same area or elsewhere on the body. For the next year, I will have to go back every 3 months to make sure more cancer does not develop in other areas.
I didn't post this note for pity but rather to hopefully educate people about the importance of having yearly skin checks with a dermatologist.
I am also using this as a learning lesson for my kids who give me grief all the time about wearing sunscreen. The damage on me was done years ago. 85% of sun damage is done by the time you are 18 years old. I have taken pictures of my shoulder and back biopsy sites and have talked extensively to them about wearing sunscreen. They have never had a sunburn but as they get older, they are more resistant to my insistence that they apply it every time they go out in the sun. We have a house on Cape Cod so it is virtually impossible for us to stay out of the sun. Hopefully, they will learn from my experience.
Be well,
Susan
Susan will be having her skin cancer removed August 24th, 2009. We wish her the best of luck and will update you as soon as she updates her blog: http://getfitwithsusan.blogspot.com/
Now, I don't have the really bad kind - melonoma. I have Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which is the most common form of skin cancer, affecting approximately one million Americans each year. In fact, it is the most common of all cancers. More than one out of every three new cancers are skin cancers, and the vast majority are basal cell carcinomas. These cancers arise in the basal cells, which line the deepest layer of the epidermis (top skin layer).
 |
| From Sun Safety Alliance Photos |
I am very good about going to the Dermatologist. My grandfather did die of Melonoma at 50 and I have a lot of moles and freckles. So once a year, I subject myself to a full body scan by my Dermatologist. I have had a few mysterious looking moles taken off but all in all, I get a clean bill of health and the "wear suncreen and I will see you next spring" speech. This time though, I had two red patches on my right shoulder and back that I had noticed over the winter and thought they were most likely eczema. When my dermatologist told me that she didn't like the look of them and wanted to biopsy, I knew they were probably cancer or at least pre-cancerous. When I called the office for results and they told me that the doctor would call me back, I really knew. That is never a good sign.
Anyone with a history of sun exposure can develop basal cell carcinoma. However, people who are at highest risk have fair skin, blond or red hair, and blue, green, or grey eyes. Those most often affected are older people, but as the number of new cases has increased sharply each year in the last few decades, the average age of patients at onset has steadily decreased. The disease is rarely seen in children, but occasionally a teenager is affected. Dermatologists report that more and more people in their twenties and thirties are being treated for this skin cancer. Men with basal cell carcinoma have outnumbered women with the disease, but more women are getting basal cell carcinomas than in the past.
 |
| From Sun Safety Alliance Photos |
Basal cell carcinomas are easily treated in their early stages. Although this skin cancer seldom spreads, or metastasizes, to vital organs, it can damage surrounding tissue, sometimes causing considerable destruction and disfigurement — and some basal cell carcinomas are more aggressive than others.
I have two options for treatment:
EXCISIONAL SURGERY
After numbing the area with local anesthesia, the physician uses a scalpel to remove the entire growth along with a surrounding border of normal skin as a safety margin. The skin around the surgical site is then closed with a number of stitches, and the excised tissue is sent to the laboratory for microscopic examination to verify that all the malignant cells have been removed. The effectiveness of the technique produces cure rates around 90 percent.
 |
| From Sun Safety Alliance Photos |
CURETTAGE AND ELECTRODESICCATION
Using local anesthesia, the physician scrapes off the cancerous growth with a curette (a sharp, ring-shaped instrument). The heat produced by an electrocautery needle destroys residual tumor and controls bleeding. This technique may be repeated twice or more to ensure that all cancer cells are eliminated. It can produce cure rates approaching those of surgical excision, but may not be as useful for aggressive basal cell carcinomas or those in high-risk or difficult sites.
 |
| From Sun Safety Alliance Photos |
Because my cancer is superficial, I am planning on the latter option because the recovery is quicker and I won't need stitches. I still will have two circular scars as opposed to a linear one but I can deal with that. This cancer developed in the last year. Had I not had yearly checkups, I may not have had this option.
People who have had one basal cell carcinoma are at risk for developing others over the years, either in the same area or elsewhere on the body. For the next year, I will have to go back every 3 months to make sure more cancer does not develop in other areas.
I didn't post this note for pity but rather to hopefully educate people about the importance of having yearly skin checks with a dermatologist.
I am also using this as a learning lesson for my kids who give me grief all the time about wearing sunscreen. The damage on me was done years ago. 85% of sun damage is done by the time you are 18 years old. I have taken pictures of my shoulder and back biopsy sites and have talked extensively to them about wearing sunscreen. They have never had a sunburn but as they get older, they are more resistant to my insistence that they apply it every time they go out in the sun. We have a house on Cape Cod so it is virtually impossible for us to stay out of the sun. Hopefully, they will learn from my experience.
 |
| From Sun Safety Alliance Photos |
Be well,
Susan
 |
| From Sun Safety Alliance Photos |
This is a study by the National Institutes of Health and AVAX Technologies to determine whether M-Vax is effective in shrinking melanomas that have spread (stage IV). To increase it effectiveness, the M-Vax dosing will be followed by administration of low doses of interleukin-2 (IL2), a marketed drug that is known to stimulate immunity and cause some shrinkage of melanomas. This national study is currently recruiting patients who have Stage IV melanoma and who meet the study's other criteria.
M-Vax + Low Dose Interleukin-2 Versus Placebo Vaccine in Metastatic Melanoma in Patients With Stage IV Melanoma
Purpose
Previous studies suggests that M-Vax, a melanoma vaccine prepared from patients own cancer cells, can stimulated patients' immune system to react against their cancer. AVAX has identified a dose and schedule of administration of M-Vax that work optimally. In this study, AVAX will determine whether M-Vax is effective in shrinkage of melanomas that have spread (stage IV). To increase it effectiveness, M-Vax administration will be followed by administration of low doses of interleukin-2 (IL2), a marketed drug that is known to stimulate immunity and cause some shrinkage of melanomas.
Two-thirds of patients will receive M-Vax + IL2, and one-third will receive a placebo vaccine + IL2. The study is blinded so that neither the patients nor their physicians know which material they are receiving.
To be eligible for this study, patients must have at least one melanoma tumor that can be surgically removed and made into a vaccine. In addition, they must have melanoma that has spread to to the lungs or to soft tissue sites (under the skin, on the surface of the skin, lymph nodes). Eligible patients may have previously received one treatment (for example, chemotherapy) for their melanoma.
Side effects of M-Vax are expected to be mild; the most common is the development of sore pimples at the site of vaccine injections. The low dose IL2 may cause some fatigue and other mild symptoms.
It is expected that 387 patients will be treated in this study.
Eligibility
| Genders Eligible for Study: | Both |
| Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
Stage IV metastatic melanoma of cutaneous or mucosal origin or without known primary site
- At least one metastatic mass that is surgically resectable, excluding metastases in brain, bowel, or bone
- Successful preparation of a vaccine that meets quality control release criteria
- Following surgery for vaccine preparation, subjects must have at least one measurable metastasis defined by modified RECIST criteria. Non-measurable metastases may also be present. Residual metastases (measurable or non-measurable) must be limited to skin (dermal or subcutaneous), lymph node, or lung, or a combination of these.
- No prior systemic treatment or one prior systemic treatment for metastatic melanoma, not counting post-surgical adjuvant treatment with alpha interferon
- Minimum of one month and maximum of 4 months since the surgery
- Expected survival of at least 6 months
- Karnofsky performance status at least 80
- Signed informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
Failure to prepare a vaccine that meets all quality control release criteria
- Uveal melanoma
- Post-surgical residual metastases in sites other than specified in 6.1
- Brain metastases, current or past (unless successfully treated at least one year prior to enrollment)
- Hepatic transaminase > 2.5 x ULN
- Total bilirubin > 2.0 mg/Dl
- Creatinine > 2.0 mg/Dl
- Hemoglobin <>
- WBC <>
- Platelet count <>
- Limited field radiotherapy, i.e., limited to recent surgical site, less than 4 weeks prior to first dose of vaccine
- Major field radiotherapy less than 6 months prior to first dose of vaccine
- Any systemic treatment for metastatic melanoma, including chemotherapy, cytokines, or investigational drugs less than 2 months prior to first dose of vaccine
- Previous administration of M-Vax
- Prior splenectomy
- Administration of systemic steroids less than 4 weeks prior to first dose of vaccine. Topical steroids are allowed during the study, provided these are not applied to vaccine injection sites. Inhaled aerosol steroids also are allowed during the study.
- Administration of immunosuppressive drugs less than 4 weeks prior to first dose of vaccine
- Administration of antitubercular drugs (e.g., isoniazid, rifampin, streptomycin) less than 4 weeks prior to first dose of vaccine
- HIV 1/2 positive by ELISA, confirmed by Western blot
- Hepatitis B surface antigen or hepatitis C antibody positive
- Other malignancy within 5 years except: curatively treated non-invasive melanoma, non-melanomatous skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix, or early stage (stage A or B1) prostate cancer
- Autoimmune diseases that would interfere with an immunologic response (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis or ankylosing spondylitis)
- Concurrent medical condition that would preclude compliance or immunologic response to study treatment
- Concurrent serious infection, including active tuberculosis, or other serious medical condition
- Pregnancy or lactation (serum human chorionic gonadotropin [HCG] test must be negative in fertile women at screening visit)
- Known gentamicin allergy
- Anergic, defined by the inability to make a DTH to at least one of the following: candida, mumps, tetanus or trichophyton (based upon availability)
Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00477906
Contacts
| Contact: Francois Martelet, MD | 215-241-9760 | fmartelet@avax-tech.com |
Locations
| United States, Florida | |
| Baptist Cancer Institute | Not yet recruiting |
| Jacksonville, Florida, United States, 32207 | |
| Contact: Troy Guthrie, MD 904-202-7998 Troy.Guthrie@BMCJAX.com | |
| Principal Investigator: Troy Guthrie, MD | |
| United States, Illinois | |
| University of Illinois at Chicago Cancer Center | Recruiting |
| Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612 | |
| Contact: Cathleen Schaffer, RN 312-413-3863 CSchaffe@uic.edu | |
| Contact: Michael Warso, MD warso@uic.edu | |
| Principal Investigator: Michael A. Warso, MD | |
| Cancer Treatment Centers of American - Midwestern | Recruiting |
| Zion, Illinois, United States, 60099 | |
| Contact: Joy Jardinico, RN 847-731-4143 joy-jardinico@ctca-hope.com | |
| Contact: Stephen Ray, MD stephen.ray@ctca-hope.com | |
| Principal Investigator: Stephen Ray, MD | |
| United States, Kentucky | |
| University of Louisville School of Medicine | Not yet recruiting |
| Louisville, Kentucky, United States, 40202 | |
| Contact: Deborah Hulsewede, CCRC, CCRP 502-629-3308 deborah.hulsewede@nortonhealthcare.org | |
| Principal Investigator: Kelly McMasters, MD | |
| University of Kentucky - Markey Cancer Center | Recruiting |
| Lexington, Kentucky, United States, 40536 | |
| Contact: Heather Dunn 859-257-4464 hldunn2@email.uky.edu | |
| Principal Investigator: John J Rinehart, MD | |
| United States, New Hampshire | |
| Dartmouth-Hitchcock Cancer Center | Recruiting |
| Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States, 03756 | |
| Contact: Dorie Belloni 603-653-3567 Dorothy.R.Belloni@Dartmouth.EDU | |
| Principal Investigator: Marc Ernstoff, MD | |
| United States, Oklahoma | |
| Cancer Treatment Centers of America - SouthWestern | Not yet recruiting |
| Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States, 74133 | |
| Contact: Michele M Sumner, BS 918-286-5450 Michele.Sumner@ctca-hope.com | |
| Contact: Pierre J Greef, MD 918-286-5450 | |
| Principal Investigator: Pierre J. Greef, MD | |
| United States, Pennsylvania | |
| Thomas Jefferson University | Not yet recruiting |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19107 | |
| Contact: Takami Sato, MD 215-955-1752 t_sato@mail.jci.tju.edu | |
| Principal Investigator: Takami Sato, MD | |
| St. Lukes Cancer Center | Recruiting |
| Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States, 18015 | |
| Contact: Kelly Filchner, MSN 610-954-3582 FilchnK@slhn.org | |
| Principal Investigator: Sanjiv Agarwala, MD | |
| University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center | Recruiting |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104 | |
| Contact: Mary Carberry 215-614-1813 mary.carberryi@uphs.upenn.edu | |
| Principal Investigator: Lynn M Schuchter, MD | |
| United States, Texas | |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center | Recruiting |
| Houston, Texas, United States, 77030 | |
| Contact: Peggy Tong, RN 713-745-5030 PLTong@MDAnderson.org | |
| Principal Investigator: Jeffrey Lee, MD | |
| Belgium | |
| Universite Catholique de Louvain (UCL) | Recruiting |
| Brussels, Belgium, 1200 | |
| Contact: Aline Duquenne 32 2 764 5427 Aline.Duquenne@uclouvain.be | |
| Principal Investigator: Jean-Francois Baurain, MD | |
| Centre Hospitalier Regional de Namur | Recruiting |
| Namur, Belgium, 5000 | |
| Contact: Jean-Phillippe Hermanne, MD 32 81 72 60 30 Hermanne@ideone.BE | |
| Principal Investigator: Jean-Phillippe Hermanne, MD | |
Sponsors and Collaborators
AVAX Technologies
Investigators
| Study Director: | Francois Martelet, MD | AVAX Technologies |
SELF Magazine, MSNBC, and Dr. Elizabeth Tanzi work to educate the public about the severity of melanoma.
1 comments Posted by Sun Safety Alliance at 10:27 AMDr. Elizabeth Tanzi, (@SkinLaserMD), is an internationally-known author and lecturer on cosmetic dermatology and cutaneous laser surgery. She joined the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery in 2001 and currently serves as the Co-director of Laser Surgery. Dr. Tanzi also holds a position as clinical Instructor in the Department of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins Hospital Center. Dr. Tanzi pursued her medical education at the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York, where she graduated in the Alpha Omega Alpha. You can visit her website as well at skinlaser.com
Dr. Tanzi is also a skin cancer survivor.
She was recently featured in SELF magazine as well as on the Today show to educate audiences about the seriousness of skin cancer. During the interview, Dr. Tanzi draws attention to many excellent points, that we at the Sun Safety Alliance also hold strong to be advocates of.
"1 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed yearly". Skin cancer is on the rise, and people must become smarter while in the sun. "People need to hear about the number of increased cases of skin cancer". Especially melanoma. It is "the most preventable and curable form of cancer", but also the most deadly. The Skin Cancer Foundation has stated that “one person every hour dies from melanoma”.
"30 SPF and up will block 97% of the sun's rays". Fight melanoma by applying and applying and reapplying. When most apply sunscreen, they only apply bare minimum. It's greasy and sticks to every thing. Sand and sunscreen are among the most obnoxious combination. Yet did you know you are supposed to apply an ounce of sunscreen every time you apply and reapply? "Reapply an ounce! That is so much!"
To encourage readers to protect themselves from melanoma, SELF-magazine has offered, in accordance with a recent Harvard study, to send a text message reminder about reapplying sunscreen. If you text SELFSKIN to 467467, you will receive four weekly alerts reminding readers to reapply.
“The only safe tan is a fake tan”. Dr. Tanzi explains that tanning beds are the equivalent of smoking and should not be used. Many young people today are in denial that skin cancer is real and they subject themselves to skin cancer by roasting in tanning beds. They do not understand the severity, look through some of the quotes pulled from twitter:
@Farraaa: “tanning.. yay skin cancer”
@taylordawnn: “tanning again. Skin cnacer? Probably”
@adeledgirltellem“so one of my best friends has skin cancer & i promised i'd stop tanning & such. but i cant do it! sorry bbygrl- LAYING OUT @ the beach <3
Though it is frustrating that a twitter search on "skin cancer" brings up a number of people that are ignorant to the realities of the disease, there are a few that advocate sun safety and skin cancer awareness. Those of us that have the knowledge and the evidence that skin cancer is on the rise must continue to educate those around us. Because many are unaware the severity of skin cancer and it's our job to inform them.
Interview with: Jeff Nygaard, Skin Cancer Survivor and Professional Beach Volleyball Player
0 comments Posted by Sun Safety Alliance at 7:44 PM |
| From Sun Safety Alliance Photos |
o Three-time Olympian volleyball player,
o Seven-time AVP Open Champion,
o Two-time MVP and NCAA Champion,
o Melanoma survivor.
This professional beach volleyball player is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Sun Safety Alliance. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jeff to talk about how he puts the pro in protection…
SSA: As a professional volleyball player, you must spend a lot of time outdoors. How have your sun safety habits changed since being diagnosed with skin cancer?
Jeff: Ever since my diagnosis, I now wear nothing but long sleeve, 50 SPF shirts to play in competitions as well as practices sessions. In fact, for the majority of outdoor exposure time I will always be wearing a hat and long sleeve shirt. I also will reapply sunscreen every two hours regardless of whether I am sweating or active or not. And when I am not playing, I am in the shade somewhere focusing on diminishing my sun exposure.
SSA: What advice could you offer other aspiring athletes regarding the importance of year-round sun safety protection and awareness?
Jeff: From my experience, the best advice is actually the dispelling of a myth. If you are in the sun, but it is a really overcast day, that is the day you really need to be aware of your exposure and apply sunscreen. The clouds don't block the harmful rays...it traps them and burns you more.
SSA: How has being diagnosed with skin cancer impacted your personal and professional life?
A3. My experience was very prioritizing for me. Things I may have overlooked or taken for granted came to the forefront. I realized quickly what really mattered to me and in what order. Though I have devoted 20+ years to volleyball, if I needed to walk away from playing to stay safe, I could do it without regret. My family, my life and my health took priority to my job.
SSA: As a parent, what advice would you offer regarding educating and protecting their own children from unhealthy sun habits?
Jeff: Being a parent, the best advice is to live what you try to sell to your kids. Telling a child the dangers of sun exposure while you are sunbathing with amplifier on is not going to work. If you stay out of the sun during peak times, and put on sunscreen when you are outside, then you child is more likely to imitate and understand what you are doing adopting the good sun habits.
SSA: As a melanoma survivor, what words of encouragement would you like to offer our SSA readers?
Jeff: Melanoma, while scary, is manageable if you continually visit your dermatologist and stay on top of it. You can continue to live a normal life and do all the things that you want to do. Practice safer sun habits and diminish the opportunities of damaging you skin further.
Playing and watching sports is a popular past time, but often entails long hours in the sun. It is important to remember to practice sun safety for optimal skin health. Sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, are all pivotal while playing outdoor sports or spectating!
The Sun Safety Alliance has teamed up with the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) to promote sun safety. Together we can raise awareness about skin cancer and ultimately save lives.
Click here to learn more about AVP Cares, the AVP's community service program.
