You have heard the message by now: Melanoma is deadly.
You also probably know that it is the fastest growing cancer in the United States and that one American every hour dies from melanoma.
Amazingly, it wasn’t until 1968 that somebody first looked at it under a microscope confirming it was a melanoma.
We do know that it was highly unlikely his melanoma returned due to the beating he took.
The forced emigration of pasty white English convicts to the sunny continent has led to an epidemic of melanoma several generations later.
Australia holds the distinction of being the melanoma capital of the world.
In 1935 it was estimated that only one in every 1500-2000 Americans would get melanoma.
Interestingly, melanoma is one of the few diseases I can name that tends to affect people from higher socioeconomic groups disproportionately.
It is believed that all those high school girls who tanned for prom back in the 80’s and 90’s account for the skyrocketing rates of melanoma we are seeing in women under 40 currently.
Along with breast and thyroid cancer, melanoma is one of the most common cancers in young women.
If you watch Grey’s Anatomy you know that one of the favorite lead characters died from melanoma a few seasons back.
Governor Brown just outlawed tanning bed use for those under 18 in recognition of the link between ultraviolet light and melanoma.
We’ve known for a long time that if you have melanoma, your first degree relatives are much more likely to get melanoma as well.
Many of the new treatments specifically target various genetic mutations and genes associated with melanoma.
While almost 100% curable if caught early, melanoma has a dismal survival rate once it spreads beyond the skin and into other organs.
Up until the last few years, we have really been no better off in the treatment of advanced melanoma than Dr. Hunter was back in 1787.
A melanoma vaccine led the way and has been extensively studied but has not lived up to the hype yet.
One recent breakthrough medication turns the immune system against the melanoma cells.
If you or someone you know has metastatic melanoma, talk to your doctor about enrolling in a study.
I have several patients with advanced melanoma doing quite well in a few studies thus far.
Find Ethics in your local area
