Who Gets Skin Cancer
Skin cancer tends to affect people of light skin color because they’re born with the least amount of protective melanin in their skin. The odds are highest if you’re:
- Redheaded
- A blue-eyed blonde
- Someone with a pigment disorder, such as albinism
People with many freckles or moles, particularly odd-looking ones, may be vulnerable to melanoma. It’s possible for dark-skinned people to get skin cancer, but it’s rare and usually on lighter areas of their body, such as the soles of the feet or under fingernails or toenails.
Where you live also plays a role. Places with intense sunshine, such as Arizona and Hawaii, have a larger share of people with skin cancer. It’s more common in places where fair-skinned people moved from less sunny areas, like Australia, which was settled largely by fair-skinned people of Irish and English descent.
About 3 times more men than women get skin cancer. It’s more likely when you’re older. Most people diagnosed are between ages 45 and 54, although more younger people are now being affected. If you or any close relatives have had skin cancer, your chances go up.
Alternative Treatments For Melanoma
While the best treatment for melanoma is dependent on the stage of cancer and the individuals overall health, alternative methods are often used in addition to standard medical care. Remedies like eggplant, bloodroot, and essiac tea have been found to deliver natural components to treat and eliminate the affected skin cells.
When To Go For Alternative Solution
One of the default ways to treat melanoma is through chemotherapy, radiation and, even in more advanced cases, may need surgery. Also, there is a type of biological therapy that aims to reduce the carcinogenic substances without the healthiest cells being damaged. To qualify for this treatment, you should ask your physician, as it depends on another set of factors, such as medical history, possible allergic reactions, etc. However, if you have not yet had a melanoma, much better, since what we are going to give you next is a series of home remedies to prevent melanomas. You can also use these remedies in addition to the main course treatment prescribed by your doctor.
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Natural Cure For Skin Cancer Additional Effective Ways
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How Do Dermatologists Diagnose Melanoma
When you see a board-certified dermatologist, your dermatologist will:
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Examine your skin carefully
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Ask questions about your health, medications, and symptoms
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Want to know if melanoma runs in your family
If any spot on your skin looks like skin cancer, your dermatologist will first numb the area and then remove all of it. This can be done during an office visit and is called a skin biopsy. This is a simple procedure, which a dermatologist can quickly, safely, and easily perform.
Having a skin biopsy is the only way to know for sure whether you have skin cancer.
The tissue that your dermatologist removes will be sent to a lab, where a doctor, such as a dermatopathologist, will examine it under a high-powered microscope. The doctor is looking for cancer cells.
What this doctor sees while looking at your tissue will be explained in the pathology report, including whether cancer cells were seen. If melanoma cells are seen, the report will include many important details, including:
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The type of melanoma
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How deeply the melanoma tumor has grown into the skin
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How quickly the melanoma cells are growing and dividing
If its possible to tell the stage of the melanoma, the report will include this information.
Stages of melanoma
Heres an explanation of what each stage of melanoma means:
Stages of melanoma
The melanoma has spread to either: One or more nearby lymph node Nearby skin
Once the stage is known, the next step is treatment.
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What Are The Signs Of Melanoma Skin Cancer
Pimples or freckles are the main sign of melanoma, whether due to any type of modification of existing pimples or freckles , or because new pimples or freckles appear. People who are more prone to melanoma are those who have a lighter skin tone and hair. In addition, if by inheritance some family member suffered some type of nevi or melanoma, it involves more possibilities of suffering a melanoma. On the other hand, it is also easier to get melanomas if you have ever had sunburn, especially in childhood, or if you have been exposed to different ultraviolet rays for a long period of time .
Mistaken For A Bruise
Many people first mistake subungual melanoma as a bruise.3,4 However, unlike a bruise, the streaks from subungual melanoma do not heal or grow out with the nail over time.4 It can also be confused with normal pigmentation of the nail bed or a fungal infection.2 While you can have a streak or bruising under the nail that isnt melanoma, you should ask a dermatologist to check your nails if you notice any changes.
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Articles On Skin Cancer
Skin cancer — abnormal cell changes in the outer layer of skin — is by far the most common cancer in the world. It can usually be cured, but the disease is a major health concern because it affects so many people. About half of fair-skinned people who live to age 65 will have at least one skin cancer. Most can be prevented by protecting your skin from the sun and ultraviolet rays.
Every malignant skin tumor will, over time, show up on the skin‘s surface. That makes this the only type of cancer that is almost always found in its early, curable stages.
Unusual Moles Exposure To Sunlight And Health History Can Affect The Risk Of Melanoma
Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn’t mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk.
Risk factors for melanoma include the following:
- Having a fair complexion, which includes the following:
- Fair skin that freckles and burns easily, does not tan, or tans poorly.
- Blue or green or other light-colored eyes.
- Red or blond hair.
Being White or having a fair complexion increases the risk of melanoma, but anyone can have melanoma, including people with dark skin.
See the following PDQ summaries for more information on risk factors for melanoma:
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Cancer As A Systemic Disease
Cancer is systemic. This means it affects the whole body.
For example, if your dog has a malignant melanoma, you maysee the tumor itself but you cant see how the cancer is affecting the restof your dogs body.;
So, when you choose to remove a tumor, youre just removing one part of the problem. Thats why tumors often come back, especially with skin cancer.
Theres something else at work thats causing the problem to begin with. Cancer in your dog means his immune system isnt working as well as it should. So you need to support the whole body.
How can you do that?
- Stop using heartworm drugs.
- If you must spay or neuter, wait until maturity, and do an ovary-sparing spay or vasectomy if possible.
- Avoid chemicals in your dogs environment. This includes household cleaners and pesticides.
Your attitude towards cancer also plays a role. Changingyour perspective on cancer can make a big difference. Cancer is not adeath sentence. Your emotions can have a significant impact on howhappy and healthy your dog is.
Effective Natural Remedies For Melanoma
Melanoma is a severe form of skin cancer, which is manifested as a dark pigmentation in the skin, eyes, and the bowel that is malignant often leaves the skin scaly and dry.
It is probably the most serious type of skin cancer and, over 50,000 people are diagnosed with Melanoma in the U.S. every year.
The reason a person develops melanoma is not known, but the chances of contracting it are higher in individuals who are exposed to the suns UV rays.
If you think that you can reduce the risk of being hit by skin cancer by the application of sunscreen or avoiding sunlight, you are wrong. This malignant tumor appears as a harmless mole, lump, or sore that has no definite shape or color, and it is likely to change as the disease progresses.
Well, deficiency of sunlight can also escalate the chances of melanoma. Vitamin D obtained from sunlight, is used to repair malignant or damaged cells. So, it is necessary to maintain optimum levels by the body.
- The primary cause is over-exposure to UV rays.
- UV-B rays, are stronger and can cause sunburn, leading to Melanoma
- Tanning beds or salons which are used for the skin tanning can also cause Melanoma
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Treatment Of Stage I Melanoma
For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.
Treatment of stage I melanoma may include the following:
- Surgery to remove the tumor and some of the normaltissue around it. Sometimes lymph node mapping and removal of lymph nodes is also done.
- A clinical trial of new ways to find cancercells in the lymph nodes.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Who Treats Melanoma Skin Cancer
Depending on your options, you may have different types of doctors on your treatment team. These doctors may include:
- A;dermatologist: a doctor who treats diseases of the skin
- A;surgical oncologist;: a doctor who uses surgery to treat cancer
- A;medical oncologist: a doctor who treats cancer with medicines such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy
- A;radiation oncologist: a doctor who treats cancer with radiation therapy
Many other specialists may be involved in your care as well, including; physician assistants , nurse practitioners , nurses, psychologists, social workers, rehabilitation specialists, and other health professionals.
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Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
A;sentinel lymph node biopsy is a procedure to test for the spread of cancer.
It may be offered to people with stage 1B to 2C melanoma. Itâs done at the same time as surgical excision.
Youâll decide with your doctor whether to have a sentinel lymph node biopsy.
If you decide to have the procedure;and the results show no spread to nearby lymph nodes, itâs unlikely youâll have further problems with this melanoma.
If the results confirm melanoma has spread to nearby nodes, your specialist will discuss with you whether further surgery is required.
Additional surgery involves removing the remaining nodes, which is known as a lymph node dissection or completion lymphadenectomy.
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Supplements That May Help
Though in most instances nutritionists prefer you get your nutrients from foods rather than supplements, two antioxidant supplements have recently produced impressive evidence as skin cancer fighters.
Nicotinamide is a form of vitamin B3. Several studies by Diona Damian, MD, and colleagues in Australia have catapulted nicotinamide into the public consciousness, sparking a run on vitamin supplement shelves. Her studies have revealed that nicotinamide reduces the rate of new skin precancers, basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas by 23 percent in patients with a history of these lesions. She has also done early research suggesting that nicotinamide may provide similar benefits to melanoma patients.
When UV damages the skin, DNA repair enzymes in the skin launch into repairing the damage, but never succeed in fixing all of it. The remaining damage can lead to skin aging and skin cancers. However, both oral and topical nicotinamide replenish energy supplies in the skin that get depleted by these repairs. In this way, they bolster the immune systems ability to fix the damage. Also, UV radiation itself suppresses the immune system, and nicotinamide reduces this suppression.
While the research has only used supplements, nicotinamide is also naturally present in small quantities in yeast, lean meats, fish, nuts and legumes.
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Ensure A Sufficient Intake Of Vitamin C And E
Research suggests that a sufficient, long-term intake of vitamin C and vitamin E can reduce the sunburn reaction to UVB irradiation, thereby contributing to a lowered risk of skin cancer. In one study, subjects were given a combination of vitamins C and E for a period of three months. A significant rise in vitamin serum concentrations, associated with an increased protective effect, was found only after one month. The protective effect of these vitamins is believed to result from their antioxidant properties. It makes sense to combine foods that contain vitamin C with foods high in vitamin E as these two nutrients act synergistically.
What Does The Research Say About Apple Cider Vinegar And Skin Cancer
Studies that examine a link between an acidic environment in the body and cancer have shown mixed results.
In one 1996 paper published in Clinical & Experimental Metastasis, scientists found that human melanoma cells may grow and spread more quickly in an acidic environment. But this study was performed on cultured cell samples in a lab.
Other experiments have shown no link between an acidic environment and cancer activity.
Some organizations, such as the American Institute for Cancer Research , say foods like apple cider vinegar have little effect on the bodys pH level. In fact, many experts believe it would be nearly impossible to alter the cell environment to create less acidity in the body.
According to the American Dietetic Association, Large, well-designed clinical trials on the effectiveness of the many claims made for the alkaline diet are lacking.
The inconsistent and insignificant amount of research on the topic has led most health experts to conclude theres not enough research to show apple cider vinegar can treat skin cancer.
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Treating Stage Ii Melanoma
Wide excision is the standard treatment for stage II melanoma. The width of the margin depends on the thickness and location of the melanoma.
Because the melanoma may have spread to nearby lymph nodes, many doctors recommend a sentinel lymph node biopsy as well. This is an option that you and your doctor should discuss.
If an SLNB is done and does not find cancer cells in the lymph nodes, then no further treatment is needed, although close follow-up is still important.
If the SLNB finds that the sentinel node contains cancer cells, then a lymph node dissection will probably be done at a later date. Another option might be to watch the lymph nodes closely by getting an ultrasound of the nodes every few months.
If the SLNB found cancer, adjuvant treatment with an immune checkpoint inhibitor or targeted therapy drugs might be recommended to try to lower the chance the melanoma will come back. Other drugs or perhaps vaccines might also be options as part of a clinical trial.
Notes And Addenda By Healing Cancer Naturally
The above as stated is an old testimonial . Luckily I had found a copy in my archives so I could preserve the information for others to benefit from by publishing it here. I do not have any additional information regarding this person’s healing including the herbal cancer tonic he mentions and his contact or other data that might be helpful but are unfortunately unavailable to me.
If you are interested in herbal cancer treatment approaches you may wish to consult this site’s Herbs & Grasses section.
More malignant melanoma cure testimonials
Concise or detailed melanoma cure reports can be found in
Last but not least, on August 12, 2008 earthclinic.com published the report of a man who had “erased” what appeared to be melanoma skin cancer via topical application of 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide more than twenty years earlier:
After heavy sun exposure, several dark and itchy mole-like formations had appeared on his forearms. His doctor thought them to be melanomas and advised consulting a specialist.
Convinced that hydrogen peroxide would help against them, the man took action: after very gently abrading the surface of the dark bumps with the help of a nail file, he dabbed on straight 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide with a cotton swab until the dark spots turned white.
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