1. Melanoma Raising Awareness

2. Quick Facts About 68,720 people were diagnosed with melanoma in 2009 8,650 died of melanoma Melanoma accounts for 3% of skin cancers, but 75% of skin cancer related deaths 5 th most common cancer in males and 6 th in females If detected early, the survival rate is 99%, but this number drops to 15% when the disease advances Risk for melanoma doubles if a person has had 5 or more sunburns in their lifetime 65% of melanoma cases can be attributed to UV radiation Most common form of cancer for adults ages 25-29 and second most common in young people ages 15-29 1 in 39 men and 1 in 58 women will develop melanoma

3. What is the Cause of Melanoma? Melanoma is caused by a mutation in melanocytes, causing them to divide and grow uncontrollably Melanocytes are body cells that produce the skin pigment melanin Melanin protects the skin from harmful effects of the sun If left untreated, melanoma can spread to deeper skin layers, lymph nodes, and internal organs

4. Signs and Symptoms Often the first sign is a change in the size, shape, color, or feel of an existing mole Remember the ABCD’s: – Asymmetry- the shape of one side does not match the other – Border-blurred or irregular edges with pigment sometimes spreading into surrounding skin – Color- uneven color with areas of pink, black, red, brown, white, gray, or blue – Diameter- change in size resulting in a mole usually larger than a pencil eraser For early detection it is important to conduct regular Skin Exams (click to see video)Skin Exams

5. Factors That Increase Risk of Development Unprotected or excessive exposure to UV rays Fair complexion Family history Multiple or atypical moles Personal history Sever sunburns

6. Prevention Avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when it is the strongest Look for shade– if shadow is shorter than you, then the sun’s rays are too strong Wear protective clothing made of fabric you can’t see through when held up to a light Protect face, neck, and ears with a hat Put on sunscreen of at least SPF 15 and reapply after swimming or perspiring Follow these rules even on overcast days as UV rays can still penetrate the clouds Avoid tanning beds and sun lamps (click to see video) Avoid tanning beds and sun lamps

7. Treatment Surgery- tumor is removed by cutting it out along the margin Chemotherapy- drugs that kill cancer cells are injected intravenously or taken orally Immunotherapy- stimulates patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively Radiation Therapy- high-energy rays are used to kill the cancer

8. New Research BRAF gene found to be abnormal in most melanoma patients. New drug PLX4032 is currently being developed to target this gene. CTLA-4 is a protein the suppresses T-cell immune response, which could allow cancer cells to survive. Ipilimumab is a drug that targets this protein and is now in late stage clinical trials. It is most effective when combined with immunotherapy or chemotherapy. Mutation in c-kit gene linked to melanoma, and various drugs that combat cells with this mutation are in clinical trials.