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Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Eight

Melanoma EARLY DETECTION AND PREVENTION REMAIN THE KEY MESSAGE FOR SKIN CANCER Words by Dr John Gault Recent figures released from the Cancer Council reported that over 460 people on the Gold Coast are diagnosed with melanoma each year. Melanoma has been named “The Queensland Disease” by authorities, as the state registers the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. Cancer Council Qld reports that across the state, 3,000 melanoma and 133,000 non-melanoma skin cancers are detected and diagnosed each year. With these statistics it really is vital that people adopt a 'sun smart' approach to our outdoor lifestyle on the Gold Coast. Melanoma is most commonly linked with sun exposure. The risk later in life is accumulated in childhood; the more sun exposure you had as a child, the greater the risk long term. The Melanoma Institute of Australia’s current recommendation for prevention is to “protect your skin from UV radiation, avoid sun exposure between 11am and 3pm. Seek shade, wear protective clothing that covers as much of your body as possible, wear a broad brimmed hat and apply SPF 30+ broad spectrum sunscreen at least every two hours”. For more on sun safety visit www.sunsmart.com.au. So what is melanoma? It is a potentially fatal form of skin cancer that affects the pigment cells in the skin called melanocytes. If left untreated, melanoma grows very quickly. It can spread outwards or downwards into the lower layers of the skin, enter your lymphatic system or blood stream and spread to other parts of the body such as the brain, liver lungs or bones. The good news about melanoma is that if it is detected early, treatment can be very effective. The current recommendation of the Melanoma Institute of Australia is to check your skin regularly (every three months). This includes your whole body, even the soles of your feet together with a yearly check up by a professional. Regular skin check ups aid in identifying any new changes to the skin. 28 Pindara Magazine 2016


Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Eight
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