Melanoma is also known as Malignant Melanoma. This is to ascertain that it is a deadly skin cancer if untreated. Females are slightly more affected than males. However women diagnosed with melanoma have a better prognosis than men, irrespective of known differences in site of the disease. In the public mind, a major association exists between increased outdoor activity and increased skin cancer rate. In fact, there are no data available to substantiate such a relationship.
Here are nine more things you may not know about melanoma:
· Melanoma will affect about 54,500 persons in the United States of America, resulting in more than 8,500 deaths.
· Melanoma can affect adults of all ages, even young individuals (from mid-teens).
· The individuals most likely to develop melanoma are those with fair complexions, red or blond hair, blue eyes, and freckles and who tan poorly and sunburn easily. Strong family history of melanoma is also a risk factor. Melanoma hardly ever occurs in Africans and Afro-Americans because they never sunburn.
· Always have a high index of suspicion for changing moles, especially if the edge is irregular and the color/pigmentation changes in any mole.
· The Melanoma Paradox: ‘Sun exposure is associated with increased survival from melanoma’. Why? Because one of sun’s best effects is to increase Vitamin D, which has anti-cancer effects.
· Melanomas may spread via the lymphatic vessels or bloodstream. Once widespread disease to lungs, liver, bone and brain is established, the chance of a cure is low.
· The back is the most common site for melanoma in men. In women, the back and the lower leg (from knee to ankle) are frequent sites.
· Once diagnosed with melanoma, symptoms such as weight loss, malaise, headaches, visual difficulty, or bone pain may mean that the disease has spread to other parts of the body.
· Melanomas may occur even in normal skins. You have to see your doctor immediately if a mole or moles become bigger than 6 millimeters, starts bleeding/itching, changes color or the border becomes irregular. Any of these changes may mean that the mole/moles have become malignant melanoma(s).
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PANCREATITIS: Ten things you may not know about it
The pancreas secrets about 1500-3000mls of fluid per day containing about 20 enzymes. These secretions provide the enzymes needed to affect the major digestive activity of the gastrointestinal tract. If the pancreas is attacked as in pancreatitis enough of these enzymes will not be secreted and there will be problems with digestion and metabolism of food.
PARKINSON’S DISEASE: Ten things you may not know about it
Parkinson’s disease is also known as ‘Paralysis Agitans’. It is a common disease first described by James Parkinson, an English physician in 1817. Here was his exact account of this disease: ‘Involuntary tremulous motion, with lessened muscular power, in parts not in action and even when supported; with a propensity to bend the trunk forward, and to pass from a walking to a running pace, the senses and intellects being uninjured’.
TENSION HEADACHE: Ten things you may not know about it
Tension headache may occur suddenly under conditions of emotional duress or intense worry and can last for hours or a day or two. More often it persists unremittingly for weeks or months. In fact, this is the only type of headache that exhibits the peculiarity of being absolutely continuous day and night for long periods of time. The most provoking factors are fatigue and nervous strain.
