Skin Cancer Increases Risk for Other Cancers

Skin Cancer

While most people are aware of the fact that malignant melanoma can be a life threatening form of skin cancer, and that medicine has established that a person who has had a melanoma is at greater risk for developing another melanoma and other cancers later in life, the same appears to be true for all skin cancers.  Skin cancer is a disease of all races and skin colors, not just pale whites.  A review of the literature shows that photoprotection and other preventive measures are recommended for all people when it comes to exposure to ultraviolet light.

A study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, from Oxford University, of mortality data from 1999 to 2011 in England, showed the risk of primary malignant cancers was higher for those patients who previously had nonmelanoma skin cancers.  There was a significant increase in the rates of salivary gland, melanoma, bone and upper gastrointestinal tract cancers.  Risk was higher for those who had skin cancer at an earlier age.

Source:  HealthDay news


Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Indoor Tanning Hazardous Especially For Young Ages

JAMA Dermatology just recently published a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis, done by the University of California in San Francisco, to assess the international prevalence of exposure to indoor tanning among over 400,000 participants in Australia, Europe and the United States.  They studied the risk for both nonmelanoma skin cancer and for melanoma.

The World Health Organization rates indoor tanning as a group 1 carcinogen with malignant melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer.  The researchers found that the risk of all types of skin cancers was highest in those exposed at young ages, and because indoor tanning is still common among youth, determined indoor tanning to be a major public health issue.

For more detail, see: www.chemotherapyadvisor.com


Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

A, B, C, D, E's of Melanoma

Dr. Jerry Brewer, Mayo Clinic Dermatologist, suggests these guides for skin self-exams:  

• A--asymmetry:  one side of a mole or dark spot looks different from the other side

• B--border:  instead of being circular or oval, the mole has a jagged edge  

• C--color:  the mole has more than one color, a dark area, a light area or the colors red, white or blue within it  

• D--diameter:  the mole is larger than 6 mm across, roughly the size of a pencil eraser

• E--evolution:  any other changes are noted in the mole, even if the change isn't part of the above.  Any itching or bleeding in a mole is also important.  

The summer sun can cause a normal mole to change into a malignant one.


Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Tanning Beds Increases Melanoma in Young Adults

Tanning beds are bad news for younger people, and still 40% of them do it!  In Mayo ClinicProceedings, a study reports that between the years 1970 and 2009 the incidence of melanoma increased eightfold among young women and fourfold among young men between the ages of 18 and 39.  Besides the tendency of younger skin to be vulnerable and younger people less likely to use sunscreen protection, the researchers linked the risk of melanoma to tanning-bed use.  Tanning beds can give seven times the dose of UV radiation as the sun.  In 2009, the International Agency of Researchon Cancer declared tanning beds a human carcinogen, moving them into the top cancer-risk category alongside cigarettes.  

Source: Time Magazine 

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Melanoma in Children and Adolescents Increasing

Researchers following melanoma rates from 1973 to 2009 have found a 2% increase in cases in persons younger than the age of 20.  They found that the incidence was 1.6 times higher in girls than in boys and increased with age, with the most rapid increase in 10 to 14 years old.  This emphasizes the need for examinations by a dermatologist beginning at a young age to create a map of the patient's body.  Alarmingly, the spread of melanomas to lymph nodes or tissues grew at a 5.9% per year.  For girls, the most common sites were the legs and hips.  For boys, the common sites were face and trunk.  The importance of early detection is emphasized by the fact that in the study population, 9.1% of patients 12 to 17 years old and 17.2% of patients 18 to 20 years old died from melanoma.

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Melanoma: Causes and Prevention

Melanoma is one of the fastest growing cancers worldwide, especially in young women under 30. However, most melanoma is curable in its early stages, with an over 90% survival rate. The sun's rays that nourish and energize the human body are unfortunately also a main cause of melanoma. It is important to learn what you can do to protect yourself and decrease your risk of melanoma.

Causes Of Melanoma

Ultraviolet rays Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. The two types of UV rays that cause melanoma are UV-A and UV-B rays. UV-A rays are fairly constant throughout the year, and contribute to aging and wrinkling of the skin. UV-B rays, stronger than UV-A rays, are more intense in the summer months and are the most common cause of sunburn. The longer you are out in the sun, the more UV radiation you receive. A blistering sunburn at an early age can double a person's chance of developing melanoma later in life.

Tanning Beds The popularity of tanning beds has greatly increased in recent years. Tanning beds emit UV rays to speed up the skin tanning process, which has made them especially popular with young people. However, exposure to tanning beds before age 30 increases a person's risk of developing melanoma by 75%. Younger people who regularly use tanning beds are eight times more likely to develop melanoma than people who have never used them. Even occasional use of tanning beds by people under 30 triples the chances of developing melanoma.

Here are some easy ways to help protect your skin from UV rays and reduce your risk of melanoma:

Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. If you have fair skin or light hair, you are more susceptible to the sun's rays and should use a sunscreen with a higher SPF.

Use waterproof sunscreen to make sure it stays on longer, even if you perspire or get wet.

Reapply sunscreen often, usually every two hours, but sooner if you've been swimming or are perspiring heavily.

Cover your whole body. Remember those areas that can be easy to forget, such as your ears, eyelids, lips, nose, hands, feet, and the top of your head.

Choose sunscreen labeled “broad spectrum,” meaning that it protects against both types of harmful rays: UV-A and UV-B.

Avoid tanning salons, as exposure to ultraviolet radiation increases your risk of melanoma.

Wear wrap-around sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection to safeguard your eyes.

Seek shade or avoid the sun during the peak hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sun is strongest during those hours, even on cloudy days.

Use extra caution near water, snow and sand, as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.

Wear a hat with a wide brim to help shade your eyes, ears and head.


Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that protects a larger area of your skin, such as long-sleeve shirts or long pants. Tightly woven fabrics in dark or bright colors are best.

Source: This article originally appeared on Oncology Nurse Advisor.


Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

If You've Had Cancer Once...

At the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), investigators reported a study of melanoma survivors.  They found that many do not seek shade, 27% never wear sunscreen, and even 2.1% use tanning beds.  Since patients who have previously had melanoma are at greater risk than normal individuals to have a second melanoma, these statistics are alarming.  Therefore, more could be done to educate melanoma survivors on how to prevent recurrence.

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Genetics of Melanoma

Scientific medical investigations are focusing on genes that may contribute to the development of disease and that may make disease cells resistant to treatment.  Such is the case with melanoma.  As reported in ChemotherapyAdvisor, referring to an recent article published in Science, there are two mutations in gene regulatory regions that together occur in 71% of malignant melanoma tumors.  They are both somatic telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene promoter mutations.  Researchers have also found that the presence of the gene TP63, codes for a protein p63, that is associated with a higher risk of death in patients with melanoma.  Many consider the future of medicine as gene therapy.

More of this fascinating research can be found at: www.chemotherapyadvisor.com

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

Melanoma: The "ABCDEs" of Moles

How Serious is Melanoma?

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer.  The biggest risk factor is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, from the sun and tanning beds.  People with fair skin and freckles, light hair and eye color, who have a large number of ordinary moles, who have a family history of melanoma, or people who have had other kinds of skin cancer are at a higher risk for developing melanoma.

Always Remember Your ABCDE's 

A monthly skin self-examination should look out for:

• Asymmetrical: is the mole oddly shaped?
• Border: does the mole have irregular or vaguely defined borders?
• Color: is the coloring uneven or multiple colors?
• Diameter: is it larger than a pencil eraser or is it growing in size?
• Evolution: has it grown or changed in any way?

If any of your moles fit the above criteria, ask your doctor to check them out.

Source:  www.HealthCentral.com/CancerStages

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc.,
Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics
(661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com
5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309