Mole Melanoma: Promising Research Results in Melanoma Moles Diagnoses

Mole melanoma or skin cancer belongs to the most common cancers. Its risk factor is high because of the inaccurate diagnoses. The new laser tool with 3D imaging technique gives nearly 100% accurate diagnostic results.

Mole is a skin malformation with high risk of melanoma. The risk factor is similar for both genders. Comparing the cases of males and females, melanoma is the fifth and the sixth most common cancer, respectively. From the 115,000 new melanoma cases in 2010, nearly 8,700 resulted in death in the U.S.

The shocking results were published in 2010. Yearly statistical data showed that pathologists are not agree in the diagnosis on 214,000 to 643,000 melanoma cases. The disagreement is the consequence of the methods dermatologists use. They remove suspicious skin cells and study the biopsies with light microscope, just as their colleagues did it 200-300 years ago. The accuracy of these studies is not higher than 85%. In the cases dermatologists/pathologists are in doubt, they remove the diseased cells with additional skin around them, sometimes lymph nodes are removed, too, or chemotherapy is used. The removal of cancerous moles, the surgery and the chemotherapy change drastically the quality of life of the patients, at the same time cause extra and unnecessary healthcare costs. Unnecessary because in nearly 15% of the cases the studied tissues were not cancerous!

The solution is the more accurate melanoma moles diagnosis. The details of a nearly 100% accurate diagnostic method is reported in February 2011! The important information/news arrived from Durham, NC, where Duke University research group headed by Warren S. Warren reported the new laser diagnostic method. Using two lasers the 3D imaging technique separates the harmless and the cancerous moles. With the new laser tool, pathologists can differentiate the eumelanin and the pheomelanin content of the cells. In the cancerous moles the level of eumelanin is significantly higher.

The importance of the new diagnostic method is summarized in one sentence: "The improved diagnoses could potentially save thousands of lives and millions of dollars in unnecessary healthcare costs each year." (Citation from the website of Duke University, Durham, NC, February 23, 2011.)

The research started in 2009 when Director Warren's group was granted $1 million from the National Institutes of Health. They wanted to reach new results in two fields:

(1) Working out a more accurate method than the light microscopic one. The Duke University team reached it now. The new imaging tool is an added instrumentation to already available lasers and is able to separate the positive and the harmless biopsies. As Director Warren said, from now dermatologists and pathologists can use the laser tool to study biopsies, that is moles and bumps removed from a patient.

(2) The second phase of the research is the working out of method studying the moles without removing them. These studies need yet years to implement.

Derek G. Austin is author and editor of health information products. Read more about moles removal on http://www.toprove.com/moleremoval

Original article

Is There a Cure for Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in humans, and it affects millions of people across the globe every year. This cancer is caused by over-exposure to the sun, radiation, carcinogens, and aging. There are three types: basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. All three pose a serious risk to your health, but melanoma is the most dangerous. Skin cancer is relatively easy to detect because it comes in the form of skin discoloration and abnormally colored or shaped moles; indeed, most skin cancer victims discover their condition on their own just by examining their skin (however, a diagnosis can only be made by a doctor).

Since many people are desperate to maintain their golden brown tans year in and year out, skin cancer remains a potent threat to public health because most people are not willing to take the link between sun exposure and UV rays and the development of skin cancer seriously-tanning is in and trendy, and people don't like going against the aesthetic curve. However, being an avid sun bather does not automatically lead to skin cancer, and it isn't the only cause. Skin cancer can also be caused by damaging free radicals from carcinogens and the unavoidable effects of ageing. Still, the best method of avoidance is to stay out of the sun or use only a strong sunscreen when out in the sun. Keep in mind that the decreasing ozone layer makes it more and more dangerous to soak up UV rays on the beach.

As with all forms of cancer, everyone wants to know: Is there a cure for skin cancer? Last year, a study conducted in the UK by researchers from Rush University Medical School in Chicago showed that a vaccine developed was able to completely cure 16% of those who used it and who were infected with advanced melanoma; for the rest of the group, the vaccine greatly improved the user's chance of remission. This does not definitively prove that skin cancer can always be cured, but it makes curing it an option. In addition to pharmaceutical cancers medication, there are many topical ointments that have been shown to relieve skins cancer. Cymilium, an over the counter insect bite remedy, has been shown to improve it's symptoms, and a variety of natural remedies such as aloe vera and vitamin D are also used. If you have skin cancer, any course of treatment you undertake should be at least discussed if not approved by a doctor, but whether you are interested in natural medicine or pharmaceutical-driven medicine, the chances of completely curing your cancer are slim, so in that sense, both sides of the medical aisle are worth a try.

About the Author

Maureen Hamilton is an Integrated Neuro-Linguistic Programming Master Practitioner, Hypnotherapist and a Demartini Method Facilitator. Maureen has previously worked in many areas of health in Australia as well as overseas. Her health background includes training in general and midwifery nursing, mental health and children's behavioural issues (including the effects of emotional trauma especially in children). Maureen is very much involved in promoting and assisting people to obtain optimal health and is absolutely committed to helping people to stop smoking and/or lose weight naturally using Hypnosis and NLP.

If you would like to find out more, visit http://masteryourlifepower.com/ and and talk to Maureen about your requirements.

Original article

Finding Treatments for Melanoma

It can be very scary receiving a cancer diagnosis from the doctor. To many, cancer is considered to be a death sentence; however, this doesn't have to be the case. Many aren't familiar with Melanoma, so a diagnosis of this form of cancer is even scarier. Knowledge is power, so if you've been diagnosed with Melanoma, learn everything you can about it.
Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. If it is caught early enough and is still in Stage 1, it can almost always be cured with a simple surgical procedure that will remove the melanoma from your skin.
However, if the melanoma is not caught early, your doctor may choose to remove the melanoma surgically, often including a wide area excision. Your doctor will also recommend treatment. The treatment could be local, but more often will be a whole-body treatment, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, vaccines, and more.
The good news is that there are several standard treatments for melanoma, and hundreds of new and experimental treatments being tested throughout the United States and around the world. The bad news, however, is that for serious cases of melanoma (Stage 3 and Stage 4) there have not been any significant discoveries of treatments that have high cure rates. Some people respond better to one treatment, while others respond better to another.
Because of the varying success rates of treatments, choosing a treatment protocol for fighting serious cases of melanoma can be challenging. The best way to find the best treatment for you is to explore multiple treatment options. Since different doctors are experimenting with different treatments, it is often best to consult with multiple melanoma doctors before deciding with whom you will work.
In addition to the medical treatment your doctor will prescribe, an "integrative" approach to treating melanoma is likely to be more effective than simply relying on the medical treatment alone. An integrative treatment plan is one that includes diet, herbs, vitamins, supplements, mind-body exercises like visualization, acupuncture, and much more.
The good news is that many of these integrative treatments have shown, either in studies or in clinical practice, to have a positive effect on fighting melanoma. Do research to discover alternative treatment options such as herbal supplements, vitamins, or even non-traditional forms of medicine.
Most importantly of all however, do not believe any bad statistics that anyone tells you about your chances of beating melanoma. Melanoma is a serious challenge, but if you fight hard and believe in yourself, you can beat it! Keep an open mind, and don't be afraid to try new things.

At Found Health, you will find a number of treatments for many illnesses, including Melanoma. Visit our Melanoma home to learn about treatments, diagnosis and more. Ask questions or answer questions, or just read what others are experiencing with different treatment options.

Original article