Accurate Identification of Melanoma

Posted: December 5, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Health | Tags: , , | Leave a comment
NEW TOOL FOR FINDING MELANOMA
Melanoma is the most feared of all skin cancers, and with good reason — it’s so deadly that Americans die from it at the rate of one per hour! Adding to the frustration is the fact that melanoma is a cancer that can almost always be seen with the naked eye and that virtually all patients can survive it when it is detected and removed before it metastasizes. It’s excellent news, therefore, that a new medical device called MelaFind can help dermatologists accurately identify the vast majority of melanomas, assessing not only what’s visible on the skin but also what’s beneath the surface — and it just got approved by the FDA in November.

AMAZINGLY ACCURATE

At present, dermatologists must rely on their own experience with detecting melanoma to decide whether or not to biopsy a suspicious mole or growth. Generally, they are inclined to order a biopsy when they see one or more of these characteristics… Read the rest of this entry »

Ovarian Cancer

Posted: October 11, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: For Women Only | Tags: , , | Leave a comment


The pink ribbons we see everywhere this month make it seem like breast cancer is a woman’s worst nightmare. But, in fact, we know that there is another even more insidious cancer to fear — ovarian cancer. It’s true that this type of cancer is rarer, but it can be more lethal and harder to detect, in part because its symptoms are commonplace and dismayingly vague, including abdominal bloating, digestive difficulties and fatigue. While not as public, researchers are working hard on understanding and beating ovarian cancer, and there is news — some good, some bad. Read the rest of this entry »