How To Check For Cancerous Moles

!±8± How To Check For Cancerous Moles

If you have some skin moles (and most of us do) they need to be watched for signs of change which may indicate malignancy. That's not to say we need to be paranoid about it, just mindful of the fact that early detection of malignant melanoma increases the chances of recovery dramatically.

The vast majority of moles are totally harmless and although their appearance may annoy you, generally they will cause you no problems and can on occasion, disappear of their own free will. They are, however, a potential risk and must be monitored, especially if they are exposed to sunlight for extended periods.

If you wish to remove any of your moles for personal reasons, there are many ways to do it including, conventional surgery, laser surgery, cryogenics (freezing) and even mole removal creams that can be used at home.

Early Signs of Cancerous Moles

One way of remembering what to look out for when checking your moles is to use the ABCDE mnemonic.

A = Asymmetry where each half of the mole is not symmetrical.
B = Border irregularities, where the edges of the mole are blurred or fuzzy.
C = Color of the mole. It has a range of shades from pink, brown to black.
D = Diameter of the mole is greater than 6mm (size of a pencil eraser).
E = Enlarging of the mole, where it grows over time.

Note: The 6mm guide is not cast iron and some smaller moles can become malignant.

By watching for any of the above signs you should be reasonably assured that they are not becoming malignant. If you do observe any of the indications, it is vitally important to visit your doctor or dermatologist, for assessment and diagnosis.

If the specialist is at all concerned, it is likely they will recommend surgical removal of the mole in question. Generally no other form of removal is appropriate in these cases. During the procedure the complete mole will be excised to ensure all potentially cancerous tissue is removed and a sample will be sent for analysis.

Follow up treatment may then be offered if the biopsy result proves positive, to stop the potential spread of cancer cells into the surrounding areas. With malignant melanoma, cancer cells can travel very quickly through your bloodstream to create secondary cancers almost anywhere within your body and for this reason, early detection and removal may make the difference between life and death.

If you have medical insurance it may well cover the cost of mole removal in cases where melanoma is suspected, but cosmetic removal is not generally covered.

Malignant melanoma is not restricted to moles and may develop anywhere on the skin, especially following overexposure to the sun. For this reason it is important to sunbathe sensibly, avoid mid-day bathing when the sun is at its hottest, always use a high factor sun screen and re-apply at regular intervals (not just after swimming).

How To Check For Cancerous Moles

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Overview of Symptoms Associated With Pancreatic Cancer

!±8± Overview of Symptoms Associated With Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer symptoms are often difficult to detect, making it even harder to diagnose this potentially deadly disease. It's important to remember that many of the indicators will not present themselves until after the disease is in an advanced stage. Keep reading for a list of possible signs.

Stomach Pains

Among the basic pancreatic cancer symptoms is a soreness or pain in the high abdomen. Patients often complain that the pain spreads through the area and around to their back. Many people going through this type of discomfort will often experience alleviation once they lean forward.

This type of abdomen pain is usually present in the majority of patients (approximately 80%), but is typically only evident during the advance stages of the disease. Eating can often worsen the pain or cause increased discomfort.

Loss of Appetite

Weight loss and a decreased appetite are often typical symptoms affiliated with pancreatic cancer. Regrettably, these are also common signs often associated with other afflictions and diseases, particular those affecting the digestive system.

Painful or Painless Jaundice

Since pancreatic cancer can block the bile duct - which flows partly through the head of the pancreas - jaundice is a frequent symptom of the disease. Tumors that develop on the pancreas are typically the root of jaundice development, which is characterized by a yellowing of the skin.

Typically, jaundice for patients with pancreatic cancer is accompanied by dark urine and pruritus, or itching. Approximately half of pancreatic cancer patients with local forms of the disease experience painful jaundice while the other half with a curable or resectable lesion experience painless yellowing of the skin.

Trusseau Sign (Blood Clots)

Trusseau Sign is a secondary affliction that causes grumes or blood clots to develop in hepatic portal veins, abstruse veins and surface veins without warning. While not exclusive to patients with pancreatic cancer, it is often associated with the disease.

Depression

Though not as exhaustively accounted or referenced, depression is a subtle side effect of pancreatic cancer. The clinical depression often develops even before the disease is detected. Doctors and researchers are still unsure why or how the two connect.

How Pancreatic Cancer is Diagnosed

Pancreatic cancer is typically diagnosed after the above symptoms are either detected by the patient or the supervising doctor. After the indicators are evaluated, liver function tests and tests for CA19-9 - a marker for pancreatic cancer - are often performed.

CT scans and ultrasounds are other common methods of detecting pancreatic cancer and used to detect visible tumors or lesions. An endoscopic ultrasound or biopsy can also be used to obtain and test tissue samples.

Pancreatic Cancer Screening

If you have two or more immediate family members (or three or more extended relatives) who have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer symptoms, you should ask your doctor about early screening for the disease. Pancreatic cancer symptoms often don't present themselves until it is too late, making early screening critical for those at risk.

Overview of Symptoms Associated With Pancreatic Cancer

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First Signs of Skin Cancer - Early Warnings

!±8± First Signs of Skin Cancer - Early Warnings

Skin cancer, a disease in which cells lose the ability to grow in normal healthy ways, is a rising concern for many people. Every year, 1.3 million American people are diagnosed with some kind of skin cancer, and almost half of everyone in the country will have had some form of skin cancer by the time they are 65. It seems like a bleak picture, but the good news is that modern medical technology can cure almost every known form of skin cancer as long as it is detected early and given the proper treatment, which means that knowing the first signs of skin cancer and being aware of the symptoms can save millions from this disease.

Skin cancer often takes the form of a sore or a pimple that won't heal, typically appearing as an abnormal growth on the skin. The first sign of skin cancer is if these sores or growths either appear out of nowhere, or significantly alter their shape. They might also ooze fluid or crust and scab over, and will simply not heal over or reduce in size, regardless of over-the-counter treatment. The growths might change in size or color, marking them as an area for concern, you should tell your doctor anytime that you develop a new growth on the skin, or a mole, sore, or other spot on the skin significantly changes in size or shape. The outward signs of skin cancer usually appear on parts of the body that are most often exposed to the sun, such as the v-shaped area of the chest, the face, the neck, and the upper back. Remember that only a doctor can tell if a skin growth is benign or cancerous.

Something that's important to know while you're looking for the first signs of skin cancer is how to do a self-examination and see if there is anything that you need to ask your doctor about. You can give yourself a regular check-over for any new growths or to monitor if one might be changing, to look for sores or moles. In particular, you want to look for signs of melanoma, the most malignant and dangerous forms of cancer. To look for melanoma, you want to look for things like the growth being asymmetrical, where one side has a different shape than the other. When the growth has scalloped or uneven edges or has more than one color is another sign of a possible melanoma, they may be black, have colored specks in them, or be shades of brown. Also, if the size measured edge to edge is bigger than a pencil eraser on a new growth, it could be a melanoma.

Skin cancer can be a frightening thing, however it is almost always extremely treatable and can be cured with a minimum of damage to the body if it is discovered early enough. Doctors and medical associations constantly stress the importance of knowing the first signs of skin cancer and being able to check yourself for melanomas, and now, you can.

First Signs of Skin Cancer - Early Warnings

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