Important Information for ALL Travelers!

Important Information for ALL Travelers!

This post is a tribute to the founder of the Backpackers Bulletin Boards. Known to this community as Mouse, she was diagnosed with a recurrent malignant melanoma (skin cancer) and fought a month-long battle with the illness before succumbing on March 28, 2004. Mouse was a kindred spirit with a breadth of knowledge spanning from anything travel-related, to cooking, to reading, to hiking…to evolutionary biology and the Paleolithic age! Most of all, Mouse worked tirelessly to take this information and to share it with other travelers, in the hopes of inspiring them and encouraging camaraderie. She shared freely and gave herself freely to the community of backpackers, and it is my hope that, in sharing this information, Mouse's legacy will be able to help travelers to explore the world long after she is gone – travelers with her same love for life; those who share her spirit.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT MELANOMA

• Eighth most common cancer in the United States
  
• The cause of ¾ of the deaths due to skin cancer
  
• Most common cancer of women between the ages of 25 and 29
  
• Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world
  
  Here’s the kicker though:
  

If you detect a melanoma early, the 5-year survival rate is 95%, but if you catch it when it’s advanced, the 5-year survival rate can be as low as 10%!

1001 people were surveyed by the Center for Disease Control through telephone in 1995. Respondants were asked, "Can you tell me what melanoma is?"; 55% knew melanoma is a type of cancer, 34% knew it is a type of skin cancer, and 42% did not know about melanoma!

Be aware. Prevention is key. Spread the word!

The Skin Cancer Foundation
NCI Melanoma Page
National Melanoma Research Foundation

SELF-DIAGNOSIS
Look for moles or skin lesions - you probably want to photograph certain moles to see if they're changing size - that may have one or more of these characteristics:
ABCD

• Asymmetry
  
• Border irregular
  
• Color variance
  
• Diameter (greater than 1cm)
  
• Elevation

How to do a proper skin self-examination
The Best Self-Diagnosis Tutorial EVER!

In general, warning signs are a change in shape, change in color, change in size, inflammation, crusting, or bleeding. If “moles” do any of these things, see your doctor as soon as possible.

RISK FACTORS

• Fair skin
  
• Hair color—blond/red
  
• Eye color—blue eyes
  
• Freckling
  
• Tendency to burn/poor tanning
  
• History of blistering sunburns in childhood
  
• Excessive sun exposure – Why sun exposure is an important factor
  
• Precursor lesions – dysplastic nevi, many benign nevi, congenital moles, Lentigo maligna
  
• Personal history of melanoma
  
• Family history of melanoma

WHAT IS MELANOMA?

Surprisingly, your skin is the largest organ in your body. Skin is composed of two main layers: the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis contains keratinocytes, cells which produce keratin, making your skin waterproof and protecting you from dehydrating. Cells in the epidermis can become cancerous, leading to squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas. BUT – these skin cancers rarely result in death. Why? The epidermis has no blood supply.

At the junction of the epidermis and dermis are melanocytes, cells that produce melanin, the pigment found in skin. These are the cells that become cancerous in melanoma. Cancer is when cells begin to grow unchecked and stay in a dividing, primitive state. Beneath the melanocytes is the dermis, which is contains many blood vessels. Because cancerous melanocytes (melanomas) lie so close to these vessels, it is easy for DEEP LESIONS to break away and spread into the bloodstream and lymphatic vessels. This is called metastasis. Metastatic melanoma is virtually incurable, and probably one of the most deadly forms of cancer.

You can see the layers of skin here:

PROTECTING YOURSELF

• When in areas with high UVB rays indices, i.e. around the equator and Australia, sunscreen will not protect you! Cover up your skin! Wear a wide-brim hat and don’t expose too much of your arms and/or legs.
  
  
• Stay out of prolonged exposure to direct sunlight between 10am-3pm
  
  
• Use appropriate SPF: The sun protection factor (SPF) on all sunscreen labels is a ratio based on the amount of UVB (not UVA) radiation required to turn sunscreen- or sunblock-treated skin red compared to non-treated skin. For instance, people who sunburn in five minutes and who want to stay in the sun for 150 minutes might use an SPF 30.
  
  
• Apply sunscreen to ALL sun-exposed areas, don’t forget the neck or back – “hotspots” for melanoma

HELPING OTHERS
Please take melanoma risks seriously! Check yourself and encourage others to do self-skin exams. Don’t be shy about asking a doctor about a suspicious mole. Remember that a quick self-check can save your life!

Other links of interest:
The Melanoma Research Foundation
MUST-SEE LINK FOR ALL TEACHERS/EDUCATORS!
Miles for Melanoma

There are many ways to make a difference! Just by reading this you have contributed. Thank you.

References:
Abeloff: Clinical Oncology, 2nd ed., (2000)
Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment - 43rd Ed. (2004)
Internal Medicine, Stein - 5th Ed. (1998)
Merck Manual - 17th Ed. (1999) Centennial Edition