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Melanoma

Melanoma Facts – Medical Spas & Tanning Beds

Melanoma is the fastest growing cancer in the United States and worldwide.

* The American Cancer Society estimates that the risk of developing invasive melanoma in the United States is 1 in 41 and 1 in 61 for men and women, respectfully.

* The incidence of people under 30 developing melanoma is increasing faster than any other demographic group, soaring by 50 percent in young women since 1980.

* Melanoma primarily affects individuals in the prime years of life and is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old.

* Although melanoma is most common in Caucasians, melanoma can strike men and women of all ages, all races and all skin types. The mean age for diagnosis of melanoma is 50, while for many other cancers it is 65-70 years old.

Most Americans are unaware of the seriousness of melanoma.

If not caught early, melanoma is known to be the most deadly of all skin cancers.

Melanoma can be successfully removed and monitored by regular skin screenings in its early stages. However, the disease is deadly in its most advanced stages as few melanoma treatment options exist. The median lifespan for patients with advanced melanoma is less than one year.

The statistics around melanoma are astounding:

* One-in-50 Americans has a lifetime risk of developing melanoma.
* In 2009 nearly 63,000 were diagnosed with melanoma in the United States, resulting in approximately 8,650 deaths.
* The projected numbers for 2010 are even higher with 68,130 diagnosis and 8,700 deaths.

This means that every eight minutes, someone in the United States will be given a melanoma diagnosis and that every hour someone will die from the disease.

The government has initiated a separate tax on Tanning salons because tanning beds are thought to be the primary reason Melanoma has become the fastest growing cancer among Caucasians in the world.

So……. in light of all of the above I recently learned that a Plastic Surgery colleague of mine has opened a Medi Spa here in Clear Lake and has a Tanning Bed!!! This is sort of like a Pulmonologist owning a Tobacco shop, right?? I wish them luck with their new venture but my gosh, get rid of the tanning bed. That really sends the wrong message, i.e. it’s all about the $$.

 

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