Fri, Jun 13, 2014 page3

• Be alert to unusual skin growths: doctors

  SKIN CANCER: People are advised to regularly check for unusual growths that are asymmetric, vary in color and are larger than 6mm as they could be malignant

  • By Chiu Yi-chun and Jason Pan / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  While summer means fun in the sun for many, people should make sure they have adequate protection against the sun’s ray and watch out for unusual moles or skin growths that may be signs of the onset of skin cancer, doctors said.

  Physicians cited the case of a 35-year-old man surnamed Chang (張), who felt a small itchy lump at the back of his head last year. Chang took little notice of the lump, taking care only to apply some medicinal lotion whenever it bled after repeated scratching.

  However, his family became concerned when the lump turned black, and urged him to seek medical help. A biopsy revealed that it was melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

  People should be alert to unusual skin growths, especially in areas that are not normally exposed to sunlight, and take note if a mole swells within a short period, doctors said.

  They added that these growths could be signs of melanoma, and if not treated immediately, could be fatal.

  Skin cancer ranked eighth in the Health Promotion Administration’s top 10 cancer list released in April, based on the nation’s cancer statistics from 2011.

  Taiwanese Dermatological Association president Yang Chih-hsun (楊志勛) advised the public to check for five signs that a mole or lesion could be cancerous: It is asymmetric, has irregular borders, varies in color, is larger than 6mm in diameter and is growing at an unusual pace and if prone to bleeding.

  “Melanoma can spread to other places. When in doubt, go see a skin cancer specialist. Early detection and treatment raises the chances of survival to 80 percent,” Yang said.

  “In Taiwan, about 30 percent of patients only found out they had skin cancer when it was already in the late stage. By then, surgery, chemo or radiation therapy and other treatments can only have a limited effect. Late-stage skin cancer means they only have a few more months to live,” he said.

  Yang said that about 60 percent of melanoma cases in Taiwan are found on skin areas not normally exposed to the sun, such as the palm of the hand or soles of the feet.

  “Some melanoma initially look like a black spot of tar stuck to the skin. We have found many melanoma growths on the feet, especially for old farmers. It is likely due to their habit of going barefoot, sustaining cuts or injuries [at work] and exposure to herbicides, pesticides and other agriculture chemicals,” he said.

  Chu Chia-yu (朱家瑜), an attending physician at National Taiwan University Hospital’s dermatology department, said about 200 new cases of skin cancer are detected each year in Taiwan.

  “About 10 to 20 percent [of the cases] are due to a mutation of the BRAF gene, which causes the skin cell containing the melanin pigment to grow out of control, thus leading to cancer,” Chu said.

  For those with the BRAF gene mutation, Chu said their chances of survival could be extended from nine to 13 months by taking a new oral medication, along with chemo or radiation therapy.

  “Its relapse-free period can be lengthened from one-and-a-half months to nearly seven months. However, this new oral medication is quite expensive. It costs more than NT$300,000 a month,” he said.

  Since prolonged exposure to the sun is one of the main causes of skin cancer, people should be careful to apply sunscreen especially during the summer months, he said.

  However, most people seem to think that sunscreen lotions with a high UV protection index is the way to go.

  “Whether it has SPF 20 or SPF 100, it loses its effectiveness after about three hours. As such, people should reapply sunscreen every three hours,” Chu said.
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