Skin Cancer Archive

Research we're watching

Image: © Igor Gratzer/Thinkstock
In Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairy tale, the ugly duckling stands out from the flock because he's destined to become a swan. In dermatology, the "ugly duckling" is a mole that doesn't look like the rest of the moles on a person's body, and is often suspected to be a melanoma.

A team of French researchers decided to test whether finding an ugly duckling among all of a patient's moles is as effective a way of identifying melanoma as applying diagnostic criteria — like size, shape, color, and irregularity — to each mole separately. For the study, nine dermatologists studied images of 2,089 individual moles from 80 people. The images were presented to the dermatologists two different ways on two different days. On one day, they evaluated each image separately; on another, they looked for the ugly ducklings among the complete set of moles from each patient. They were able to flag the melanomas accurately both times. However, they were able to decrease the number of moles biopsied when they used the ugly duckling system.

On call

Q. I have had a dandruff problem for years. I have tried selenium and zinc shampoos, as well as ketoconazole shampoo. Nothing has worked. Are there other options?

A. Dandruff, which is a chronic skin condition known as seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, can range from a minor irritant to a severe rash of the entire scalp.

The earlier one starts tanning, the longer the lifetime skin damage and the higher the skin cancer risk. As the number of people with skin cancer increases, it has become especially important to convey to teenagers the message that tanning is an unhealthy choice, whether it’s outdoors or in a tanning bed.

Ask the doctor

Q. I smoked for more than 20 years, but gave it up about 15 years ago. Am I still at risk for lung cancer or other health problems?

A. Not smoking is the best health move any man can make. The good news is that the benefits of quitting smoking begin almost immediately after your final cigarette, although the risk of smoking-related cancers may take years to decline.

Data from more than 200,000 people indicates that the risk of developing melanoma increases by 13% for every glass of white wine consumed per day. Drinking beer, red wine, or liquor was not associated with increased risk.

Some experts feel there is evidence that probiotics may help prevent or treat several conditions, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, travelers’ diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and some allergies (particularly eczema).

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Have you had fevers, chills, fatigue, or weight loss?
• Have you had any recent infections?
• Do you have a cough?
• Do you have sinus congestion?
• Do you know when to seek medical attention for infections?
• Do your gums bleed when you brush your teeth?
• Have you had nosebleeds or easy bruising?
• Do you get short of breath with minimal exertion?
• Are you lightheaded?
• Have you been unusually tired?
• Have you had abdominal pain or swelling?
• Have you noticed swollen lymph nodes?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Lymph nodes (neck, axilla, groin)
• Heart
• Lungs
• Abdomen (for enlargement or tenderness of the liver or spleen)

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Complete blood count
• Routine blood chemistries
• Immunoglobulin levels
• Blood test for flow cytometry
• Bone marrow biopsy.

Colonic Polyps

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Do you have a family history of colonic polyps?
• Do you have bleeding from the rectum or bloody stools?
• Do you frequently have rectal pain or the sensation of needing to have a bowel movement?
• Do you have anemia (low blood count)?
• Do you have a family history of colon cancer?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Abdominal exam
• Rectal exam

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Stool testing for blood
• Complete blood count
• Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, possibly with a biopsy or removal of a polyp (if one is found)

Hodgkin's Disease (after the disease has been treated)

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Have you had fevers, heavy sweating at night, weight loss, itchy skin, or swollen lymph nodes?
• Do you have pain in any of your bones?
• Do you have a cough?
• Are you fatigued?
• Do you get lightheaded?
• Do you bruise easily or have nosebleeds?
• Do your gums bleed when you brush your teeth?
• Have you had any recent infections?
• Do you have a cough?
• Do you have sinus congestion?
• Do you have nasal discharge?
• Do you know when to seek medical attention for signs of infection?
• Do you know that you still need to practice birth control (both men and women)?
• Infertility is uncommon with newer chemotherapy regimens. If you are a woman and have undergone early menopause, have you considered hormone replacement therapy?
• Are you short of breath at rest or with minimal exertion?
• Do you get chest pain or pressure with exertion?
• Do you have swelling in your legs?
• Do you know that chemotherapy and radiation can increase your risk of developing certain other cancers?
• Are you up-to-date on all of your cancer screening tests?
• If you are a woman, have you discussed the need for regular mammograms and breast examinations with your doctor?
• Are you gaining weight?
• Are you constipated?
• Are you always cold?
• Do you have dry skin?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Neck veins
• Heart
• Lungs
• Abdomen (for enlargement or tenderness of the liver or spleen)
• Bones and spine (looking for areas of tenderness)
• Skin (looking for skin cancers)
• Lymph Nodes (neck, axilla, elbow, groin)

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Blood tests for complete blood counts, kidney and liver function tests
• CT scans of the chest and abdomen