Being Informed May Save A Life

Dear Ann Landers: Not long ago, you printed a very moving letter from a mother who said her son would never see his newborn daughter because he had died of melanoma that showed up as a new mole.

This mother should be angry at more than the general practitioner who didn’t know the mole was deadly or the insurance company that gave her son a hard time about seeing a specialist. She should be angry at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and similar organizations that list only “changes in an existing mole” as a sign of possible cancer.

I had a new mole on my wrist for about a year. It didn’t bother me, so I just ignored it. I did not suspect melanoma until the mole caught on a jacket zipper and began to bleed. It never occurred to me that a new mole could be a major problem, but I decided to see my doctor anyway. No one had told me what to look for, and I didn’t have a clue. The dermatologist who removed it said it didn’t look like melanoma, but he sent it to a lab as a precaution. I was shocked when I was told it was nearly a Stage 4.

The NCI and others need to provide a more complete description of what to look for and include NEW moles. It is inexcusable that they have never done so. I hope you will publish this letter, Ann, and that your influence will force them to make that change. - Melanoma-Free in Miami

Dear Miami: I received a great many letters from readers who had lost a loved one to melanoma, and they all said the same thing - there is simply not enough helpful information on the subject available to the average person.

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Dear Ann Landers: I was saddened to read in your column about the young man who died of advanced melanoma. People who are in the sun a great deal, have fair skin and freckle easily, or have a family history of skin cancer have a higher risk of developing skin cancer. However, everybody - young or old - should know how to spot a suspicious mole that may become cancerous. Tell your readers to ask themselves the following questions:

1. Is the mole asymmetrical or irregularly shaped?

2. Is the border jagged or blurry-looking?

3. Is the color getting darker or changing?

4. Is the diameter more than 1/4 inch?

5. Is the mole uneven or elevated?

You should always be suspicious of any mole that is new, growing, itching or bleeding. Also ask your doctor about any scaly growth or sore on your skin that won’t heal. Although few new or existing moles ever become cancerous, you should never hesitate to bring a suspicious mole to the attention of your regular physician - someone who should be familiar with your personal risk factors and medical history as well as screening techniques for skin cancer.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers a free brochure on spotting and preventing skin cancer. Anyone interested can send a self-addressed, business-size, stamped envelope to: Skin Cancer, c/o AAFP, P.O. Box 19326, Lenexa, KS 66285-9326. - Patrick B. Harr, M.D., president, American Academy of Family Physicians

Dear Dr. Harr: Thank you for that valuable information. I’m sure you have saved some lives today.