Recent Studies Address Melanoma Treatment and Identification

Well-known in his field as a skin cancer expert, Norman A. Brooks, MD, treats patients of all ages at the Skin Cancer Medical Center in Encino, California. Dr. Norman Brooks stays informed of developments in his field through publications such as the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Sun & Skin News.

The news website’s highlighted research includes a 2017 study that found that treating skin cancer at the earliest possible moment following diagnosis was critical in avoiding more invasive procedures later. Of particular concern is melanoma. Treating Stage I patients a month after biopsy was associated with a 5 percent increase in mortality risk. At 60 days, the risk increased to 16 percent, at 90 days to 29 percent, and by 119 days the increase in risk was 41 percent. 

Another study highlighted the importance of looking for new, as well as changing moles. A literature review of 38 published studies spanning more than 20,000 melanomas indicated that less than a third of melanomas came about from an existing mole. Some 71 percent arose as new growths on skin that had previously appeared normal. This means that both familiarizing oneself with existing moles and actively searching for new moles are essential to skin cancer prevention.