A New Approach to Melanoma

A new research project in mice may hold promise for humans.  Russian scientists injected mice with melanoma cells.  After 10 days, half of the mice received treatment with MMP-9 inhibitor 7!  By inhibiting MMP-9 the growth of the melanoma tumors was suppressed by 43% and blood vessel growth was depressed 53.4%.  Human trials await to commence.

As a Fort Myers Plastic Surgeon, I deal with melanoma frequently. This hopeful news. Or, it may be. 

The high price of tanning booths.

Recent research links one-in-twenty cases of melanoma to indoor tanning beds.  

Studies show people who frequent indoor tanning beds have a 20% increased risk of skin cancer and this sky-rockets to 87% if they start before 35 years of age.  Young people need to know what’s at stake. 

As a practicing plastic surgeon in Florida, I know melanoma is a potential killer. 

There is a movement afoot to "ban the tan". Currently four states, New York, California, Rhode Island and Vermont, have laws banning tanning for minors.

Please heed my warning and pass it on to friends and families.

IS THE SUN REALLY BAD FOR YOU?

Dr. Robert Brueck MD, feels it is important to keep his patient informed about health subjects, such as skin cancer, especially since his Fort Myers Plastic Surgery practice is in a "hotbed" (pun intended) of sunshine activities.

For years, we have been taught that sun exposure is bad for us– particularly excessive sun exposure. The rates of melanoma, the deadly form of skin cancer are surely on the rise. From 1991-2004 the rate per 100,000 people has risen from 9.39% to 13.91%.

The $64,000 question is why? Some feel as we become more aware of this disease pathologists are calling more and more pigmented lesions early melanoma. Wih something as potentially deadly as skin cancer, it surely is better to err on the side of over diagnosis.

The big question is, "Is the sun also the culprit"? There is some research which says melanomas DECREASE with sun exposure and can INCREASE with sunscreen. What is interesting is the rate of melanomas in people who work indoors has been increasing since 1940.

UV light has sun damaging UVA and vitamin D producing UVB. Both can produce tanning and burning. The theory is that office workers get sun through the windows which blocks UVB, hence lower vitamin D levels in skin. Vitamin D is a very strong anti-oxidant. In fact, it is one of nature's most potent anti-cancer agents.

Basically if you get NO sun your body is not producing Vitamin D in your skin with the net result being more skin cancer ie. melanoma. You can take Vitamin D supplements but sunlight producing vitamin D in your skin is a better choice.

Interesting. But, in the end, I think moderation is prudent and wise.

Dr. Brueck discusses skin cancer on TV's American health Journal

I regularly report here on subjects of skin care and health.

In this excerpt from my recent appearance on the syndicated TV show, American Health Journal, I discuss the important subject of skin cancer.

No one is immune to this potential health hazard. But modifying behavior can improve your chances of avoiding it.

I also maintain a Web site at Beauty-by-Brueck. You are invited to visit and get updates on all things related to skin health and cosmetic surgery.



I hope you acquired some new information and understanding from this message. I appear on American Health Journal on Fort Myers WINK TV, Channel 5, each Sunday morning at 11:00 am. Please tune in. Thank you.

Here comes the summer...and the sun. Thoughts on skin cancer from Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD, Fort Myers plastic surgeon.

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD, a Board Certified plastic surgeon, frequently blogs on subjects of health, skin and developments in plastic surgery. This time, he comments on melanoma.
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Memorial Day Weekend signals the start of summer, when we all tend to spend more time in the sun and the sun is closer to the Northern Hemisphere.

For years we have known about the cause-effect relationship with basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma and the sun.

Some researchers, though, were not convinced that UV radiation had a similar cause and effect relationship with melanomas.

Now, a new study published in Nature (December 2009) confirms the role of the sun in the development of melanomas. Researchers at Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton UK mapped the complete genome of a patient with melanoma; in other words these were the genes of the melanoma from that particular patient.

The researchers found thousands of mutations in the patient’s genome, all of which were caused by radiation. There were in excess of 33,000 mutations mapped. They compared the genome of normal skin and melanoma. These abnormal mutations occur over many years but our bodies are programmed to repair the damage done to the DNA caused by the inciting effect of the sun.

In the end, the failure of our body’s ability to repair the damaged DNA or the gene, results in melanoma.

Be cautious, be alert and get a checkup. Melanoma is lethal because it is the one form of skin cancer that has the ability to metastasize not only through the lymphatic, but the blood stream as well.

There is no doubt that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that ounce should be an SPF of 30 to 35.

Is this the cure for (skin) cancer? Ask Dr. Brueck

REPORT ON NEW SKIN THERAPY RX FROM DR. ROBERT BRUECK, MD, FORT MYERS, FL COSMETIC SURGEON.

Researchers continue to unlock the magic key to find “the cure.” Humans are plagued with many cancers. One that is very resistant to treatment in later stages is melanoma, one of three varieties of skin cancer.

An early small clinical trial in the treatment of advanced melanoma is using an attack on the melanoma cells using their own genetic characteristics. 9 of 16 patients with advanced melanoma responded to a drug known as PLX4032. These tumors that responded had a mutation or abnormality in a gene for the protein BRAF which plays a crucial role in melanomas growth and spread.

The broader picture here is that scientists now can examine the genetic make-up of certain cancers and develop therapies to combat the cancer based on the cancers genetic design.

BRAF is essential to the growth of certain cancers. So developing drugs to inhibit or shut off this gene will lead to less tumor growth.

How long will the effects of these new genetic drugs last?

Many questions remain but new hope lies on the horizon.

Melanoma - The most dreaded skin cancer

Dr. Robert Brueck, Board Certified cosmetic surgeon in Fort Myers, Florida, reports on a new book about this dreaded form of skin cancer. Concerns about melanoma spring from its propensity to spread via the lymphatics as well as the blood stream.

The incidence of melanoma is rising by 4%-6% each year.

For years, we have been taught and have been telling our patients that sun exposure is a predisposing factor.

Now, along comes a book entitled "The Sun and the "Epidemic" of Melanoma: Myth on Myth!" The author is Dr. Bernard Ackerman, a world renowned expert on melanoma. His book attempts to dispel some myths about melanoma.

Dr. Ackerman believes genes are more important than sun exposure. He notes in his book that Asians and Africans only develop melanoma on their palms, soles, nails and mucous membranes (re: mouth-type).

I personally feel genes are very important, ie. we inherit skin type - freckles and such - from our parents. This can predispose us to melanoma.

I also feel that the sun can, in some cases, act as a catalyst to initiate the development of melanoma.

We are learning more every day. In the meantime, it's probably best to limit prolonged exposure to the sun and keep your skin covered whenever possible outside in the sun. I also recommend that you subscribe to a 'feed' of this blog to continue to receive updates about this subject and news from the world of cosmetic surgery.

As a Board Certified cosmetic surgeon practicing in sunny Fort Myers, Florida, I also cover a wide range of plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery subjects on my web site, http://www.Beauty-by-Brueck.com . You are invited to visit.