It’s February 4 (at least on my side of the world) and it’s recognized as World Cancer Day. I wrote a blog post last year today that dealt with the weirdness of having yourself in the group of “cancer survivors”. Another 365 days later, it’s still weird. Sometimes, I forget I was diagnosed with melanoma, skin cancer, and then I… Read more »
A sobering report from the Cleveland Clinic has found that melanoma is five times more deadly for women who are pregnant or had given birth within the year. “We saw significant, worse prognoses and outcomes for women with a pregnancy-associated melanoma, compared to a control group of non-pregnant women,” stated primary author and plastic surgeon Brian Gastman. Obviously, the female human… Read more »
I’m a few days late in wishing y’all a Happy 2016. It was nice to relax most of the weekend. I had really needed the downtime. It’s funny when you run at 100 mph and then you just stop. It takes a little while for your mind to shut off, your muscles to relax, and your being to center. 2015… Read more »
Today marks the year anniversary of my excision. It’s strange how time can fly. It seems like that day was long ago and yet, also feel like it was only yesterday. It’s been a year of worry, fear, sadness, and pain (literal and metaphorical); but it’s also been a year of acceptance, happiness, hope, and even joy. The excision removed… Read more »
My previous post talked about the history of using the immune T-cells in the fight against cancer. I’m picking up the thread of the story where the human experiments began… A small pharmaceutical company approached by researcher Jim Allison, Medarex, decided to begin human trials using patients diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Melanoma sometimes responds to immunotherapy treatment. The first experiments… Read more »
Disclaimer: I’m a science nerd. I love the compilations like the Best American Science and Nature Writing. I got the 2013 edition out of the library and there was an article, originally published in The New Yorker, entitled The T-Cell Army. The article discussed the history of Dr. William Coley, a surgeon in 1890s New York City who lost a… Read more »
Yesterday, as I was walking through Costco, I remarked to my husband that my scar had been acting up. What do you mean, he asked. Like, there’s some achy pain, I replied. He gave me a funny look. It’s been almost a year since your excision. I know, that’s weird… I don’t know why my scar will occasionally burst with… Read more »
I just read a story about an 8-year-old in Michigan who was diagnosed with Stage 3 melanoma. I cannot imagine how scary that must be for the parents. Although not common – less than 2 percent, skin cancer can strike young children. It’s important for parents to keep an eye out, looking for any changes in their children’s skin. The… Read more »
By now, the horrific details of the attack on Paris are all over the news, even in self-absorbed United States. I was working yesterday afternoon when the first reports started coming through and throughout the evening, the news grew worse and worse. This isn’t a post on skin cancer. This is a post on the cancer that seems to ravage… Read more »
It’s not recent, but a 2012 research study concluded that smartphone apps that are supposed to help people with identifying suspicious moles and growths actually are unreliable. In turn, people delay getting treatment for something. And as we all know, particularly with melanoma, delays are not a good thing. The study, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a… Read more »