UHEALTH’S MELANOMA SURVEILLANCE & DETECTION CLINIC

UHealth’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery have opened the Melanoma Surveillance & Detection Clinic to care for patients at risk of developing this deadly form of skin cancer.

The Clinic’s patients have access to top experts and advanced technology from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

UNDERSTANDING MELANOMA

What Is Malignant Melanoma?

Malignant melanoma is a tumor of the pigment producing cells in your skin. While it is the third most common skin cancer, it is the most dangerous and life threatening of the major skin cancer types.

If discovered early enough, malignant melanoma can be completely cured. If not treated quickly, however, it may spread throughout the body and is often deadly.

The number of cases of malignant melanoma diagnosed each year has increased along with the dramatic rise in other, more common forms of skin cancer.

Who Is At Risk?

• People with numerous or atypical moles
• People with a personal or family history of melanoma

The Most Common Symptoms of Malignant Melanoma

• Change in the shape, size, or color of a mole
• New growth on otherwise normal skin
• Oozing or bleeding from a mole
• A mole that feels itchy, hard, lumpy, swollen, or tender to the touch

DETECTING MELANOMA

1. Self Exams:

Using mirrors and bright lights, scan your body for suspicious moles. Look everywhere, as melanoma can show up anywhere on your body – even parts that have never been exposed to the sun.

Early melanomas tend to appear different than the other moles on your skin. They may be darker, a different shade of brown, or may even be pink. A mole that does not look like your other moles, particularly if it is new or growing, should be evaluated.

As melanomas develop they may develop ABCDE features which are:

• A = Asymmetry (when half of the mole does not match the other half)
• B = Border (when the border or edges of the mole are ragged or irregular)
• C = Color (when the color of the mole varies throughout)
• D = Diameter (if the mole’s diameter is larger than a pencil’s eraser)
• E = Evolution (when the mole changes shape, size, or color)

If you have any moles that look different from your other moles and are changing or have developed some of the ABCDE features,, you should schedule a skin cancer screening as soon as possible at UHealth’s Melanoma Surveillance & Detection Clinic.

2. Skin Cancer Screenings:

Even if you perform skin self exams monthly, it’s a good idea to have an annual skin cancer screening by a trained physician who knows what to look for.

At the Melanoma Surveillance and Detection Clinic, you will receive a thorough physical examination to detect melanoma or any other type of skin cancer.

Your physician may use special microscopes or cameras to aid in the detection of melanoma, or use total body photos to track moles for future observation during your next screening.

• Dermoscopy
• Confocal Microscopy
• Total Body Photography

If a suspicious area is thought to be melanoma or another form of skin cancer, a biopsy (skin sample) will likely be taken for further examination in the lab. The biopsy procedure depends on the site, size, and presumed diagnosis, of the affected area.

TREATING MELANOMA

If melanoma is found, additional tests may be performed to find out if the cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body.

Melanoma is usually treated with surgery. If the tumor is more advanced, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy may be required. The specific treatment a doctor prescribes will depend on several factors, including the stage of the tumor, and may involve a combination of treatment therapies.

Patients at UHealth’s Melanoma Surveillance and Detection Clinic have direct access to the top quality surgical and medical oncology services available at UM/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

PROTECTING AGAINST MELANOMA

Some important steps for reducing the risk of melanoma and other forms of skin cancers include:

• Limit your exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun, particularly the midday sun (from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
• Wear protective clothing, including sunglasses and a hat with a four-inch brim.
• If you are going to be out in the sun, regularly apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher that protects against both UVA and UVB rays to all areas of the body that are exposed to the sun, even on cloudy days.
• Reapply sunscreen every one to two hours, and after swimming or perspiring.
• Avoid exposure to UV radiation from sunlamps or tanning parlors.

Remember, sand and pavement reflect UV rays even under the umbrella. Snow is also a particularly good reflector of UV rays. Reflective surfaces can reflect up to 85 percent of the damaging sunrays.

Clinical faculty include:

James M. Grichnik, M.D., Ph.D., one of the world leaders in early melanoma detection with expertise in dermoscopy and total body photography. Research interests focus on developing improved melanoma diagnostics and treatment options in clinical care. His laboratory research includes a special focus on the developmental biology of melanoma and tumor stem cells.

Robert H. Johr, M.D., one of the world’s experts in dermoscopy and author of one of the leading dermoscopy textbooks. His interests include digital dermoscopy for dermoscopic follow up and pigmented skin lesions in children.

Harold S. Rabinovitz, M.D., one of the world’s experts in dermoscopy and confocal microscopy. Dr Rabinovitz practices with Margaret C. Olivero, FNP-C, who is well known internationally for dermoscopy and confocal microscopy. Their research interests focus on identification of tumor characteristics with new research instruments and education on early tumor detection.

Shasa Hu, M.D., an expert in early melanoma detection, dermoscopy, and confocal microscopy. Research interests include the epidemiology of melanoma and disparities in melanoma care among populations as well as the potential role of Vitamin D and tanning in cancer development.

For an appointment at UHealth’s Melanoma Surveillance and Detection Clinic, call 305-243-7074.

CLINICAL LOCATION

UHealth’s Melanoma Surveillance and Detection Clinic is located at:

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
1475 N.W. 12th Avenue, Location D-1
Miami, FL 33136

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