Men Are Not On The Look Out For Dangerous Melanomas

melanomasLack of awareness amongst middle aged men is causing unnecessary deaths from skin cancer.

Although, less women are losing their lives from melanomas the number of males over fifty years old is rising steadily.

A study carried out by the Stanford University Medical Center showed some alarming statistics from the over two hundred patients studied.

Over fifty percent did not check themselves on a regular basis for the change in moles etc and a staggering eight percent did not know the warning signs for melanomas.

June Robinson M.D. explained that there is a growing trend, amongst men in this age group, to delay being seen by a doctor when they are feeling unwell. Most of the melanomas, which is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, are detected by the actual patient themselves or a friend or spouse.

It is a very perilous game being played by middle aged men, as if diagnosed early the outcome is very good but delay means a bleak prognosis. The key to melanoma treatment is the thickness of the growth, if it is thinner when identified the potential results are excellent, but after two millimeters, then it starts to become much more difficult to treat successfully.

Lead researcher, Susan M. Swetter M.D. and her team looked at men in this age group who were diagnosed in a two year period finding out the details of discovery and action taken over a three month timeline.

Swetter hopes that this data will now prompt cancer agencies and public health organizations to take action and increase public awareness which in this case will quite literally save lives.