NEBRASKA MELANOMA DAY
www.nebraskamelanoma.com
"Bringing Personalized Skin Cancer Care to the People of Nebraska"
NEBRASKA MELANOMA DAY: MAY 2, 2015
NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ® SKIN CANCER FUN QUIZ
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The first Saturday in May annually is NEBRASKA MELANOMA DAY, a very important day at NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ®, when melanoma awareness and treatment is re-emphasized to the people of Nebraska.
Nebraska physicians who can treat your skin disease or detect cancer
Ask us about skin cancer lesson plans for high school teachers
The ABCDEF method (see photo above) may help detect melanoma: A (most early melanomas are asymmetrical); B (borders of melanomas are uneven); C (color; varied shades of brown, tan, or black are often the first sign of melanoma); and D (diameter; early melanomas tend to grow larger than common moles, greater than 6 mm in diameter), E (elevation or enlargement, areas of melanoma may be elevated above the level of the adjacent skin and appear as small nodules, itch, ulcerate, or bleed)., F (funny looking skin lesion which is enlarging or changing shades of color).
WHO SHOULD EVALUATE OR BIOPSY YOUR SKIN?
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Nebraska. Because Nebraskans work outdoors in the farm and ranch businesses, sun exposure may be excessive, especially if protective measures are not taken. Over a lifetime, pre-neoplastic conditions (actinic keratoses, lentigo maligna) and cancers of the skin may occur in sun damaged parts of the body. Cancers of the skin (melanoma, mycosis fungoides, Kaposi's sarcoma, Merkel cell carcinoma) may be life threatening. A very worrisome trend is the prevalence of malignant melanoma increasing markedly across the United States, including Nebraska. On NEBRASKA MELANOMA DAY , we would like to remind Nebraskans about our services, including:
NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER , a division of the NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ®, is multidisciplinary melanoma and skin cancer (cutaneous oncology) center created to provide information and guidance to allow you to make your best choice of treatment at all stages of these complex diseases. In our practice, patients with recently diagnosed or recently relapsed cancer will meet with several doctors, each specializing in different treatment specialties. Surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and nurses work together in a cooperative manner to discuss and recommend specific personalized treatments for individual patients. Visits are structured to provide the best possible advice for patients.
NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER is committed to offering a variety
of services including:
Prevention and Screening
Our physicians educate patients and family members about prevention and early
detection of melanoma and examine the skin for any suspicious lesions, such
as moles and abnormal skin lesions. Non-neoplastic skin conditions are referred
to other caregivers. NEBRASKA MELANOMA DAY is a trademark
of Healthy Nebraska, Inc.
Cancer Risk Analysis
Genetic counseling helps you learn about your risk or your family's risk of
cancer. Genetic counseling and molecular diagnostic testing is available for
patients at higher-than-normal risk for skin cancers.
Histopathologic Diagnosis and Review
Diagnose melanomas and other skin tumors or provide second opinions. Routine
or problematic pathology specimens will be reviewed and a diagnosis offered.
Diagnostic biopsy or removal of moles or melanomas, or re-excise biopsied
melanomas. If necessary, plastic surgeons can participate.
Early detection of regional disease
Surgeons who take part in this program perform sentinel lymph node biopsies
to detect microscopic amounts of tumor that may have spread to lymph nodes.
The sentinel lymph node biopsy technique is a new procedure that is rapidly
becoming an integral part of treating melanoma and other cancers.
Multimodality and Adjuvant Treatment of Regional Disease
Surgeons and oncologists treat patients who have melanoma already in the lymph
nodes
Treatment of Recurrent and Metastatic Disease
Medical and radiation oncologists treat disease with conventional and experimental
regimens of chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy for widespread disease.
See PROMETHEUS ®
Palliative Care
This interdisciplinary team provides expertise in treating the pain and other
symptoms of serious and life-threatening illnesses. The goals of care are
to assure comfort, dignity and quality of life, while helping the patient
remain as active as possible. Your doctor can provide a referral, as needed.
Nutrition Services
The food that you eat can play a major role in your cancer treatment. As you
receive your specific therapy, it is possible that you will encounter side
affects that may alter your normal eating habits. The dietitian can help you
choose food that will nourish you and keep you strong before, during and after
treatment
Social Work
Social workers are licensed mental health professionals who provide support
for the many issues that may affect patients and their families during cancer
diagnosis, treatment and recovery. They accomplish this support through a
unique combination of counseling and direct connection with a network of hospital
and community resources.
Chaplaincy
Our Chaplain has specialized skills in assisting you and your family to draw
on your particular spiritual resources for healing. Services are available
to persons of all faiths and to those who have no religious affiliation.
NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ® is a public-private effort in healthcare services related to educating Nebraskans about proper skin care as well as the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions, especially benign skin growths and skin cancers. Ongoing national research furthers our efforts to continually improve skin disease diagnosis and treatment for Nebraskans.
NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ® has a growing network of talented licensed healthcare professionals who deliver fully integrated, cost effective skin disease diagnosis and treatment across the State of Nebraska as well as healthy skin and skin cancer prevention programs. These professionals include primary healthcare providers, dermatopathologists, pathologists, surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation therapists. If you undergo a skin biopsy, the skin specimen may be sent to NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ® and its affiliate, Pathology Services, P.C. for processing, evaluation, diagnosis, and inclusion in its database. Having your skin biopsy specimen(s) sent to Pathology Services, PC. is not required to avail yourself of the resources of NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ®. If your healthcare provider sends your skin biopsy specimen elsewhere, NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ® would appreciate a copy of your pathology report to include its diagnosis in its Nebraska cancer registry.
Nebraskans may contact Healthy Nebraska, Inc. to request additional information about skin care and skin diseases as well as obtain an appointment for skin cancer screening by licensed healthcare professionals in our NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ® network in Nebraska.
For more information about our services or to send skin biopsies to us, contact
NEBRASKA MELANOMA CENTER ®
Pathology Services, P.C.
611 West Francis Street
North Platte, Nebraska 69101
Byron L. Barksdale,
M.D.
Phone: 308-532-4700
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