30% increase: here's how you can take precautions



[ad_1]

with 270000 New diseases are considered skin cancer as the most common cancer in Germany. Like that Health insurance technician (TK), every seventh disease is dangerous malignant melanoma (black skin cancer). Between 2009 and 2015, black skin cancer has increased 30 percent and even shinier skin cancer 50 percent at. If a diagnosis is made too late, black skin cancer is often fatal. But the German Cancer Society explains on its website: "If skin cancer is detected early, there is basically a very high chance of cure for all species." However, many Germans do not take cancer screening seriously enough.

How to recognize skin cancer

The German Cancer Society recommends that you examine your own body more often without clothes in the light of day in front of the mirror. The focus should be on moles and skin lesions. If in doubt, you should also consult the partner, especially in the back, between the toes or on the soles of the feet.

The ABCDE rule

Skin cancer can be very different. For this reason, several factors must be evaluated. For self-examination, doctors developed the ABCDE rule. If one of the five points applies, you should consult a doctor.

  • AT: A means asymmetry. Non-dangerous liver spots are uniformly round, oval or oblong. In case of unusual / asymmetrical / modified form, one must be aware of it.
  • B: B is the limitation. Birth marks are usually clearly delineated from the skin. Is the outline of the liver stain frayed, erased, shredded, rough or uneven?
  • C: C represents color. Normally, moles have a uniform color. Does the color of the stain on the inside mix with pink, gray or black dots? Is a crust on the stain?
  • D: D represents the diameter. Does the birthmark have a hemisphere shape or is it greater than five millimeters?
  • e: E stands for evolution. It means changing the spot over time. Has the mole changed in the last three months?

2019 Skin Cancer Report

Like that Health insurance technician communicated, use only every fifth legally assured that free skin cancer screening. In the ongoing 2019 skin cancer report, the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and the University of Bremen summarized all the facts concerning TK.

UV rays carry great risks

Professor Matthias Augustin, dermatologist at UKE and editor-in-chief of the report, explains: "The cause of the disease is usually decades old and 20 to 30 years old for skin cancer to develop." This is why the risk of skin cancer increases with age. According to the GKV, the 75 to 79 age group is particularly at risk. 843 out of 100,000 insured people develop black skin cancer each year in this age group. Among the 20 to 24 year olds, only 41 out of 100,000 are insured. There are also differences by sex: up to the age of 60, women are more likely than men to get sick. After that, it is the opposite.

The tendency to browning has fatal consequences

One statistic in particular is that, according to Austin, in the age group of women aged 45 to 54, many people suffer from black skin cancer. "The causes could be increased use of tanning beds and frequent sunbathing in previous years," says the expert. Even the tanning trend of the '70s and' 80s is taking its revenge now.

Early diagnosis is important – only one in five goes to screening

The sooner skin cancer is detected, the better. Nevertheless, between 2015 and 2017, only one legal insured person in five per year used a dermal screening at the doctor's office. "Precisely because early detection is so important, we recommend regular skin cancer screening for free," said Dr. Baas. "Statutory insured persons are entitled to a review every two years, which takes little time and is not painful either.TK offers this benefit to its policyholders from the age of 20", explains the head of the TC. Otherwise, screening fees are only supported from the age of 35 by the statutory health insurance.

Artificial intelligence in medicine

A few years ago, researchers succeeded Artificial intelligence (AI) for use in screening for skin cancer. This makes the diagnoses of doctors even more reliable. Photo albums allow computers to examine suspicious areas of the skin. Dr. Baas said: "In just a few years, we expect high quality applications that can also be used by patients for early detection of skin cancer." In addition, computers can be deployed in areas of low density dermatologists.

Nobel Prize in Medicine

Immunotherapy is a major breakthrough in recent years. They help the body fight the tumor itself. This makes them much more tolerable than chemotherapy.

"New data from approval studies have shown that more than 30% of patients with metastatic melanoma survive for more than five years," says Professor Gerd Glaeske, expert in drugs at the university. Bremen, who also contributed to the report. It is much longer than some chemotherapies. "For the discovery of this new principle of action, the so-called checkpoint inhibitor, the Nobel Prize in medicine was rightly awarded in 2018," said Glaeske. When evaluating data on TK patients, the results are similar: after four years, 35% of patients who received such treatment were still treated. "The new treatments have not yet shown their legitimate joy, but they still have to show that they are just as good, as promised in the studies," Dr. Baas to consider. "Early detection and sun protection remain important to minimize the risk of skin cancer."

Cause mainly due to behavior

Skin cancer is primarily a behavioral disorder. The change in leisure behavior is primarily a trigger. For the high number of cases of diagnosed black skin cancer, experts consider that traveling to sunny countries and outdoor activities are the reason. Clothes and sunscreens can protect against UV rays. In particular, sunburns have a long-lasting effect on the skin. "Every sunburn is an excessive exposure to long-term UV that damages the skin in a sustainable way, we need to be more aware of it," said Professor Glaeske. In particular, children must be protected from solar radiation. "The report provides important information on how to manage the sun because sunburn today is the skin cancer of tomorrow," said Glaeske.

Read also inFranken.de: Heritage of the 70s: Dermatologists Expect More Skin Cancers

[ad_2]
Source link