Diagnoses of melanoma are double what they were in 1986, an increase greater than that of any other major cancer. Many dermatologists believe that melanoma is becoming more common and recommend regular skin cancer screening. However, some say that the numbers do not indicate a melanoma epidemic, but a skin cancer screening epidemic. A new study supports this idea.
No Change in Death Rate
Researchers found that since 1986, skin biopsies have risen at the same rate as the incidence of early-stage melanoma. However, there has been no change in either the melanoma death rate or the incidence of advanced stages of the disease.If there really was an epidemic of melanoma, there should be increases at all stages of the cancer, as there was with smoking-caused lung cancer.
Study Causes ControversyOther scientists disagreed with the interpretation of the data, arguing it demonstrated that screening prevents melanoma from reaching advanced stages. But many found the study convincing and argued that dermatologists have been diagnosing melanoma too freely and removing innocuous moles.
This sounds much like a story I ran last year about a dermatologist who disputed the connection between melanoma and the sun as inconclusive and inconsistent, along with the "outbreak" of melanoma.
Although excessive sun exposure can increase your risk of skin cancer, obtaining the optimal amount of sun daily can clearly prevent it. Optimal exposure to the sun provides many benefits such as the formation of vitamin D, a deficiency most people have. (To be certain your vitamin D levels are where they should be, have your blood tested.) And stay away from sunscreens, as they can increase your risk of cancer.
If you want to reduce or virtually elminate your risk of skin and other cancers, it will be vital to radically reduce your consumption of most vegetable oils, as they are high in omega-6 fats. Just 100 years ago, the average American consumed less than one pound of these oils per year, and today that amount has exploded to 75 pounds per year.
An Australian study showed a 40 percent reduction in melanoma for those who were eating fish, which is rich in omega-3. This is one of the many reasons why I highly recommend routine consumption of fish oil as a safe and effective way of increasing the omega-3 in your diet and improving your health. Fish oil contains high levels of the best omega-3 fats--those with the EPA and DHA fatty acids--and, as it is in pure form, does not pose the mercury risk of fresh fish.
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