[[{"@type":["BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-physicians-in-south-jersey-discuss-melanoma\/#BlogPosting","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","kg":"http:\/\/g.co\/kg"},"url":["https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-physicians-in-south-jersey-discuss-melanoma\/","https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-physicians-in-south-jersey-discuss-melanoma\/"],"publisher":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],"author":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-physicians-in-south-jersey-discuss-melanoma\/#BlogPosting_author_Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-physicians-in-south-jersey-discuss-melanoma\/#BlogPosting_image_ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/GettyImages-1094162460.jpg"}],"headline":"RCCA physicians in South Jersey discuss melanoma","dateModified":"2022-01-04T17:03:36+00:00","datePublished":"2021-07-15T12:07:15+00:00","articleBody":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJuly 15, 2021\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\nThe New Jersey average of 22.2 new cases of melanoma per 100,000 people per year disguises a discrepancy in county rates, which show higher rates in the southern portion of the state \u2014 8.2 cases per 100,000 in Hudson County ranging to 51.3\/100,000 in Cape May County.\nAdditionally, Cape May, Atlantic, Monmouth and Sussex counties are experiencing an increase in cases, while the rate of new melanoma cases is stable in three-quarters of the state\u2019s counties.\n \nMelanoma: New Case Numbers and Trends in South Jersey\nSource: National Cancer institute. State Cancer Profiles. Available at https:\/\/statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov\/quick-profiles\/index.php?statename=newjersey. Accessed May 7, 2021.\nIt would be easy to say the higher numbers in southern New Jersey are higher because of the amount of time spent on beaches or farms, but the answer is not that simple. In fact, it could come down to individuals in certain areas of the state being more diligent about having regular examinations, which in turn leads to an increase in  diagnoses, said Stephen G. Wallace, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices with Regional Cancer Care Associates LLC, or RCCA, in Moorestown.\nThat diligence also is key to successfully treating melanoma. \u201cAs with any cancer, the earlier you detect and treat melanoma, the lower the chance of it spreading to other parts of the body, and the greater the chance that it can be treated effectively with less-aggressive measures,\u201d Dr. Wallace said.\nRecognizing Melanoma\nWhether you live in Mahwah or Margate, and whether your phone number begins with 609 or 201, having a skin examination on a regular basis is important, the cancer specialist notes.\nDr. Wallace said that regardless of area code or residence, it\u2019s smart to conduct a self-examination once a month or so and to see a dermatologist if an unusual mole is found.\nWhile conducting a self-examination, follow the ABCDE method, said Julianne W. Childs, DO, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices with RCCA in Cape May Court House and Marmora.\nShe said to keep an eye out for one or more of the following characteristics, and if found, see a dermatologist:\nAsymmetrical is shape;Uneven borders;Odd or multiple colors;A diameter of 6 millimeters or moreEvolving (frequently changing).\nDr. Childs said that any mole that changes shape, color, size and\/or elevation is especially concerning, even if the mole has been there for years.\n\u201cHaving one or more of these features does not necessarily mean that a mole is a melanoma, but it absolutely means that it should be evaluated by a dermatologist,\u201d Dr. Childs said. \u201cOne or more of these findings is not cause to panic, but it is reason to act.\u201d\nDr. Childs said that melanoma may be deceiving in appearance. For instance, an individual may have something that looks like a scab, but once the scab falls off, another one returns, and it keeps growing. That is a sign a sign to see a dermatologist right away.\nDr. Childs discussed two other facts about melanoma:\nSigns of melanoma can appear anywhere on the body.Skin cancer lesions can appear in the eye, anus or rectum, mucous membranes and under fingernails. If an individual finds a spot under a fingernail, and it didn\u2019t suffer any trauma, it should be evaluated promptly, Dr. Childs said.Anyone can get it.It isn\u2019t just redheads or individuals with fair skin who can get melanoma. While lightly colored skin is a risk factor, anyone of any skin color can get melanoma.\n \nRegular skin examinations with a dermatologist are a benefit to everyone, but they are especially important for individuals with the following risk factors, said Drs. Childs and Wallace:\nFrequent and sometimes heavy sun exposure,or at least one blistering or painful sunburn during childhood, adolescence or young adulthood.Frequent use of tanning salons, especially during young adulthood.Brown spots\/frecklesthroughout the skin.Family history of melanoma.\u201cThis is significant,\u201d Dr. Wallace said. \u201cThe more family members who had melanoma and the more who had it at a young age, the more diligent you need to be about getting examined.\u201dBeing immunocompromised.Having a reduced ability to fight off infection or disease because of a serious medical illness or treatment increases the risk of melanoma and can complicate its treatment.\nReducing Your Risk\nThese simple steps can go far toward keeping you \u2014 and your family \u2014 relatively safe from melanoma:\nLimit sun exposure. Stay indoors between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun is strongest.\nDon\u2019t let your children get sunburned. \u201cThe earlier in life sunburn happens, the greater the risk for melanoma later on,\u201d Dr. Childs said.\nWear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher when in the sun. Apply it thoroughly across exposed areas and keep reapplying sunscreen at no more than two-hour intervals during sustained exposure to the sun (for example, while on the beach, on the farm or at a job site). \u201cYou can\u2019t apply sunscreen just once and then stay out in the sun for 10 hours and not expect to have a sunburn,\u201d Dr. Childs said.\nWear protective clothing. Stylish summer clothes that block UV rays are widely available online and in chain sporting goods stores. Also, wear light colors, which reflect sunlight away from your body.\nAvoid tanning salons. Just one indoor tanning session can increase your risk of melanoma by 20%, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). A single \u201ctan in a can\u201d also can raise your risk of two other skin cancers: squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, the AAD reports.\nAdvances in Treating Melanoma\nImmunotherapies that enable the immune system to find and eliminate cancer cells, and targeted therapies that act on specific genetic proteins that cause abnormal cell growth, have drastically changed the prognosis for melanoma. Additionally, the continued development of experimental medications that lead to even more hope.\n\u201cJust 10 to 15 years ago, if we had a new patient with stage 4 melanoma, you couldn\u2019t be very hopeful, nor could you offer many treatment options. The situation is far different today,\u201d Dr. Wallace said.\n\u201cThe immunotherapies we are able to employ now often drive the immune system to take over and counteract the disease, even after it\u2019s become metastatic,\u201d Dr. Childs said.\nRCCA network medical oncologists are experts at evaluating and treating later-stage melanomas. The physicians regularly participate in clinical trials of treatments that target melanoma and other solid tumors and blood-based cancers. Patients typically are referred to an RCCA cancer specialist after their melanoma has been diagnosed, initially treated and staged by a dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon.\n\u201cWe treat patients according to the best current evidence using the latest treatments,\u201d Dr. Wallace said. \u201cIt\u2019s a matter of knowing what treatment strategy is right for each patient and making sure they can take advantage of the best existing therapies.\u201d\nDr. Childs and Dr. Wallace are among more than 80 oncology physicians and nurse clinicians practicing at 20-plus RCCA care centers throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and the Washington, D.C., area. RCCA provides care to roughly 22,000 new cancer patients and 225,000 established patients each year, offering those patients immunotherapy, targeted treatment, cell-based therapy and other cutting-edge treatments and diagnostic modalities, as well as access to clinical trials. RCCA care centers also provide infusion services for patients with non-oncology conditions \u2014 such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn\u2019s disease and others \u2014 who are being treated with intravenously-administered medications.\nwe are here for you\nFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.\nRELATED ARTICLES\nRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\n\u00a9 2022 Regional Cancer Care Associates. 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Fight cancer with leading-edge treatments, experienced skill and local caring\/convenience from one of the nation's largest networks of cancer specialists.","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/rgnlcancercare","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/regionalcancercareassoc","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/10059183","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCFlVzU4UvZcyXBCe9ZSvAUQ"],"telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"RCCA physicians in South Jersey discuss melanoma","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/rcca-physicians-in-south-jersey-discuss-melanoma\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]