Cherishing Life's Milestones After Cancer
- Sean Guinness, 60, from Yorkshire, England beat early stage melanoma in 2011 after discovering a small bleeding mole on his leg.
- Unfortunately, the aggressive skin cancer came back eight years later, this time spreading to his liver and intestine. He underwent immunotherapy, and miraculously, has been deemed in the clear once again.
- After the advanced stage recurrence, the devastated dad had worried that he would not be around to walk his daughter down the aisle. Fortunately, that is no longer the case as he preps for 28-year-old Amelia’s big day.
Sean Guinness, 60, from Yorkshire, England beat early stage melanoma in 2011. He had noticed a bleeding mole on his leg.
Read More“When I was really ill, Amelia wanted me to write a letter that could be read out on her wedding day,” the IT specialist told BBC News. “I feel blessed that I will now be there for her.”
Following his successful treatment, Bob also feels very lucky and proud to be a part of a program at the prestigious University of Oxford, which looks into the “specific causes and treatment of melanoma,” according to BBC News.
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“I do not think there are any words in the English language that describe the feeling of gratefulness.”
In August, Amelia will have wedding celebrations both in the UK and in Spain. Sean, his wife Josie, and their son, Theo, will all be present to celebrate the milestone as a family.
Understanding Melanoma
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair and eyes their color. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 99,780 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the United States in 2022.
And while the ACS says the risk of melanoma increases as people age with the average age of diagnosis being 65, the disease is not uncommon among those younger than 30. In fact, it's one of the most common cancers in young adults (especially young women).
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The disease can develop from an existing mole or appear as a dark or pink growth on the skin even in places on the body that never see the sun. It's also known to be the deadliest form of skin cancer.
"Melanomas are the deadliest type of skin cancer because they have a tendency to spread to other parts of the body," explains Dr. Anna Pavlick, a medical oncologist with Weill Cornell Medicine who specializes in treating skin cancer.
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Keeping an eye on the moles or growths on your skin is an easy way to keep an eye out for melanoma. Changes to a mole you've had for a while or developing a new growth you don't remembering having on your skin could be signs of this cancer, according to SurvivorNet's experts.
“Patients who really do their homework know that if there is a research opportunity for them, they need to take it and run with it,” Dr. Pavlick said. The leading expert witnessed an incredible success story with her patient (and best friend) who was cured from advanced disease. “Because it can truly make their odds better than 50%, and may translate into their cure.”
Examining Your Skin for Melanoma: Remember ABCDE
Dr. Cecilia Larocca of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute gave SurvivorNet an overview of things to look out for with moles using the ABCDE self-screening method:
- Asymmetrical moles: "If you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match?"
- Borders that are "irregular, jagged, not smooth." It can also stand for bleeding.
- Colors: "Multiple distinct colors in the mole."
- Diameter: "Larger than 6mm, about the size of a pencil head eraser."
- Evolution: "This may be the most important," she says. "Anything that is changing over time such as gaining color, losing color, painful, itching, hurting, changing shape, etc."
Spots on our skin are often harmless, but it's still important to keep an eye on them and reach out to your doctor if you see any changes or find a growth anywhere on your skin that looks suspicious.
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