Melanoma strikes young victims

Melanoma can strike anyone. University of Kansas student Ashley Bonebrake knows this all too well.

"I want to be like everyone else... I don't want to be the girl with the white legs and everybody says ‘Ooh look at how white your legs are,'" Bonebrake said. "It doesn't bother me anymore, but it did before, and I'm sure it would bother other people too."

The 24-year-old Bonebrake still feels the pressure to be tanned. Still, she will go to any lengths to get her friends and family to understand the importance of protecting their skin.

"I guess you could say I'm like the sun block nazi," Bonebrake said.

Bonebrake is one of two members of KU's Kappa Kappa Gamma that have had cases of malignant melanoma in the last two years.

If you believe you or a friend are at risk for melanoma, take this 10-question survey at melanoma.com.

Melanoma is the fastest-growing cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer among 25-30-year-old women, causing more deaths each year than breast cancer.

The <a href="http://www.advocatehealth.com/system/info/library/articles/cancercare/mel2.html
">Advocate Health Care Web site says increased exposure to the sun, a thinning ozone layer, and better detection of the disease are possible causes for this rapid increase in melanoma cases over the past decade.

Though melanoma is treatable if found in its earliest stages, those diagnosed with the disease must still live with the constant fear that the condition might return once again.

Dr. Mark A. McCune, chief of dermatology at Humana Hospital in Overland Park, conducted a mini-seminar for the sorority about the frightening facts of melanoma, which causes nearly 75 percent of skin cancer deaths and affects over 105,000 Americans each year.

McCune and his associates gave free skin checks to every woman who wanted them after the short melanoma seminar. More than 40 women had suspicious moles and skin conditions examined. Each was given a body examination sheet that they could take to either their general practitioner or to a dermatologist for a future follow-up.

Ashley Bonebrake discusses the difficulties of living with malignant melanoma, a condition she was diagnosed with two years ago. Photo: Brooke Budke.

McCune said college students generally thought that it was socially accepted to be tan, yet the very aggressive skin cancer targets 20- to 40-year-old people.

"Sunlight is the main driving factor," McCune said. "Some of it is that you have enough damage over your life, but when we see melanomas starting in younger and younger people, that's not cumulative damage. That's bad habits. That's just doing a whole lot really early."

McCune said that he recently removed melanoma from patients as young as 18 years of age.

Currently, people get 80 percent of their sunlight exposure by the time they're 20 years old. He said the tan had been wrongly built into our culture as a positive image.

"Tanning sort of got equated with being healthy and healthy looking 20, 30 years ago," McCune said. "Then it became sort of a resort thing for all the rich and famous to be able to go and get tan in the ocean, and all of a sudden that was a status symbol."

Living Life

Melanoma survivor David Hentges continues to enjoy life, but he and his family fear a possible recurrence of the condition. Photo: Brooke Budke.

People who have had one or more of these cancerous skin growths, like melanoma survivor David Hentges, are more likely to have another in the future.

"This all happened over a period of about 10 years," Hentges said. "I've had three spots removed from my back. Two were basal cells and one was melanoma."

Throughout Hentges' battle with cancer, he laughs and lives life to the fullest. But his family worries about the results of a study at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The study found the risk of developing another melanoma for people who have had a primary melanoma is about 11 percent, with the risk increasing to 20 percent if there is a family history of the condition.

Hentges continues to enjoy many of his favorite outdoor activities — including golf — but has become more conscious about preventing damage to his skin.

"When you're out in the sun, you need to protect yourself appropriately," Hentges said. "And we have the technology with good sunscreens now that it's not wise to not do that with what we have available."

Hentges' daughter, Shelby, now uses more precautions in the sun and with self-tanning devices. After seeing her dad's battle with melanoma, she is more aware of skin changes and her increased risk of skin cancer. She worked at a tanning salon and has witnessed first-hand both at work and at home the damages caused by overexposure to light rays.

McCune said recognition of changes in the skin is the best way to detect early melanoma. They most frequently appear on the upper back, torso, lower legs, head and neck. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests people look over the entire body including the scalp, soles of feet, between toes and in the palms of hands. If people notice a mole on their skin, they should follow the simple ABCD rule that outlines the warning signs of melanoma.

Heeding the Warning

Routine skin checks are the best way to diagnose if one might have melanoma. Those who see a change in a mole's appearance should immediately consult a doctor. Photo: Brooke Budke.

A lot has been said in recent years about sun safety and the importance of protecting your skin from tanning beds. But a study by the Mayo Clinic shows that people under the age of 40 — especially women — haven't been heeding the message.

Bonebrake herself never thought twice about spending extended time in the sun.

"I used to tan in tanning salons, lifeguard in the summer and run and play tennis outside without any form of sun protection," Bonebrake said.

Now, Bonebrake applies sun block of at least 30 SPF — sometimes even 50 SPF — and avoids the sun from peak sunlight hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The American Cancer Society also recommends seeking shade whenever possible and avoiding the most damaging rays when your shadow is shorter than you. Protective clothing like a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and long-sleeved shirt and pants also protect the skin.

Sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher needs to be applied 15 to 30 minutes before you go outdoors and should be reapplied every two hours.

The American Academy of Dermatology says excessive exposure to the ultraviolet radiation of the sun is the most preventable cause of melanoma. Doctors also encourage people to protect themselves throughout the winter, especially when skiing or vacationing at sunny destinations.

Melanoma Facts

• Melanoma is the fastest-growing cancer currently in the USA and worldwide


• Melanoma is the most common cancer in young adults aged 20-30


• There are more new cases of melanoma than AIDS/HIV


• Among women age 25-30, melanoma is the leading cause of cancer death


• Among women age 30-35, melanoma is the second-leading cause of death (after breast cancer)