Understanding Melanoma: What You Need to Know

This work constitutes the fifth edition of this consumer health guide, written by physicians, Perry Robins and Maritza Perez. Robins, the founder and president of the Skin Cancer Foundation, holds the position of faculty emeritus at the New York University Medical Center and has published extensively on dermatologic surgery. Perez, senior vice president of the Skin Cancer Foundation, is an associate professor of clinical dermatology at Mt. Sinai Icahn School of Medicine and served as a Fellow with Robins. Robins founded the Skin Cancer Foundation in 1979 with the mission to decrease the incidence of skin cancer through public and professional education and research. This edition features expanded chapters on the latest diagnostic and treatment options and updated sections on the genetics and statistics regarding the deadliest form of skin cancer. Much has changed since the first edition of this book in 1996. The fourth edition from 2010 is now significantly out of date. In cancer research, melanoma continues to be a primary area for bench-to-bedside achievements. In particular, rapidly growing genetics research has resulted in focused treatments. Immunotherapy and chemotherapy regimens targeted for BRAF and C-KIT mutations have been two of the most fruitful so far in achieving remissions and longer life for advanced melanoma patients. The chapter on treatment advances details recent Food and Drug Administration–approved medicines, such as checkpoint blockade therapies. This chapter explains the available treatments, much as would a review article in a nursing journal. Patients attempting to read this chapter will have a lot of questions to take back to their physicians. Likewise, the chapter on making the diagnosis, though not nearly as extensive, includes updates on the newest technologies to increase ease and accuracy of melanoma diagnosis. The explanations of some of the techniques provide a base for understanding the disease process. Some of the diagnostic modalities mentioned may lead consumer-level readers to ask questions of their health care providers. Another expanded chapter is the section on genetics. If consumers have obtained their raw genetic data from any source, the genes mentioned in this chapter may be valuable in further personal research. The expanded glossary assists in understanding the terms in this and the aforementioned diagnosis and treatment chapters. Despite the complexity, the authors have tried to explain the treatments and the genetics underlying the major progress in remission and recurrence resulting from the targeted therapies. Other consumer health books on melanoma have not attempted such comprehensive explanations. The authors are to be commended on this attempt. Additionally, the book covers the four types of melanoma and causes, risk factors, staging, prognosis, guidelines for prevention, and tools for self-care. In these sections, the writing is less technical. For instance, the authors clearly define “in situ.” They include numerous helpful illustrations, such as body site maps for men and women, pictures distinguishing melanoma and other skin cancer types, lymphatic system maps, Mohs surgery step by step, skin coloring types, and historical graphs. The self-examination chapter provides clear instructions, including sizing charts for moles and diagrams for monthly self-exams. In the chapter on early warning systems, the authors include not only the “ABCDE” scale, but also the “Ugly Duckling Sign.” Authors provide illustrations on how to determine which mole or other skin lesion could be an ugly duckling, defined as a lesion that presents either initially or evolves over time to be different from the patient's other skin lesions. Other additions are the “CUBED Guide for Nail Melanomas” and the “EFG Rule for Nodular Melanomas.” Discussion of how a lesion might evolve and details on early signs can increase the patient's confidence in opening a discussion with a health care provider. In the section on numbers, the authors describe patterns for the development of melanoma according to different gender, racial, age, and geographic factors. They focus on the increasing risk of developing melanoma both historically and over a lifetime. The last three chapters engage the reader with suggestions for coping, prevention, and support organizations. Strong emphasis on the value of support groups, keeping a positive attitude, and keeping up with research provide the patient with means for self-care. The safe in the sun chapter emphasizes the value of protective clothing, sunscreens, the UV Index, and avoidance of all tanning. The guide to information sources and support groups contains up-to-date links and contact information for reputable organizations. A new section on the twenty-five most frequently asked questions (FAQs) provides abbreviated answers to material already covered in the book. Along with the cross-reference index, these FAQs enhance understanding of the more detailed treatment and diagnosis sections. The authors cite the sources for their photographs and illustrations, most of which originate from their website or previous works. Robins has also written consumer health guides on Understanding Actinic Keratoses (Physicians Continuing Education Corporation; 2002. ISBN: 978-0971315150), Understanding Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Skin Cancer Foundation; 2006. ISBN: 978-0962768859), and Understanding Basal Cell Carcinoma (Skin Cancer Foundation; 2006. ISBN: 978-0962768866). Besides these citations for illustrations, no other citations are provided for content. The authors clearly express a strong desire to educate patients about their options, their opportunities to prevent and manage the disease, and their choices in treatment and coping with the illness. Quotes by celebrity melanoma survivors, Tom Selleck and Sam Donaldson, adorn the back cover. This book is recommended for consumer health collections in health sciences libraries and for health collections in public libraries. Undergraduate and secondary school libraries may also find it valuable. This new edition complements Catharine M. Poole's Melanoma: Not Just Skin Cancer (CreateSpace Independent Publishing; 2015. ISBN: 978-1502446558).