Dr Paul Lubitz, The Association Between Alcohol and Melanoma

For the past 30 years, melanoma has been on the rise across Canada.

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer, and although it is less common than other skin cancers, it is more serious. Melanoma typically appears as brown or black spots on the skin; in some cases, it can appear as pink, tan or even white discolorations. This skin cancer can form anywhere on the skin, but is most commonly found on the chest and back in men and on the legs in women.

The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 76,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma every year and roughly 10,000 people die annually from this form of skin cancer.

Generally, the risk of developing melanoma increases with age, with the average age of those diagnosed with the cancer being roughly 63.

UV rays and sun exposure are often blamed for the development of the skin cancer, and while being sun smart is incredibly important and something I regularly advise, there are other risk factors that can lead to the cancer that people should be aware of.

Having a history of melanoma in one’s family makes one a high-risk candidate for the cancer. Similarly, anyone who has a lot of irregular or large moles has been shown to have an increased risk. Those who have fair skin, freckling and light hair should be aware that they are also at a higher risk for melanoma.

Outside of genetic predisposition, new research published by the American Association for Cancer Research indicates that there also may be a correlation between alcohol consumption and the development of this skin cancer.

Eunyoung Cho, ScD, an Associate Professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, recently published the study, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, which suggests that alcohol intake is linked with an increased risk for melanoma.

The study used data taken from 210,252 participants who were followed for an average of 18.3 years; the study used food-frequency questionnaires to measure alcohol consumption and frequency.

In a powerful takeaway from the research, Cho and her colleagues concluded that alcohol intake was linked to a 14 per cent increase in melanoma risk per drink, per day, with the association between alcohol and melanoma being the greatest for parts of the body that normally get less sun exposure.

Those who consumed 20 or more grams of alcohol a day were two per cent more likely to develop melanoma on their head, neck, arms or legs, but 73 per cent more likely to develop melanoma on their back or stomach.

The research also concluded that the largest risk for melanoma came from consumption of white wine, with each drink per day of white wine associated with a 13 per cent increased risk.

Eunyoung Cho’s study is only the most recent research that supports the fact that alcohol is a carcinogen. Outside of skin health and melanoma risk, alcohol has been considered a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) for many years, and in 2014 a World Cancer Report found that alcohol accounts for 3.5 per cent of cancers around the world.

Now, the point of this article is not to urge readers to stop drinking alcohol entirely. But rather, to urge moderation when it comes to drinking alcohol, and as always, to emphasize skin health by staying sun smart, living a healthy, active lifestyle, getting regular skin exams by a Board Certified Dermatologist and regularly examining one’s skin for irregularities.  

Dr Paul Lubitz: Remember Melanoma Awareness Starts with ‘Me’

It’s a little known fact that melanoma skin cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in women aged 25 through 29. According to the Cure Melanoma Organization, one person dies every hour from this often-preventable disease.

May happens to be Melanoma Awareness month. The month is meant to spark conversation around this common cancer and encourage people to check their skin and visit a dermatologist regularly for their skin examinations.

One of the most notable initiatives during the May awareness campaign is Melanoma Monday. Held on the first Monday of the month, the event sees members of the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) visit Parliament Hill in the nation’s capital to provide skin cancer screenings for all Members of Parliament, Senators and their staff.

The annual May event highlights the importance of skin monitoring and draws nationwide media coverage, which the organization uses to promote skin cancer awareness. This year’s key area of focus is the dangers of tanning beds.

Ahead of this year’s event in Ottawa, the CDA released a video aimed at teenagers and tanning bed users. Capitalizing on Prom Season, the video entitled "You Got into That Bed", is a clever and informative discussion about the risks associated with tanning beds.

The video aims to drive home the important statistic that sunbed use before the age of 35 years increases the risk of melanoma by an incredible 35 percent.

"It seemed like a natural fit for us," said Dr. Vince Bertucci, President of the CDA, "targeting Canada's most important leaders, our elected officials, with one of Canada's most at-risk populations, teenagers. In this way we hope to avert tragedy in both current and future leaders."

In Canada and across the globe, skin cancer is the most common and prevalent form of cancer in humans. The number of those diagnosed with Melanoma and other forms of skin cancer such as Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinomas continues to grow each year with roughly 85,100 new cases diagnosed in 2015.

At this point, you may be asking, “Dr Paul Lubitz, what should I do to protect myself?”

As this year’s Melanoma Awareness Campaign points out, avoiding all exposure to tanning bed rays is the first step in protecting your body’s largest organ.

Routine checks for changing moles, skin discoloration, easy bruising and other skin abnormalities are also key components to preventing skin cancer. Research indicates that high-risk patients (people who spend a lot of time in the sun, have a history of skin cancer in their family, or have a fair skin type) that routinely perform skin checks are much more likely to find any skin cancers including Melanoma in its earlier stages. Consequently, by having their skin cancer detected early, their chances of dying from the cancer were reduced by as much as a 63 percent.

Today, there are even mobile apps you can download on your phone or tablet that can help you track and monitor mole growth, colour, size and other changes. This data can be compared over time so you can stay on top of your skin health.

The regular application of sunscreen (an SPF of + 50 is recommended for the Bow Valley), wearing sun protective head gear and clothing while in the sun, and avoiding excessive sun exposure in the peak 10 – 2 hours of the day, are all important behaviours that will further reduce your risks of developing skin cancer.