Royal Family Health Issues Continue: Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, Announces Skin Cancer, Just After Beating Breast Cancer

The melanoma was apparently discovered while Ferguson was consulting a dermatologist as part of the reconstruction process after treatment for breast cancer, say her reps. And, initially, the diseases seems to have been caught early, says the statement.

Melanoma that is spotted early is removed through a surgery that attempts to get as much of the disease out as possible. In many cases, dermatologists now use a technique called Mohs Surgery, which removes layers of tissue in surgical procedures and then examines them for signs of disease. The procedure is quick, highly effective, and performed as an outpatient surgery.

Breast Cancer Treatment

Ferguson received a single mastectomy, which is the removal of one breast, to treat early-stage  breast cancer last summer.  After receiving treatment, Ferguson—once a member of the British royal family, who was previously married to Prince Andrew, said“I’ve always believed in life and joy, and I’ve always brought my girls up to believe that, and really, really strong about it. And so this hasn’t given me that sort of moment, oh I’m so lucky, now I’m going to go and give. I’ve always been like this. However, it makes me be able to be myself. I sort of feel as though I’m myself talking to you.”

Describing the moment she decided to have her left breast removed, when she searched the procedure up on the internet, she explained, “Of course you look it up and you go on medical (websites) and it tells you all these different things and eventually I was so silent and I went right into my fears.”

Melanoma Early Detection

By far, the the early detection of melanoma growths on the skin is the best way to prevent more serious spread of the disease, and Ferguson is already attempting to use her situation to increase awareness.

“The Duchess wants to thank the entire medical team which has supported her, particularly her dermatologist whose vigilance ensured the illness was detected when it was,” the representative adds. “She believes her experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, color and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma.”

Symptoms of Melanoma

The most important thing to look out for when it comes to finding melanoma is a new spot on your skin, or a spot that is changing in size, shape, or color, SurvivorNet’s medical experts say. The spot will likely also look different from all of the other spots on your skin (doctors call this the “ugly duckling sign”).

Doing regular self-checks on your skin is important to find skin cancer early. If you’re high-risk, it’s especially vital.

Dr. Cecilia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recommends looking at your skin once a month for anything suspiciousand using the acronym ABCDE as a checklist:

• Asymmetrical moles: If you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match? If not, your mole is considered asymmetrical
• Borders: The edges of your mole look irregular, jagged, or uneven; can also stand for bleeding
• Colors: Multiple distinct colors in the mole, including patches of pink, brown, grey, and blackbut could be any color
• Diameter: Larger than 6mm, about the size of a pencil head eraser
• Evolution: Anything that’s changing over time such as gaining color, losing color, pain, itching, changing shape, etc.

Dr. Larocca emphasizes that any mole that’s changing in appearance or causing symptoms should be looked at by a dermatologist as soon as possible. Black moles of any kind are also at high risk for melanoma.

If you notice any of these changes, see your dermatologist for a full skin assessment. Early detection of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, improves your chances for successful treatment.

 

 

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