by boiler_up800 on 12/14/23, 3:18 PM with 92 comments
by leetrout on 12/14/23, 4:41 PM
Get your moles checked.
My dad died in July 1996 from a nasty mole on his back. He would ask me to scratch his back and I remember being 8 or 9 years old and having to scratch around it as it was near the seam of his tank top (which likely aggravated it daily). And would make comments about it being "gross". We just didn't know what we know today.
He was drying off after showering one morning and got blood all over the towel from the mole. He went to the dermatologist and was told he had malignant melanoma. This was in September 1995 and he was in the ground before the middle of July 1996. Nine months to get his affairs in order. I remember driving around and seeing his old college pals (one of which I still see once a year or so for lunch to this day). I remember him buying a bag phone, a "car phone" so we could keep in touch as he drove from Eastern KY to Duke University for experimental treatments (I believe it was the one that led to the immunotherapy treatments used today). He told my mom even if it didn't help him he hoped it would help someone.
I avoid the sun with the exception of the back of my neck and the top of my hands. He has no clue (nor do the dermatologists) what caused it but, like other posts mention, likely sunburns in childhood.
I am so hopeful for this treatment and thankful for the progress made on the immunotherapy fronts.
by sys32768 on 12/14/23, 4:15 PM
He said it might have been from sunburns when he was in the Boy Scouts.
I will never forget the look on his face when I spoke with him, a look of bewilderment wrestling with anger.
His wife teetered with grief and confusion, trying her best to be strong while trying to bear the sickening reality that nobody could have prepared their family for.
I always get an annual dermatology checkup now because of him.
by jseliger on 12/14/23, 5:01 PM
These delays help fill graveyards in the meantime: https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2021/01/th.... The tragedy goes mostly unremarked on, because the dead don't agitate or vote.
by kxyvr on 12/14/23, 5:30 PM
As some unsolicited practical advice, yes, it's always good to protect one's self from the sun using long sleeves or sunscreen. However, melanoma can and often does occur in areas that does not receive sun exposure. This could be between your toes or inside your butt cheeks. As a result, it's worthwhile to have a dermatologist conduct a skin exam once a year. Normally, this is covered under a specialist visit for insurance and for many insurance plans this is a flat fee.
Outside of a regular exam, any growth that has unusual size, shape, or color should be checked by a dermatologist, especially if it changes. My lesion was raised off the skin and red in color. It also changed and grew over time. If one can not immediately see a dermatologist, lacks insurance, or money for a visit, regular pictures of the skin blemish or growth can help track changes. If it changes, though, it really does require a dermatologist to look at it.
Lastly, dermatologists can and do make mistakes. In my case, my lesion was dismissed as a benign nevus at first visit. When I revisted the physician six months later, it was larger and was finally biopsied to discover it was melanoma. It is possible that the cancer metastasized in the interim period, but we'll never know. That said, if one is concerned about a growth and the physician defers, it is very simple to tell the dermatologist that you'd feel more comfortable if we biopsied the growth just to be sure. You don't have to be mean and I've never been refused. At that point, they take a small sample of the growth and send it to the lab. Then, you know for sure. Normally, the sample is taken by using a razor blade and skimming off some of the surface. It's fast, easy, and while not painless, it is not particularly painful. Generally, this is rolled into my specialist visit fee for insurance, but they may send an additional billing code to insurance.
Finally, dermatolgists can be difficult to schedule with. Honestly, their schedule is often filled with cosmetic procedures like skin peels and botox because it's so profitable. That said, any dermatologist can do a biopsy, so just call around to find one with an opening that takes your particular insurance.
I apologist for the side talk. I often find the whole talk to your doc discussion regarding skin lacks details, so hopefully this helps. Great to hear that the treatments are progressing.
by ceejayoz on 12/14/23, 3:53 PM
by CoastalCoder on 12/14/23, 4:12 PM
Anyone know if there's talk of using this profilactically, like the HPV vaccine? (I realize that viruses != cancers, but IIUC hpv can sometimes lead to cancer, which is why I thought to ask.)
by fnordpiglet on 12/14/23, 4:10 PM
I wonder how they identify the targets in each genome. Is there an optimizing expert system? Generative AI?
by deminature on 12/14/23, 7:11 PM
[1] https://www.phrp.com.au/media/media-releases/two-in-three-au...
by victorbjorklund on 12/14/23, 4:48 PM
by orwin on 12/14/23, 3:59 PM
Seems to be a tad expensive, but also generalizable. Hopefully it can replace hormone therapy for breast cancers, and be extended to all common cancers.
by nojvek on 12/15/23, 3:30 PM
Because it is. DNA/RNA is the language of all life. Moderna is literally working at the language of life layer to produce their vaccines.
by rafaelero on 12/14/23, 4:16 PM
by briane80 on 12/14/23, 3:58 PM
by sexy_seedbox on 12/15/23, 12:31 AM
by bkummel on 12/14/23, 4:18 PM
Side note: in the article, I find it a bit inappropriate that the first paragraphs only talk about the effects on the stock prices of both involved companies, before going into details of the research and how the vaccine works…
by lawrenceyan on 12/15/23, 4:23 AM
by YellOh on 12/14/23, 3:49 PM
Also, misc side note: I keep reading the words "Madonna" and "Cults" in the title even though they're not there. Was very confused when I first clicked the link.