Description
Preface Melanoma Experts 1. Introduction: You Have Melanoma. Now What? 2. The Five-Step Plan: Navigating the "Mad Rush" Phase Step 1: Understand the Diagnostic Information in the Pathology Report Step 2: Understand the Severity of Your Melanoma with the AJCC Staging System Step 3: Understand Your Treatment Options Step 4: Understand Survival Rate and Prognosis Step 5: Find the Clinical Experts in Your Area 3. The "Marathon" Phase: Surviving Melanoma Medical Follow-Up Why Do You Need Continual Follow-Up? When Do Melanomas Usually Recur? What Physicians Look for to See If a Melanoma Is Coming Back or Has Spread Elsewhere? What is My Risk of Getting Another Melanoma? What Specialist or Specialists Should You See for Follow Ups? How Frequently Should You Have Follow-Up Exams? What Should You Expect during Follow-Up Visits? What Can I Do to Improve the Appearance of My Scar How Does a Dermatologist Find a New Melanoma? Total Body Skin Exam The ABCDE Rule Ugly Duckling Sign Symptomatic Lesions Dermoscopy Exam Total Body Photography Short-Term Follow Up with Digital Photos Confocal Laser Microscopy Biopsy & Pathology-the Gold Standard How Can You Find a New Melanoma? How to Prevent Melanoma? Why You Should Not Use Tanning Devices? Who Else in My Family Is at Risk for Developing Melanoma? What Is Your Skin and Hair Color? What Is Your Age and Sex? How Much Sun Exposure Have You Had? Do You have a Personal and Family History of Atypical Moles and Melanoma? Do You Have Any Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer? Do You Have Large Moles that Were Present at Birth? Are You Immune Suppressed? Do You Have Any Genetic Disposition? Technical Innovations Artificial Intelligence Genetic Expression Profiling 4. Networking: Finding and Sharing Information 5. Beating Melanoma: The Checklist Appendixes Basal Cell Cancer Squamous Cell Cancer Glossary Index
Steven Q. Wang, MD, is the director of dermatologic oncology at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, where he specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of skin cancer. He has been featured as a skin cancer expert in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.