Although rare, melanoma is one of the easiest forms of cancer for an individual to detect on his or her own.  After all, it’s a form of skin cancer and can be easily seen by the naked eye.  A new study conducted at California’s Stanford University Medical Center reveals older men are least aware of the risk of melanoma, however, and are less likely to recognize danger signs when they find them.

This lack of awareness to the dangers of melanoma can be tragic, as melanoma is one of the easiest to treat forms of cancer but it is also one of the deadliest.  As the number of patients developing it rises, so does the death rate.

More than half of all US deaths caused by melanoma occur in men aged 40 and older.  The Stanford study, led by Dr. Susan Swetter, involved a survey of 227 patients who’d received a melanoma diagnosis no more than three months before being queried.  Less than 20% of the male patients said they were aware of the warning signs for melanoma and less than 50% of them said they conducted regular skin self-examinations.  In such cases, the patient’s doctor is more likely to spot a suspicious lesion than the patient himself.

Of the men in the study, conducted between 2004 and 2006, about 25% of them had thick tumors that are hard to treat.  The men with smaller tumors said they understood their risks for skin cancer and the value of a physician-conducted skin cancer exam.  Detecting tumors as early as possible, when they are still small and thin, makes them more treatable.

A separate analysis of the study’s data, conducted by Alan Geller of Harvard University, revealed that more than 50% of the patients with doctor-detected melanomas were 65 years old or older, an age when they are covered by the Medicare healthcare program.  People in this age group generally see their doctors more often than younger patients.

Geller’s analysis also indicated most melanomas occurred on the patients’ backs, which does make self-detection tricky, especially as the patient ages.  This finding strengthens the research team’s suggestion for a ‘watch your back’ awareness campaign, along with its suggestions for increased patient education and physician-conducted skin exams for patients at highest risk.

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 62,480 new melanoma diagnoses were made in 2008.  Melanomas account for less than 5% of all cases of skin cancer but cause the most deaths.

The Archives of Dermatology carries the full details of the Swetter study.