Professor Rona MacKie announced as MASScot's Honorary President

MASScot once again held a successful meeting at the Corinthian Glasgow.

The meeting made up of MASScot members and other interested members of the public gathered to hear from Professor Robert Insall from Cancer Research UK.

Professor Robert Insall is an expert in genetics and works out of CRUK’s world renowned Beatson Institute.  Prof. Insall talked through the basics of genetics and spoke on how melanoma grows and spreads in the body. 

MASScot also announced that Professor Rona MacKie has been appointed as Honorary President of Melanoma Action and Support Scotland.

Melanoma Action and Support Scotland (MASScot) was created in 2003 by Professor Rona MacKie with assistance from Cancer Support Scotland. Rona Mackie is a dermatologist and was for 20 years professor of dermatology at Glasgow University. She has a longstanding interest in earlier diagnosis of melanoma and has both published in this area, and run campaigns aimed at encouraging greater public awareness and therefore earlier diagnosis which should lead to reduced melanoma mortality. 

MASScot has grown from strength to strength since its creation.

Tommy Burns Charity Single On Sale Now

ON SALE NOW: The single 'Tommy Burns' is now available for download on iTunes, Amazon & to buy in Celtic stores.

Today marks the release of the Tommy Burns charity single, which has been recorded by Joe O’Sullivan, Kellie Stevenson and friends.

For just 69p you can buy the single at amazon online, 99p on itunes or head to a Celtic store and pick up a copy for £1.99!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tommy-Burns/dp/B00GRL0IN0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1385110361&sr=8-3&keywords=kellie+stevenson

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/tommy-burns/id748227928?i=748227983&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Melanoma & Skin Cancer News Round Up: 21/11/2013

New imaging tool bypasses blade to check for skin cancer

At the UConn Health Centre, patients can often avoid the pain and scarring of a biopsy, thanks to a laser imaging tool that enables analysis of the skin at the cellular level.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-11-imaging-tool-bypasses-blade-skin.html

Web Based Course Improves Ability to Detect Skin Cancer

For primary care providers, a web based course in skin cancer detection improves skills related to recognition and management of skin cancer according to a study published in the November-December issue of the journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.

http://www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/pb/42562

Melanoma survivors suffering long term distress: research

New research shows that one third of Queensland melanoma survivors are still suffering significant psychological distress more than five years after diagnosis.

The Cancer Council Queensland study surveyed 2500 melanoma survivors and found distress was more common in female than male long-term melanoma survivors, in younger age groups and in patients with lower levels of social support.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/melanoma-survivors-suffering-long-term-distress-research-20131121-2xyet.html

Merck trial shows more melanoma cancer patients respond to drug

Early data from a small trial of Merck & Co Inc's experimental immunotherapy cancer drug, known as MK-3475, show that about half of advanced melanoma patients treated with the highest dose of the drug experienced tumour shrinkage.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/11/18/us-merck-melanoma-idUKBRE9AH0RQ20131118

Ski Season - Taking precautions when out on the slopes.

Nevis, Glencoe and Gleenshee are just a few of the Scottish ski resorts where skiers from Scotland and all over the world flock to in the winter months to enjoy the ski season. UV levels increase about 4% for every 1,000 foot gain in altitude, that’s why it’s important to keep informed of the dangers that skiers face from the sun and its harmful UV rays. 

With the winter drawing in its not likely that most of us will have to worry about the UV levels until next April, especially in Scotland. However, if you’re planning on heading to the hills for a bit of sking or perhaps abroad then you might want to read up on how you can avoid the sunburn when you’re on the slopes. 

At a high altitude you are closer to the sun and the snow on the ground reflects the sun which means you’ll have to take precautions to ensure you’ve protected yourself against the suns harmful rays. 

So what can be done? 

Sunscreen
This is the simplest and easiest solution to keeping the sun from damaging your skin when out and about. Slap the sunscreen on your face and make sure you spread it equally around your face covering any of your skin which will be exposed to the sun. 
You should go for a sweat proof sunscreen with at least an SPF factor of 30 although we’d advise that the higher the SPF Factor the better.  Keep it reapplied every couple of hours to combat the sweating!
Wearing a balaclava with goggles is also a great option for keeping your skin protected without slapping on the sunscreen. 

Ski Goggles
The first defence for your eyes when you hit the slopes is a good pair of UV protecting goggles. Once you’ve slapped on the sunscreen you can double up on your defences by popping on some ski goggles.  Invest in a good pair of ski goggles which protect against the full spectrum of UV rays: UVA, UVB, and UVC. Most goggles out there are 100% UV protected, so make sure you read the label to ensure your goggles are fully UV protected in order to make sure that your safe when on the slopes. 
Full UV protection is great but even better is that of goggles with full UV protection and mirrored lenses. Mirrored lenses act like a two way mirror, they allow you to look out but prevent anyone from seeing your eyes. Mirror lenses reflect light away from your eyes and therefore less light penetrates the goggle lens. Polarized ski goggles also reduced glare from sun or snow. 

Cover Up
Covering up is the best way to combat the sun’s harmful rays. If you’re out on the slopes it’s probably inevitable that you’ll be wrapped up warm anyway and that’s the best way to stay safe in the sun.  So keep the layers on and you’ll be safe on the slopes. 

Lip Balm
Lip balm formulated with sunscreen will keep your lips moisturized when you hit the slopes and the SPF factor will ensure they’re protected from the sun’s harmful rays. 

A little bit more advice:
- Keep hydrated and slurp down the water on a regular basis. 
- Take a break from the sun every few hours. Get inside and seek some shelter on occasion.
- Ski early and late: The UV rays are at their highest between 10am and 4pm so try avoid hitting the slopes around these times. 
- Carry a travel sized sunscreen in your pocket to apply wherever you are.

MASScot Schools Competition

This year MASScot were generously funded by the Sunter Trust. This funding allowed us to employ teachers to help spread MASScot's message of sun protection across schools throughout Glasgow. We managed to reach 28 Schools throughout Glasgow and the surrounding area, reaching 6000 pupils in the process.

During our time visiting these schools, we launched our Sun Protection Message Competition. 

MASScot invited pupils who were educated on the dangers of the sun from our teachers to get their creative juices flowing and come up with an eye catching poster or memorable slogan to get the sun protection message across. 

The winners of the competition will each receive £50 and we will use the winning entries in our publicity material to get the message across to the wider public.

We received plenty of entries. Below are just a few of them.

MASScot will announce the winners on Tuesday the 12th of November, so check back for an update soon.

Melanoma & Skin Cancer News Roundup 07/11/2013

A collection of links of all the latest melanoma and skin cancer news.



MASScot's Leigh Smith speaks out on a new blood test which will be used to identify the spread of melanoma

Skip ahead to 15:00 minutes into the programme to hear Leigh.

Source: BBC

Blood test could identify spread of melanoma

A SIMPLE blood test could identify those patients whose melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer – has started to spread to other parts of the body, according to new research.

The test, developed by researchers in Scotland, allows scientists to examine DNA shed from cancer tumour cells into the bloodstream, in particular a gene called TFP12.

Source: Scotsman 

Doctors said the lump on my arm was a just a cyst - but I had SKIN CANCER': Builder, 69, can no longer work because of damage caused by tumour 

Doctors have been berated for wrongly diagnosing a patient’s cancerous tumour as a large, harmless cyst.

Source: Daily Mail

Ipilimumab’s long-term survival edge confirmed in melanoma

AMSTERDAM – Immunotherapy with ipilimumab provides a durable, long-term survival benefit in patients with metastatic or locally advanced melanoma, a pooled analysis confirms.

Source: Family Practice News

Could a Movember moustache be good for you all year round?

Facial hair may have health benefits, from improving your immune system to protecting your face from the sun

Of course, the power of facial hair to attract or repulse the opposite sex may come as no surprise to the moustachioed hipster, but other than finding a potential partner with a fetish for fuzz, are there other tangible health benefits? Yes, say scientists at the University of Southern Queensland. They claim beards can help to block out the sun's harmful rays. The study published in the journal Radiation Protection Dosimetry found that a full bushy beard offered protection levels similar to factor 21 sunscreen – a reduction in the UV of 50 to 95%.

Source: The Guardian

History of Prostate Cancer Tied to Higher Odds for Melanoma

Men with prostate cancer may face an increased risk for developing melanoma skin cancer down the road, new research suggests.

Source: Consumer Healthday 

Distraught parents' anger after doctors failed to spot 33-year-old daughter's skin cancer two years before she died
The family of a mother-of-two who died from skin cancer have spoken of their anger that the disease wasn't spotted by doctors earlier.
Source: Daily Mail