 Seeing Spots: Melanoma
Spots...you find them on ladybugs, leopards and polka-dot dresses and sometimes they even end up on the carpet. But spots do not belong on your skin.
Skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the U.S., occurs when there are mutations in the DNA of the skin cells. This form of cancer begins in your skin's top layer, the epidermis, which contains three main types of cells: squamous, basal and melanocytes. The two most common types of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. A third type, melanoma, is less common but is the most dangerous.
Melanoma begins in the melanocytes. They are the cells that make melanin, which gives skin its color. Too much exposure to any type of ultraviolet, or UV, light (including tanning beds) may cause the melanocytes to grow abnormally and become cancerous. In men, melanoma most often occurs on the upper body, between the shoulders and hips and on the head and neck. In women, it is more likely to develop on the lower legs.
While your chances of getting melanoma increase as you get older, it's one of the most common cancers in young adults (ages 25 to 29). It is a serious and sometimes life-threatening cancer. If it is not caught early, it can grow deeper within the skin and spread to other parts of the body, making it difficult to treat.
You can reduce your risk of skin cancer by limiting or avoiding exposure to UV radiation, wearing sunscreen year-round, wearing protective clothing, avoiding tanning beds and being aware of sun-sensitizing medications. Check your skin for suspicious changes and make an appointment with your doctor or dermatologist if you notice anything out of the ordinary. Not all skin changes are caused by skin cancer, but if it is cancer, early detection offers a better chance at successfully treating the disease.
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Palliative Care: A New Inpatient Service by Washington Regional
Our new palliative care service is specialized medical care for inpatients with serious illnesses. This type of care is focused on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness, whatever the diagnosis. The Palliative Care Team is available to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the patient and family situation, make ongoing recommendations for symptom management, and document all interventions with the patient and family input.
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Joint Replacement Program Earns National Certification
Washington Regional Medical Center recently earned The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™ for its joint replacement program for knees, hips and shoulders. The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that is the leading accrediting agency of healthcare organizations in the U.S.
Washington Regional's Total Joint Center opened in January 2011 to provide specialized education and a team of surgeons and staff focused exclusively on the recovery and rehabilitation of joint replacement patients. During the voluntary certification process, the Total Joint Center invited a team of expert surveyors from The Joint Commission to evaluate the program's compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.
"Achieving Joint Commission certification in the replacement of knees, hips and shoulders demonstrates Washington Regional's strong commitment to provide safe, high-quality care for joint replacement patients and to continually work to improve that care," says Kris Hanby, MD, who is medical director at the Total Joint Center and an orthopaedic surgeon fellowship-trained in joint replacement.
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