Advocating for Your Health Means Pushing for Solid Answers
- A woman, 52, who noticed a tiny white spot on her lip sought her doctor’s opinion in case it needed swift medical attention. However, her concerns were dismissed twice before she was ultimately diagnosed with melanoma, a type of skin cancer.
- In melanoma, the cells change in a way that allows them to spread to other organs, making it a severe type of skin cancer that requires quick attention and treatment. In early-stage diseases, surgery can be curative.
- Experts recommend checking your body for unusual spots or moles at least once a month. If you find any new spots or changes in size or color, it’s important to see a doctor immediately.
- Advocating for your own health can lead to better treatment outcomes. Sometimes, this includes going back to your doctor multiple times or seeking a second and third opinion from different doctors.
A 52-year-old beautician who was concerned about a small, unexplainable white spot on her lip was told by several doctors that "it was nothing." Fortunately, Melissa Floss was willing to get another opinion, which gave her answers. The white spot was part of a mass, and it was
melanoma , a potentially dangerous form of skin cancer.
“I went to my doctor, and she told me it was nothing. That didn’t sit right with me, so I went to my dentist for a second opinion, and they sent me home as well,” Floss
explained to the Daily Mail's FEMAIL platform. Floss, who refused to be dismissed again, kept pushing for answers. When she finally reached a different doctor who examined her, she got her diagnosis. “The doctor told me immediately that it was skin cancer — but that he wasn’t sure how far along it was. I was told it was in my tissue and that if it had gone too far, they would have to take my jaw,” Floss explained. After undergoing surgery, doctors discovered she had a 1.7 cm by 1.6 cm mass that had to be removed.
Helping You Navigate Skin Cancer and Prevention
The mass was melanoma. With this type of skin cancer, the cells change in a way that allows them to spread to other organs, making it a severe type of skin cancer that requires quick attention and treatment. In early-stage disease, surgery can be curative. Floss’ tissues were removed with a large enough margin that she wouldn’t need additional treatments. Her skin cancer journey taught her to be her own biggest healthcare advocate. “If you don’t think something is right, and you keep being dismissed, then get a second or third opinion,” Floss said.
Be Pushy, Be Your Biggest Advocate
Patients advocating for their health can lead to better treatment outcomes. This is especially important when your doctor has dismissed or misdiagnosed your symptoms. A component of advocating for yourself in healthcare includes going back to the doctor multiple times and even getting multiple opinions.
Dr. Steven Rosenberg, the National Cancer Institute Chief of Surgery, he previously told SurvivorNet about the advantages of getting input from multiple doctors.
WATCH: The value of getting a second opinion “If I had any advice for you following a cancer diagnosis, it would be, first, to seek out multiple opinions as to the best care. Because finding a doctor who is up to the latest information is important,” Dr. Rosenberg said.
What is Melanoma?
Melanoma starts in the same cells that give your skin, hair, and eyes their color—the cells in melanoma change, allowing them to spread to other organs. Changes to a mole you’ve had for a while or a new growth on your skin could be signs of melanoma, according to SurvivorNet’s experts. You’ll want to watch them and tell your doctor about any changes you notice. You’re most likely to find melanoma on sun-exposed skin areas like your face, neck, arms, and legs. However, you might also find it in other places, like:
- The palms of your hands or soles of your feet
- On your eyes or mouth
- Under your nails
WATCH: How to perform a skin check using the ABCDE method SurvivorNet experts recommend avoiding unprotected sun exposure because ultraviolet (UV) radiation can lead to melanoma. Tanning beds also pose ultraviolet radiation risks for skin cancer and should be avoided. Many dermatologists recommend using spray tans to reduce the risk of melanoma skin cancer. The most important thing to look for when finding melanoma is a new spot on your skin or a spot changing in size, shape, or color.
How is Melanoma Treated?
Treatment options for melanoma include targeted therapy and immunotherapy, which give people a better chance of living a long and healthy life. If you’re diagnosed with melanoma, there’s a good chance surgery will be the treatment your doctor recommends to start. Cancer removal usually leads to a cure in the early stages of the disease. After surgery, the removed tissue and lymph nodes are examined to measure the melanoma and determine if it has clear margins. Clear margins mean the cells around the area of tissue that was removed don’t contain any melanoma. When no cancer cells are left around the removed area, your cancer is less likely to return. For melanoma patients who need additional treatment after surgery, they are likely to receive adjuvant therapy (treatments administered after surgery). Adjuvant therapy is designed to improve outcomes and decrease the risk of recurrence. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some adjuvant therapy treatments for melanoma, which include:
- Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) is an immunotherapy that helps the immune system attack and kill cancer cells. It is a PD1 inhibitor drug that blocks the PD1 pathway cancer cells use to hide from the immune system.
- Nivolumab (Opdivo) is another form of immunotherapy and PD1 inhibitor that works similarly to pembrolizumab.
- Dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib (Mekinist) is a combination that can be used for patients with a BRAF V600E/K mutation fueling their cancer. About 50% of melanomas have BRAF mutations.
- Ipilimumab (Yervoy) is also an immunotherapy. It works by blocking CTLA4 protein, which is found normally on T-cells. This keeps immune cells alert to fight off cancer cells and stop their growth.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, you may have some questions for your doctor. SurvivorNet suggests some of the following to help you on your cancer journey.
- What type of skin cancer do I have?
- What treatment options exist for my specific cancer?
- Will insurance cover this treatment?
- Would treatment through a clinical trial make sense for me?
- What resources exist to help manage my anxiety because of this diagnosis?
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