Beverly Hills Housewife and Melanoma

by Stephen Schleicher, MD

I read with interest an online article published by People Magazine titled: After Having 12 Melanomas Removed, Teddi Mellencamp Is Cancer-Free: 'I'm So Grateful We Caught It in Time'. Teddy Mellencamp, besides being a celebrity housewife, is also the daughter of singer/songwriter John Mellancamp. As we all know, bad things that happen to celebrities usually generate much more publicity than bad things happening to us ordinary people. Ms Mellancamp deserves praise for making public her multiple bouts with skin cancer and the need for early recognition.

Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer which, when caught early, has a very high cure rate. Persons most prone to melanoma are those with fair skin, blond hair and a history of sunburns and/or indoor tanning. To be safe, no matter what skin type, any skin growth that looks a bit funky is best checked out by your dermatologist.

As for Ms. Mellencamp, she was preparing for a jog when her friend cut her short: "She looked at my back and said, 'Listen, I know that I've talked to you about these spots before, but they look different — one of them has a black dot in the middle.' ". That spot turned out to be a melanoma and, within short order, she underwent surgery for 11 more skin cancers. Ms Mellencamp has also shared her story with 1 million followers on Instagram. Hopefully by doing so lives will be saved.