[public health education licence, source and link quoted]

Deadly skin cancer
November 21, 2013, 6:18 pm Neil Doorley Today Tonight

While most people think melanoma is the one of the most aggressive skin cancer, new research has uncovered an even more deadly skin cancer.

According to the new research the merkel cell carcinoma is even more aggressive than melanoma, claiming the lives of three out of every five patients.

Merkel cell carcinoma are easy to miss even by the trained eye, according to Katie Clift from the Cancer Council.

"It's very easily misdiagnosed. If it is diagnosed late the survival rate is very, very low," Ms Clift said.

More stories from Today Tonight
A medical revolution
Five silent killers
Hypertension epidemic?
[snip]

According to researchers merkel cell carcinomas are killing around 1500 Australians every year.

Ms Clift says the findings are alarming, with Queensland having double the number of cases per 100,000 people.

"The fact double the rate here than anywhere else in the world is alarming," she said.

[end snip]

Professor Michael Poulsen, a radiation oncologist at Brisbane's Mater Hospital, says merkel cell carcinoma is relatively unknown even in the medical fraternity.

"Most GPs will never see one of these merkel cell carcinomas in their clinical practice. This tumour has a very high proliferation rate," Professor Poulsen said.

Apart from surgery to remove the tumor, patients are given radium treatment and chemotherapy.

Survivor of merkel cell carcinoma Paul Higgins says people who see a lump should get it checked out by a reputable person.

"It came up like a lump of plumb colour. In the first ultrasound the cancer was about 21mm in diameter and in the three weeks that followed it grew to 43mm," Mr Higgins said.

For more information:

Merkel cell carcinoma organistion - www.merkelcell.org

[end snip]

[link to au.news.yahoo.com]