A woman from the South Shore who had to wait two years and see three doctors to have a melanoma removed is calling for more vigilance against skin cancer.
“I was lucky,” admits Stéphanie Brind’Amour, 45 years old. Despite the years that passed without a diagnosis, his cancer had spread little.
In 2020, the woman from Saint-Constant had a melanoma removed from her back, then 13 lymph nodes in her armpits, where other cancer cells were hiding.
An extremely painful operation, in addition to follow-ups every three months to check that the melanoma did not reappear. “It’s life-changing,” she says, feeling like she’s living with a sword of Damocles hanging over her head.
This is why she gets angry when she is told that skin cancer “is not serious” or when she sees those close to her who do not protect themselves.
Rising
Furthermore, the number of melanomas is increasing in the province, according to the Quebec Cancer Registry. It projects more than 3,000 diagnoses in 2023, pending official figures. But already, a peak of 2,237 melanomas have been diagnosed in 2021, double the number 10 years ago.
Detected quickly, melanoma nevertheless displays one of the best cure rates, i.e. 90%, specifies the Canadian Dermatology Association.
“To be heard”
“We must make ourselves heard,” pleads Mme Brind’Amour. She first showed an itchy pimple on her back to a doctor in 2018. She then returned the following year and even saw a dermatologist without a red flag being raised.
She admits that her pimple did not have the black, painless appearance of traditional melanoma.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY STÉPHANIE BRIND’AMOUR
“But I knew I had something […] I was tired, I felt unwell, I couldn’t feelais not… to fall asleep during an F1 race, it’s because I’m not well,” says today, with a smile, the mother who works in customer service.
Today, she “scans” her loved ones and their moles.
When she was young, Stéphanie Brind’Amour frequented tanning salons and endured severe sunburn like many people.
Photo CHANTAL POIRIER
“I wasn’t paying attention,” she remarks. But you can enjoy the sun, you just need to protect yourself.”
And to influencers who spread misinformation about sunscreen, she sends a message: “Take your photos, do what you want, but I’m not playing with people’s health.”
Dermatologist sees consequences of pandemic delays
Consultation delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt, according to a dermatologist who is seeing more advanced melanomas than before.
“We see very large melanomas, much more than we saw before,” estimates Dr.r Joël Claveau, from the CHU de Québec, who deplores the fact that too many Quebecers have delayed seeking medical attention.
An observation that is also shared by his colleagues across the country, specifies the skin cancer specialist.
And according to him, the approximately 200 dermatologists in the province are not enough to meet the demand either. “Everyone has little sores somewhere […] Out of 150 patients who have a suspicion of melanoma, there will be three of them,” he illustrates.
Waiting out of time
Nevertheless, nearly 98,000 Quebecers are waiting to see a dermatologist, the specialty at the top of the waiting lists. Of this number, more than 59,000 consultation requests are out of time, according to figures from the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS).
The Dr Claveau is, however, delighted that more and more cancers are being detected very early, in particular thanks to clinicians who are increasingly better trained to detect them.
Another light on the picture is that despite a constant increase in cases of melanoma, mortality is not increasing and is even tending to improve.
“There is a lot of progress [dans les traitements] and it’s very positive […] 20 years ago, when the patient was in the generalized phase, there was no treatment,” continues the specialist.
With immunotherapy, patients who already have metastases to other organs can be cured, in addition to preventing relapses.
Ugly Duckling
To distinguish a mole from a melanoma, the Canadian Dermatology Association suggests the ABCDE, that is to say asymmetry, irregular border, dark color, a diameter of more than 6 mm and a evolution in the time.
The Dr Claveau also suggests the “ugly duckling” trick, because a melanoma will be different from other moles.
How to protect yourself?
– Nearly 90% of melanomas are associated with intense exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays and sunburn during life;
– Protect yourself from the sun and avoid tanning beds, for example;
– Look for shade between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.;
– Wear clothing that covers as much skin as possible as well as a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection;
– Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30;
“The benefits of sunscreen far outweigh the potential concerns,” assures the Dr Joel Claveau.
– Examine your skin every month.
Source: Canadian Dermatology Association
