MISSION   "Our personal experiences with Melanoma that include myself and my late Uncle drove us to assist building awareness of the many faces of this disease and help inform, educate and promote better health to the public through the racing community."   - Corey Agee

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	Banquet - Jan. 29	1:00pm

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	COREY AGEE MOTORSPORTS Racing the Beast awareness wristband	$2.00
	Racing the Beast driver tee Size Small Medium Large XL	$15.00
	2011 Championship Tee in Mason Jar Size Small Medium Large XL	$15.00
	2011 Championship combo pack. T-shirt, RtB wristband, hero card Size Small Medium Large XL	$20.00

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	Join us and become part of the fight against melanoma by making a contribution of $10, $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford to support our work at Racing the Beast Melanoma Awareness.	$10.00

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What Is Melanoma? also called, The Beast. Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin, which gives skin its color. Melanin also protects the deeper layers of the skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. When people spend time in the sunlight, the melanocytes make more melanin and cause the skin to tan. This also happens when skin is exposed to other forms of ultraviolet light (such as in a tanning booth). If the skin receives too much ultraviolet light, the melanocytes may begin to grow abnormally and become cancerous. This condition is called melanoma. How and where does melanoma appear? The first sign of melanoma is often a change in the size, shape, or color of a mole. But melanoma can also appear on the body as a new mole. In men, melanoma most often shows up: on the upper body, between the shoulders and hips on the head and neck In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs. In dark-skinned people, melanoma often appears: under the fingernails or toenails on the palms of the hands on the soles of the feet Although these are the most common places on the body for melanomas to appear, they can appear anywhere on the skin. That's why it is important to always examine your skin to check for new moles or changes in moles. With early diagnosis and treatment, the chances of recovery are very good. The chance of getting melanoma increases as you get older, but people of any age can get melanoma. In fact, melanoma is one of the most common cancers in young adults. Each year, more than 50,000 people in the U.S. learn that they have melanoma. Melanoma is a serious and sometimes life-threatening cancer. If melanoma is found and treated in its early stages, the chances of recovery are very good. If it is not found early, melanoma can grow deeper into the skin and spread to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis. Once melanoma has spread to other parts of the body beyond the skin, it is difficult to treat.

Prevention & Sun Safety   Approximately 65 percent of melanomas—the most deadly form of skin cancer and one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States—are attributed to ultraviolet (UV) exposure from sunlight or artificial sources such as tanning beds.   Although melanoma may develop in parts of your body that are not exposed to the sun, Racing the Beast program recommends the following sun safety practices for all skin types to help prevent melanoma and other skin cancers:   Generously apply sunscreen to all exposed skin—even on cloudy days—year-round. ·         Be sure to use a sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB rays and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Look for ingredients in your sunscreen such as titanium dioxide and mexoryl, which block UVA rays better. ·         Use enough sunscreen. To protect your entire body, use approximately an ounce of sunscreen (about a full shot glass) and apply it at least 20 minutes before sun exposure. ·         Re-apply sunscreen every two hours and after swimming or sweating, even if the bottle says it’s waterproof or long lasting. ·         Remember, wearing sunscreen is not a blank check for spending unlimited time in the sun. Sunscreen is just one component of sun safety.   Wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, when possible.   Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that the sun’s rays are the strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.   Use extra caution near water, snow and sand, as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.   Do not burn. Severe sunburns, especially during childhood, increase your risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancer. Just one blistering sunburn can double your chances of developing melanoma later in life.   Avoid intentional tanning and indoor tanning beds. Current research indicates there is no way to get a tan through ultraviolet exposure without increasing the risk for skin cancer.   Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that includes vitamin supplements. Don’t seek the sun.   Be aware of medications that can increase your sensitivity to sunlight. Certain prescription and over-the-counter drugs have the ability to make your skin more sensitive to sunlight

Diagnosis   Most melanomas are diagnosed using a skin biopsy. The main types of skin biopsies are: •Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA): technique in which a needle is inserted into the tissue or tumor to aspirate (take out) fluid and cells. This tissue/fluid is smeared onto a slide and is then looked at under a microscope. FNA can be performed in the office or under radiology guidance. •Shave Biopsy: technique in which a portion of a lesion is cut off the surface of the skin using a scalpel in most cases. This is often performed by a dermatologist in the office. •Punch Biopsy: technique in which a lesion is removed from the skin using a cookie cutter type device. This is used to remove small lesions or to sample a portion of a larger lesion. •Incisional Biopsy: technique in which a lesion is removed from the skin by cutting out the affected area. This technique is often used to remove larger lesions. •Excisional Biopsy: technique in which a lesion is removed from the skin by cutting out the affected area as well as a portion of normal skin surrounding the lesion. This technique is also used to remove larger lesions. For a melanoma diagnosis, tissue is removed from the skin to be examined under a microscope by a person specialized in analyzing skin specimens. This is often a dermatopathologist who is specially trained in melanoma biopsies. After analyzing the tissue, the pathologist will issue a pathology report—if the lesion is determined to be a melanoma, all specific information important in determining prognosis and recurrence risk will be included. The depth in millimeters and the presence or absence of ulceration provides the most important information related to prognosis at this time. Mitotic rate is also very important in determining a person’s prognosis. Following this initial biopsy, a wider local excision is often performed to ensure that the entire lesion was removed along with a clear margin of normal tissue around the melanoma. A second step in the diagnosis of melanoma and to determine a person’s stage of melanoma is analyzing the lymph node status. When the original or primary melanoma has certain high risk characteristics, the lymph nodes are examined to determine if there is additional involvement. These characteristics include a depth greater than 1 mm, a Clark’s Level greater than IV, the presence of ulceration and sometimes regression. If the primary melanoma meets these characteristics, a sentinel lymph node biopsy is often performed. During a sentinel lymph node biopsy, a radioactive tracer and a dye are injected into the site of the primary melanoma. These agents are then traced to the “draining” lymph node basin. A small incision is made into the area where these two agents traveled and the lymph nodes involved are removed. They are then examined under a microscope to determine if there are any melanoma cells detected. •If no melanoma cells are found, then no further surgical intervention is performed. •If this lymph node does contain melanoma cells, then a second surgery to remove additional lymph nodes will be performed. These additional lymph nodes are also evaluated by a pathologist to determine if they contain any melanoma cells.

Stages of melanoma   These are the stages of melanoma: Stage 0: The melanoma involves only the top layer of skin. It is called melanoma in situ. Stage I: The tumor is no more than 1 millimeter thick (about the width of the tip of a sharpened pencil.) The surface may appear broken down. Or, the tumor is between 1 and 2 millimeters thick, and the surface is not broken down. Stage II: The tumor is between 1 and 2 millimeters thick, and the surface appears broken down. Or, the thickness of the tumor is more than 2 millimeters, and the surface may appear broken down. Stage III: The melanoma cells have spread to at least one nearby lymph node. Or, the melanoma cells have spread from the original tumor to tissues nearby. Stage IV: Cancer cells have spread to the lung or other organs, skin areas, or lymph nodes far away from the original growth. Melanoma commonly spreads to other parts of the skin, tissue under the skin, lymph nodes, and lungs. It can also spread to the liver, brain, bones, and other organs.

Treating melanoma   Early-stage melanoma can usually be treated with surgery alone. The treatment for melanoma depends on three factors: the age of the person the general health of the person the stage of the disease Surgery is the first treatment for all stages of melanoma (IA through IV). The tumor is removed entirely, along with some surrounding tissue (usually about ¾ of an inch all around). The surgery may be done by a dermatologist or a surgeon, and it sometimes happens as part of the diagnosis process. In some cases, a skin graft may be needed to replace skin that has been removed. If the melanoma has spread to the nearby lymph nodes, the affected lymph nodes may also be removed surgically. Surgery is usually the only treatment needed for people with early-stage melanomas (thinner melanomas that have not spread to the lymph nodes). However, these people still need regular follow-up visits to the doctor, to make sure the melanoma has not come back and that other moles do not need biopsies. Once a person has had melanoma, there is a higher chance of getting it again. For later-stage melanomas (thick melanomas or those that have spread to the nearby lymph nodes), other treatments besides surgery may be needed. These are called "adjuvant" treatments, and they may take the form of: immunotherapy chemotherapy radiation therapy Melanoma that has spread to distant sites in the body, or to other organs (such as the lungs or liver) is known as Stage IV. For these patients, treatment options may be available, including clinical trials. Please discuss your options with your health care professional.

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