Parkinson's Disease Support Group

Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder often characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing of physical movement, and in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement. The primary symptoms of Parkinsons are due to excessive muscle contraction, normally caused by the insufficient formation and action of dopamine, which is produced in the dopaminergic neurons of the...

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Article on Melonama Cancer & Parkinson's

CMstanding
CMstanding
I just saw this article about Parkinson's and Melonama cancer.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43301501

As if we don't already have enough to think about!!!!
deleted_user
deleted_user
You bring up an interesting point. I have heard of this connection as well and in my case I live it. I had a melanoma cancer removed (caught early in stage 1) 17 years ago. I have also had 1 squamous cell (sp?) and over 40 basel cell cancers removed. Yes I have spent a lot of time at the dermatologist the past 20 years. As I was raised on a farm he thinks exposure to all those terrible farm chemicals (in addition to sun exposure) have caused my skin cancer. I also think there is a correlation to my PD to those same farm chemicals and tainted ground water.
Yes I suggest PD folks have at least an annual full body inspection by a dermatologist to be on the safe side regarding skin cancer. Matter of fact I have my periodic follow up appt in two weeks.
CM - don't worry about it too much though, but it is good you are now aware. Skin cancer is nothing to fear if caught early. It is removed easily and it is GONE.
deleted_user
deleted_user
My husband had melanoma many years before he was diagnosed with PD.Very interesting! It was removed and he goes yearly now(more often earlier) to a dermatologist.I agree with Desert Rat.Don't worry...just be aware of any changes in skin condition such as irregular moles.
Dirky
Dirky
Hi CM, I won 10 sunbed sessions in a raffle at a health club I used to be a member of a long time ago. Upto then I had only used a one every now & then.... the ones where you lay down.
I used up the sessions in about a month and carried on using it afterwards.... as I was very pleased with the nice even tan that I had.

After a few extra sessions, a when I was getting showered I noticed a very small red spot just below my ribs on my right side, I thought it was strange, but ignored it, but with time it grew bigger and changed colour to dark brown..... and nearly every time I showered I caught it with my finger nail and it would bleed quite bad...each it healed itself and got bigger too, it was the size of a garden pea and was attatched by a tag of skin... one time the bleed was very bad and wouldn't stop... so I went to hospital, where after a while after taking a sample/biopsy, they told me it was Cancerous and was coursed by the over-use of sunbed.... I had to have it removed and now have a small scar.
Needless to say I don't use sunbeds anymore.

Yours Sincerely Dirky !!;O))