Dr. Susan Sharma: This is Insidermedicine in 60 from New York. In a study, published in Archives of Dermatology, biopsies on over 1600 pigmented lesions revealed that those over 6 millimeters in diameter were 3.4 times more likely to represent an invasive form of melanoma. Most dermatologists follow the ABCDE rule to screen for melanoma; A for asymmetry, B for border irregularity, C for color variability, D for diameter greater than six millimeters and E for evolution or changes in the lesion.
From Seattle, with baby boomers aging, there is some concern about the number of general surgeons who will be able to care for them, according to a study in the Archives of Surgery. There has been a 25% reduction in the number of general surgeons in the US over the past 25 years, despite nearly a 30% increase in the overall population. In 1981, there were 7.7 surgeons per 100,000 whereas now there are only 5.7.
And finally, from Ottawa, the Canadian Federal government has announced its intention to ban the import and sale of plastic baby bottles containing bisphenol A. Several studies have found that the chemical, also known as BPA, can leach into a bottle’s contents, increasing the risk for breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, even at low doses. A ban on BPA would make Canada the first country in the world to take such measures. For Insidermedicine in 60, I’m Doctor Susan Sharma.
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