Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission
Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.
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Myeloma and Skin Cancer Risk
Technically, multiple myeloma has nothing to do with your skin cancer risk. I am writing this post because myeloma therapies, according to research, increase your risk of skin cancer.
If you are the average age of the newly diagnosed MM patient, 70 years of age, you are at a higher risk for a skin cancer diagnosis.
Full transparency: I got sunburned several times as a kid. Further, I had an ASCT in December of 1995. It took a while to physically recover, but I went skiing with my brother about a year later. Boy, was my skin sensitive to the sun. Knowing my skin sensitivity and my skin cancer risk, I follow many of the non-conventional therapies to reduce my risk of skin cancer.
What can an MM survivor who has undergone an ASCT do to reduce their risk of skin cancer?
🌿 1. Nutritional and Dietary Interventions
These may support skin health and enhance protection against UV damage:
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Antioxidant-rich diet: Foods high in vitamins C, E, A, and polyphenols (e.g., berries, green tea, leafy greens, carrots) help combat oxidative stress, which contributes to DNA damage.
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Lycopene (found in tomatoes): Linked to increased skin photoprotection.
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Omega-3 fatty acids (from fish oil, flaxseed): May reduce inflammation and UV-induced skin damage.
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Curcumin (from turmeric): Has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, with potential protective effects against UV-induced damage.
🧘♀️ 2. Mind-Body Practices
Chronic stress can weaken the immune system and impair skin healing. These techniques support overall immune function:
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Meditation & mindfulness: May reduce systemic inflammation and stress hormones that can negatively affect the skin.
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Tai Chi or Qigong: Gentle movement practices that improve circulation and immune function in older adults.
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Yoga: Supports overall health and stress reduction, with indirect benefits to skin immunity.
☀️ 3. Photoprotection Beyond Sunscreen
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Polypodium leucotomos extract: A fern-derived oral supplement shown in some studies to reduce UV-induced skin damage.
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Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): Oral supplementation has been shown to reduce the risk of certain non-melanoma skin cancers in high-risk populations.
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Green tea extract: Contains catechins with antioxidant properties that may offer photoprotection.
🌱 4. Topical Natural Products
Some natural compounds are studied for their protective or reparative effects:
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Aloe vera gel: May help repair skin and reduce inflammation after sun exposure.
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Topical green tea polyphenols: Shown in some research to reduce markers of UV-induced DNA damage.
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Resveratrol: Found in grapes and red wine, topically or orally, it may support DNA repair and reduce oxidative stress.
🩺 5. Regular Skin Self-Checks with Assistive Tech
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Using smartphone apps with AI features to monitor moles and lesions could help older adults spot early changes, especially if mobility or vision is reduced.
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Some wearable tech can monitor UV exposure and remind users when they’ve exceeded safe limits.
I am a long-term MM survivor. I marvel at the progress that conventional oncology has made in the management of MM since my diagnosis in 1994. However, oncology does a lousy job of educating MM patients like me about the short-term, long-term, and late-stage side effects that can happen due to conventional chemo and radiation.
Will my efforts to avoid a skin cancer diagnosis be enough? Cross your fingers.
Email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com to learn more about managing your MM with both conventional and non-conventional therapies.
Good luck,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Skin Cancer Burden Highest in Older Men, Rich Countries
TOPLINE:
In 2021, skin cancer affected millions of older adults globally. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) had the highest incidence, while squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounted for the greatest disability burden, and men and high sociodemographic index (SDI) countries, especially in Australasia and North America, bore a disproportionate share of cases and deaths.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 database covering 204 countries from 1990 to 2021.
- The analysis included age-standardized rates (ASRs) of prevalence, incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100,000 population associated with skin cancer among adults aged 65 years or older.
- Disease burden was stratified by sex, age, year, and SDI.
TAKEAWAY:
- In 2021, there were an estimated 153,993 new cases of melanoma, 1,463,424 of SCC, and 2,802,354 of BCC.
- BCC had the highest incidence rate (ASRs, 371.97), whereas SCC exhibited the highest prevalence (ASR, 236.91) and DALYs (ASR, 95.50). Men had a higher incidence than women, and population growth was the major driver of the increasing disease burden.
- The highest ASRs of melanoma incidence (158.10), prevalence (1165.26), deaths (27.83), and DALYs (502.22) were reported in Australasia. North America had the highest incidence and prevalence rates for keratinocyte carcinoma (KC). Australasia also recorded the highest SCC-related deaths (ASR, 15.37) and DALYs (ASR, 226.92). The highest BCC-related DALY rate (ASR, 1.21) was observed in North America.
- Melanoma-related death rates were more than five times higher in high SDI countries (ASR, 9.49) than in low-middle to middle SDI countries. Despite high SDI levels, the United States, Greenland, Sweden, and Switzerland had disproportionately high BCC-related DALY rates, while New Zealand, Australia, Norway, North Macedonia, and Slovenia had higher-than-expected melanoma-related DALY rates.
IN PRACTICE:
“The findings of this study suggest that the global disease burden of skin cancer in adults 65 years or older is on the rise, particularly among male individuals and in countries with a high SDI level,” the study authors wrote. “Our results underscore the urgency to enact prevention and treatment strategies tailored to high-risk older populations.”
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