Here are a few tips to avoid melanome now that spring has sprung

Press release (12/06/2023) 

Here are a few tips to avoid melanome now that spring has sprung
Waar true or false about skin prevention

Brussels, 12th June 2023 - The first rays of sunshine have already made their appearance in Belgium these past weeks. It's the opportunity for The Brussels University Hospital (H.U.B), consisting of the Erasmus Hospital, the Jules Bordet Institute and the Queen Fabiola University Children's Hospital, to go over the basics of sun protection. While we all know we should stay in the shade, cover up and use sun cream, it's also important to do it correctly.

The majority of melanomas are due to the sun.
TRUE! 90% of cases of melanoma are due to the sun. Light-coloured skin and skin with a lot of moles have an increased risk. So, remember to protect yourself with sun cream and to head to the shade now and then. The type of exposure also plays an important role in these figures. In fact, intermittent acute exposure, in other words recreational and high exposure of skin which is not used to the sun the rest of the year, causes an increased risk of melanoma. Without hiding from the sun, which is also a source of vitamin D, remember that too much is harmful!

"When I go swimming, waterproof sun cream and a T-shirt are my allies."
TRUE & FALSE! A T-shirt is a good idea, especially for children, but it must be suitable for swimming. In fact, when cotton T-shirts are wet, they let UV rays through, which are responsible for melanoma. As for waterproof sun cream, remember to apply it again after swimming, because sea water and the act of drying remove the cream. Also remember to inform your children about sun protection. Studies show that excessive exposure of immature skin to the sun's rays, in other words before the age of 12, increases the risks of melanoma in adults. Teaching young children the right reflexes in the sun is a good way of protecting them for the future.

"If I tan without burning, there is no risk of melanoma."
FALSE! Sunburn clearly indicates a risk to the skin. But tanning in itself is already the sign that the cells have been damaged. If we tan, it means that the protection was insufficient. And if you have had severe sunburn that you can still remember, it's a sign that your protection habits were not sufficient to provide effective protection. Use a minimum factor 30 sun cream, depending on your skin type.

The ABCDE method
This invididual method to test a suspicious blemish on your skin can detect early melanoma. If a blemish is Asymmetric (A), with irregular Borders (B), uneven Colour (C), a large Diameter (D) and it Evolves (E), then consult your GP or dermatologist. If a melanoma is detected early on, it can be cured in nearly 100% of cases with simple surgery. But to avoid that, protecting yourself from the sun is the best form of prevention.
A suspected melanoma? Doctors at the Brussels University Hospital consisting of the Erasmus Hospital, the Jules Bordet Institute and the Queen Fabiola Children's University Hospital (HUDERF) are there to support you.

• To make an appointment:
  • Jules Bordet Institute Screening Clinic :
    • Tel : +32 (0)2 541 30 55
    • Email : accueil_depistage@hubruxelles.be
  • Erasme Hospital Dermatology Department :
    • Tel : +32 (0)2 555 35 07
    • Tel : +32 (0)2 555 36 57
    • E-mail: Cons.Dermato@erasme.ulb.ac.be
  • HUDERF Dermatology Department :
    • Tel : +32 (0)2 477 31 69
       
• Press contact
  • Press responsible : Alexandra Cazan
    • E-mail : alexandra.cazan@hubruxelles.be 
    • communication@hubruxelles.be 
    • Tel : +32 (0)2 541 38 89
    • Mob : +32 (0) 493 16 74 79
  • Press officer : Gabrielle Vanhoudenhove
    • E-mail : gabrielle.vanhoudenhove@erasme.ulb.ac.be + communication@hubruxelles.be
    • Tel : +32 (0)2 555 83 95

ABOUT THE ERSAMUS HOSPITAL
The Erasmus Hospital is located on the Erasmus hospital-faculty campus, which includes the Faculty of Medicine (about 3500 students), the Faculty of Motor Sciences (about 1100 students) and the School of Public Health (about 600 students). Opened in 1977 and with a capacity of 1,048 beds, the hospital receives 25,000 to 30,000 inpatients annually and has 350,000 to 400,000 consultations.
More than 4,000 members of staff, in 80 different professions, contribute on a daily basis to providing care under the sign of ambition, excellence and well-being. The Lothier Polyclinic and 2 external centres (the Traumatology and Rehabilitation Centre - CTR and the Geriatric Revalidation Centre - CRG) complete the care offer.
www.erasme.ulb.ac.be

ABOUT THE JULES BORDET INSTITUTE
An integrated multidisciplinary centre, the only one of its kind in Belgium, the Jules Bordet Institute is an autonomous hospital dedicated exclusively to cancerous diseases.
During the past 80 years the Jules Bordet Institute has been offering its patients diagnostic and treatment strategies at the leading edge of progress to prevent, detect and actively fight cancer. The Institute pursues three missions: care, research and teaching. The Institute's international reputation attracts leading experts in the field of cancer. Its spirit of innovation has enabled it to participate in the development and discovery of new methods of diagnosis and major treatment innovations, with the aim of translating the results into improved patient care as rapidly as possible.
In May 2028, the Jules Border Institute was officially awarded, for the second time, OECI (Organisation of European Cancer Institutes) accreditation as a "Comprehensive Cancer Center", a quality label reserved for multidisciplinary cancer care institutions that combine research and training. The Jules Bordet Institute is the only Comprehensive Cancer Centre with OECI accreditation in Belgium.
On 28 November 2021, the Jules Bordet Institute opened its new building on the ULB university campus in Anderlecht with 80,000 m² fully dedicated to leading edge cancer care, research and training, as well as a patient well-being centre. It offers 250 hospitalisation beds and 43 day hospitalisation beds.
The Jules Bordet Institute is also part of the H.U.B., the University Hospital of Brussels, which includes the Erasmus Hospital, the Jules Bordet Institute and the Queen Fabiola Children's Hospital. Thanks to new investments, this internationally renowned university hospital group is able to guarantee high quality care accessible to all combined with excellence in research and training.
www.bordet.be

ABOUT THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
The Queen Fabiola University Children's Hospital is the only Belgian hospital exclusively dedicated to children and adolescents. By doing everything possible for the well-being of children, our hospital contributes to their being actors of their own development and to their blossoming in society.
The hospital's mission is to
- To care for and support children, adolescents and their families through comprehensive, multidisciplinary, humanistic and excellent care.
- To provide high-level teaching and research through a continuous process of innovation and development of knowledge.
- To contribute actively to health education.
The Children’s Hospital in figures: 183 beds, nearly 135,000 consultations, more than 36,000 emergency admissions and more than 41,000 days of hospitalisation per year. More than 3,700 operations are performed in the operating area each year. More than 1,000 people work there today, representing 750 FTEs (full-time equivalents), including 170 FTE doctors (52.5 post-graduate FTEs) and 440 FTE nurses and paramedics.
www.huderf.be

ABOUT THE H.U.B
The Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (H.U.B) is the academic hospital of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), which unites the Jules Bordet institute, the Erasme Hospital and the Queen Fabiola Children’s University Hospital (HUDERF) since 2021. As an international reference center, located in the heart of the Brussels Region, the H.U.B offers high quality general, oncological and pediatric care. This excellent care, accessible to all, is enriched and sustained by a dual approach of scientific research and teaching for the caregivers of tomorrow. In 2022, the H.U.B. is composed of more than 6,000 employees who share the following values: Interest of the patient, Respect, Commitment, Solidarity, Diversity and Inclusion, and the principle of Free enquiry.
www.hubruxelles.be