May is National Mental Health Month National Suicide Hotline: 800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 Tobacco Related Cancers for the Month of May Melanoma and Skin: Cancers: Melanoma is a cancer that develops in melanocytes, the pigment cells present in the skin. It can be more serious than the other forms of skin cancer because of a tendency to spread to other parts of the body and cause serious illness and death. Because most mela- nomas occur on the skin where they can be seen, patients or their spouses are often the first to detect suspicious tumors. Caught early, most melanomas can be cured with relatively minor surgery. Bladder Cancer: Bladder cancer is any of several types of cancer arising from the tissues of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which cells grow abnormally and have the potential to spread to other parts of the body. Symptoms include blood in the urine, pain with urination, and low back pain. Risk factors for bladder cancer include smoking, family history, prior radiation therapy, frequent bladder infections, and exposure to certain chemicals. The most common type is transitional cell carcinoma. Other types include squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Quit line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW 6 • Siletz News • May 2021